What do you use to clean your glass

[phousby]

Newbie here – but have been hovering for quite awhile, thank you for all the wonderful info!  Wondering what others are using to clean their glass before firing.  I am currently using a no ammonia glass cleaner named Sparkle that has worked well but I am having problems with black and dark brown transparent. Wondering if the cleaner is the problem.  Any suggestions??  Thanks

[glazegirl]

 I use rubbing alcohol (takes moisture off too) use lint free towel and I also wear a pair of lint-free gloves, when assembling the final project, so the oil and finger prints will not get on any glass…some may think this is crazy, but one finger print can leave a mark on the final project.

you can get lint free gloves on Amazon.com

from eHow: Clean and then reclean any glass that is going into your kiln. Specs of dirt, dust from grinding, oil from your skin; all of these can cause nucleation points where devit will have a tendency to occur. Cleanliness is probably the one characteristic that the artist has most control over. I soak the cut or ground glass as soon as I have a piece ready for the assembly stage. This soaking allows the edges of the piece to be cleaned easier and more thoroughly.. 

Hope this helps

[phousby]

great suggestion – thank you.  Hadn’t considered rubbing alcohol, I will give it a try!

[Stephen Richard]

You don’t actually say what the “trouble” is.  One person has assumed devitrification.  If the “trouble” is happening only on black and brown, it may be something else.  Please describe.

Stephen Richard

blogs at: http://www.verrier-glass.blogspot.com/ and  http://www.glasstips.blogspot.com/

[phousby]

Stephen, thank you for your reply.  You are right I am new to fusing so I may be making assumptions that are incorrect.  The area I am taking about was very dull and evenly frosted though not “grainy”, the glass was black that had been strip cut(tried to take a pictures but I didn’t have success) the other glass seemed fine.  I decided to sandblast and fire polish which seemed to take care of the problem area.  Would this lend itself to be devit since it didn’t reappear after the sandblasting and refire?  I truly appreciate your help and this forum’s guidance!

Patty

[Stephen Richard]

Yes, it is most likely devitrification.  Devitrification does not have to be grainy, It can look just slightly dirty.  Darker glasses show devitrification more easily than light coloured ones.

If you are grinding the edges after cutting the strips, this will promote devitrifrication.  If you are placing the strips on edge, you do not need to grind them at all.  The fusing process will deal with the little cutting imperfections, and by leaving the cut edges “clean cut” there are no little pits for the devit to start.

 

Stephen Richard

blogs at: http://www.verrier-glass.blogspot.com/ and  http://www.glasstips.blogspot.com/

[Stephen Richard]

Yes, it is most likely devitrification.  Devitrification does not have to be grainy, It can look just slightly dirty.  Darker glasses show devitrification more easily than light coloured ones.

If you are grinding the edges after cutting the strips, this will promote devitrifrication.  If you are placing the strips on edge, you do not need to grind them at all.  The fusing process will deal with the little cutting imperfections, and by leaving the cut edges “clean cut” there are no little pits for the devit to start.

 

Stephen Richard

blogs at: http://www.verrier-glass.blogspot.com/ and  http://www.glasstips.blogspot.com/

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