How to Repair Dichroic Glass
Dichroic glass was developed by the space industry but was enthusiastically adopted by the art world for use in art glass and jewelry. You can find stunning uses of dichroic glass in platters, bowls and other kitchen or serving uses. You can also find dichroic glass used in building materials such as bathroom sinks and as a partition or wall divider. Sometimes dichroic glass, like other glass, breaks. Repairing dichroic glass depends on the nature of the break. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Examine the dichroic glass to determine the nature of the break.
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Repair chips on the edge of dichroic glass using a diamond-coated file. Wet the dichroic glass with water, and file the chip away. Stop and clean the surface with fresh water from time to time as you file so that you do not embed diamond dust in the glass. Switch to diamond-coated sandpaper after filing to sand away tool marks caused when filing. Use increasingly fine grit diamond-coated sandpaper until the repaired area is as polished as the remaining surface.
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Repair most cracks in the dichroic glass by re-firing the glass in a kiln. Prepare the dichroic glass for the kiln so that only the dichroic glass and nothing else goes into the kiln. Remove architectural glass from the window, or whereever the glass is installed, before firing. Remove all fittings or findings attached to the dichroic glass before firing the glass in the kiln. Wash the dichroic glass with glass cleaner. Add any glass, if needed, to repair the break. Calculate the firing schedule required to fuse the broken dichroic glass in the glass-fusing kiln. The firing schedule will depend on the size and thickness of the dichroic glass in need of repair. Include an annealing period in your firing schedule. Place the dichroic glass in the glass fusing kiln, and fire to full fuse.
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Repair breaks that cannot be removed from where the dichroic glass is installed using a glass adhesive. Many glass adhesives are designed to bond glass to glass. Others are designed to laminate glass. How you apply the adhesive to the dichroic glass will depend on the nature and extent of the glass break. Look at the break to determine whether you want to use the glue to fill in a break or to hold the glass together and prevent the crack from spreading by laminating the glass. Apply the glass adhesive according to the adhesive manufacturer's instructions.
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Tips & Warnings
Work in a well-ventilated space when using adhesives or other chemicals.
Never leave a kiln unattended when it is firing.
References
- "Warm Glass: A Complete Guide to Kiln-Forming Techniques"; Philippa Beveridge, Ignasi Domenech, Eva Pacual; 2005
- "The Fused Glass Handbook"; Gil Reynolds; 1987
- "Contemporary Fused Glass"; Brad Walker; 2010
- "Techniques of Kiln-Formed Glass"; Keith Cummings; 1997
- "A Beginner's Guide to Kiln-Formed Glass"; Brenda Griffith; 2007
