If you’ve ever taken a class with us, you may have noticed a metal box sitting up on a shelf near our kilnworking tables.
It really doesn’t look like much sitting up there, but it’s actually a very important tool in creating kilnworked glass creations. It’s called the Vitrigraph Kiln.
What does it do?
The Vitrigraph Kiln is used to create stringer. Stringer is pretty much what it sounds like: “strings” of glass that are used to create designs in glass art. In the Vitrigraph, scrap glass is melted at 1900°. The heating process can take up to 9 hours before reaching this temperature. Once melted, the glass is pulled through a small hole in the bottom of the kiln, and cools as it is being pulled. The stringer can be twisted and bent into different shapes before it completely hardens.
The pulling process can be kind of slow at first, but before you know it, you have a growing pile of stringer.
Our #kilnworking artists will use the stringer to create intricate designs that would be extremely difficult to make using cut glass. The stringer gives them the flexibility to create shapes, outlines, and “drawings.” Here’s an example of a stringer drawing. Notice the individual pieces of stringer that make up the greater image:
While fused glass isn’t as “dramatic” as glassblowing or flameworking, it still produces beautiful results! Come check out our gallery featuring the kilnworked creations of our artists. You can also learn how to make your own fused glass creations in our kilnworking intensive or glass art sampler classes!
Also check out the Warm Hearts kilnworking experience, perfect for making your own Valentine’s Day gifts! Try different fusing techniques when you create 4 unique hearts in this 3 hour class. Learn glass cutting skills and the different forms of glass as well.
Stop by during our normal gallery hours: 10:00a-5:00p, Monday-Saturday.
Interested in a class? Give us a call! 314.367.4527