Clearing up the Edges

[Caribou Glass]

After cutting my glass I sometimes find it necessary to use a grinder on it. After using the grinder it leaves the edge discolored nearly white on black and darked opals. When fused this discoloration seems not to go away. My question, what causes this and what is the cure? I’m tired of seeing poor looking edges on my finished pieces. Thanks in advance!

[Becki]

Keeping your ground edges wet and cleaning them well before firing should take care of it.

 

 

Becki

 

[Joseph2bears]

Standard grinder bits are fairly coarse and leave a rough edge.  Properly cleaned of swarf and taken to a full fuse, most coarse edges will fire polish to a high gloss, but it depends on time and temperature.  Short time and lower temperature will still leave a cloudy edge.  You can purchase Fine and Super Fine grinder bits.

Do your initial shaping with the regular coarse bit.  Then clean it up with a Fine bit.  I’ve used the Super Fine bit as a final grind when I am going to slump.  The Super Fine edge fire polishes to a high gloss at slumping temperatures and retains a fairly crisp edge.  I have been quite satisfied with the results.

–Joseph 2bears

[flowrpowr]

I find keeping my grinder clean helps. And I use a toothbrush to scrub the edges of the cut pieces when I wash them.

[glassstonestudio]

By chance are you using “thin fire” paper?  I had similar problems for a long time, and was so frustrated, I stopped grinding, and couldn’t make pieces like I wanted to.  I talked with a fellow fuser recently, who told me that something with the thin fire leaves that white ring wound the edges that were touched by the grinder.  I went back to using kilnwash and I haven’t had the problem since & I am back to fusing all the time!

 

[wordana]

I use Thinfire almost exclusively (rarely use kiln wash, except in slumping molds), and I never have a problem with devit on the edges.

Dana W.

Jester’s Baubles Fused Glass Designs

http://www.jestersbaubles.com

[ArtGlass Delights]

I have diamond hand pads that I bought through Delphi that come in 4 different grits and work nicely for cleaning up the edges after grinding. scrubbing the edges is still essential and keep the sponge that wets your grinder clean. That helps too.  

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