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  2. Project 12 steps

Funky fused glass disc pendant

A contemporary and funky pendant created from drilled fused glass. By Kim Atherton

The Artist

Kim Atherton

Kim Atherton teaches glass techniques at the Liquid Glass Centre. The centre offers a range of glass jewellery courses for all levels. Kim’s own work is exhibited in galleries throughout the UK.

This pendant was created by fusing coloured glass rods between two layers of clear glass. A circle and then a smaller hole are drilled out to form the pendant. You can also use the smaller drilled pieces to make cuff links or rings.

Tools & Materials

  • Fusible clear glass
  • Coloured glass rod or off cuts the same COE as the clear glass
  • Kiln firing paper or kiln shelf wash
  • Leather, suede or cord
  • Kiln
  • Pillar drill
  • Adaptor for drill
  • Diamond glass drill bits
  • Lampworking torch
  • Gloves
  • Safely glasses
  • Pliers (optional)

Step 1

Take the coloured lampworking rod or strip of sheet glass and hold either end. Heat the centre of the glass in the flame of the torch. As the glass is melting, twist it together until you have created a ball of molten glass.

Step 2

Once the ball of hot glass is about 1cm in the round, take the glass out of the flame and at first gently start to pull the two ends away from each other, as the glass cools you can pull harder and quicker.

Step 3

Pull the glass straight and then hold until cool. You can either use a pair of pliers to snap the ends of the stringer off the glass, or you can re-enter the ends of the stringers into the flame to separate. (Repeat steps 1-3 until you have all the coloured rods you need.)

Step 4

Cut two pieces of clear glass the same size, a rectangle is best for this, as it gives you something to hold on to during the drilling and you can also get several pendants out of the same piece.The sheet glass must be the same COE as the stringers.

Step 5

Place the stringers onto a base of one of the clear glass pieces. Give attention to the composition of the stringers, making sure they are fairly evenly spaced. Don’t worry about the edges being neat as they will not be used in the final piece.

Step 6

Put the second piece of clear glass over the top. The glass will now need to be fired. The program to use is 150°c per hour to 550°c, then full power or 1h to 810°c, hold at 810°c for 10 minutes, then straight down to 545°c, hold for 45 minutes then come down 80°c per hour to 150°c.

Step 7

Wait until the glass is room temperature before removing from the kiln. The fired glass will now be shiny and smooth. Look at the glass and decide where you are going to drill your pendant.

Step 8

Take the glass to the glass drill. These are special diamond coated core drills that are water fed from the inside of the drill bits. You can buy adaptors for standard pillar drills and the drill bits come in a range of different sizes. (See page 59 for Tool of the Month)

Step 9

Make sure that the water is flowing though the drill bit and, wearing Kevlar gloves, hold the glass in place and apply an intermittent downwards pressure on the surface of the glass, until you have drilled out the hole. Take your time and don’t let the drill bit dry out.

Step 10

Once you have drilled out your glass disc you can change the drill bit for a smaller one and drill another hole in the centre. For this project the hole was drilled slightly off centre to help the pendant hang nicely.

Step 11

The glass will have a rough matt edge from the drilling process, to polish the edges fire polish in the kiln as follows: 150°c per hour to 500°c, 1 hour to 760°c, hold for 12mins at 760°c. Anneal the glass at 545°c for 45 minutes and come down to room temperature no faster than 100°c per hour.

Step 12

The finished pendant will retain its lovely chunky quality and have shiny fire polished edges. To complete the piece, pick out a colour used in the glass and take a piece of suede, leather or cord of that colour and simply thread through the central hole to make the pendant. Fabulous!

Fashion Tips

This chunky funky pendant looks great dressed up or down. Wear it with jeans and a simple casual top for the day or a minimal evening dress for the evening. Pick out individual colours and match them to bright resin accessories. Add further flashes of colour with chunky platform shoes in textured materials such as suede

Young Fashion SS09 House of Fraser

Roberto Cavalli sunglasses £149.99 Lovemyframes.com.

Drop heart dangly earrings £12 Lunacy

Kim's tips

  • Make your glass panel big enough so that you are able to grip it securely when drilling
  • Always wear safety glasses and gloves when drilling the glass. A cork mat under the glass is an ideal base to drill onto
  • Buy the best drill bits you can afford, cheaper ones tend to go blunt faster

Resources

All tools, materials and equipment featured are available from The Liquid Glass Shop, buy on-line: www.liquidglassshop.co.ukor call 01225 768888.

Advice on drills and materials is available at the Liquid Glass Shop
Contact: Liquid Glass Centre
Stoford Manor Farm
Wingfield Wiltshire
BA14 9LH
T: 01225 768888
www.liquidglasscentre.co.uk