Tool o' the Day: Elmers Glueyep, no lies here. Although this sticky grammar school crafting adhesive isn't technically a "tool" (I'd say its more of a "supply") its definitely useful in the glass studio.
There are other products out there on the market, ones that are sold specifically to use with glass fusing... and I have tried some of these... I will not use names cuz they are all well and good, I just don't prefer them, they tend to take a LONG time to dry and they are kinda wet and just not the right tacky substance that I am looking for, and Elmers is cheap... readily available... and I like the little dispenser.
Most of the time when I am using glue, the purpose is to make loading the kiln more efficient and simple. If everything is glued together its easier to pick up and transfer onto kiln shelves.
Glue is used in glass fusing to temporarily tack the glass pieces together before they are fired. Small amounts of the glue is a key consideration, too little and the glass doesn't actually stick, too much and the glue itself leaves a residue on the finished piece of glass. You must clean all the glass impeccably before firing. I do all my cleaning before I glue anything. If a large amount of glue is used it can possibly result in a residue, or even a dark smudge in between translucent pieces of glass. However, used in moderation, the glue will burn away at temperatures that are far below the point at which glass even begins to melt. So you put your glued creations in the kiln and you go about your merry way, and afterwards the glass is all fused together and the glue has been completely obliterated, its no where to be seen, its no longer necessary and no one ever would know.
Until now. Or being that you read my blog and you are probably a crafty sorta person, you probably already knew about how glue is used with fused glass... but if you didn't, now you do.
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