another fuse ?

[ct4mom]

This may be 3 questions but What are the differences in tack, contour, and full fuse and when to use them?

[Ian]

Hi Diane
Let's start with a full fuse

1 Full fuse is when you want to fuse 2 or more pieces of glass together to make 1 piece. E.G. A 6 inch square fused to another 6 inch square.
    The result of a full fuse is that the 2 pieces are fully fused together.

2. Contour fuse is when you want to fuse another smaller piece of glass onto the fused base. E.G. a couple of small glass leaves onto your fused 6 inch square blank so that they do not fuse flat into the blank but are fully fused but still stand slightly proud of the surface of the blank so that if you run your fingers over the surface of the blank you will feel the leaves

3.Tack Fuse is if you did the same exercise with the glass leaves but you want them to be "seperate" but still attached to the fused blank. This is acheived by taking your project up to the temp where the surface becomes sticky and the leaves stick to the blank and become part of it without actually fusing fully to each other.

When to use them depends on the project you are working on and what you want to achieve with that particular project.
Also with all 3 processes there are variations in the degree of fusing, contour fusing and tack fusing. I vary it according to what I want by changing the hold times at the process temp for the particular type of fuse I am doing.

Hope this Helps
Ian

Actually these are interesting questions to use in the 'What is" and "What are" series

[Stephen Richard]

I know I can be a pedantic sob, but.....

Hi Diane
Let's start with a full fuse

1 Full fuse is when you want to fuse 2 or more pieces of glass together to make 1 piece. E.G. A 6 inch square fused to another 6 inch square.
    The result of a full fuse is that the 2 pieces are fully fused together.  and flat with no surface undlations
2. Contour fuse is when you want to fuse another smaller piece of glass onto the fused base. E.G. a couple of small glass leaves onto your fused 6 inch square blank so that they do not fuse flat into the blank but are fully fused but still stand slightly proud of the surface of the blank so that if you run your fingers over the surface of the blank you will feel the leaves.  Here as stated, the bases are fully fused together also.
3.Tack Fuse is if you did the same exercise with the glass leaves but you want them to be "seperate" but still attached to the fused blank. This is acheived by taking your project up to the temp where the surface becomes sticky and the leaves stick to the blank and become part of it without actually fusing fully to each other.  This is what makes tack fusing such a tricky process.
When to use them depends on the project you are working on and what you want to achieve with that particular project.
Also with all 3 processes there are variations in the degree of fusing, contour fusing and tack fusing. I vary it according to what I want by changing the hold times at the process temp for the particular type of fuse I am doing.

Hope this Helps
Ian

Actually these are interesting questions to use in the 'What is" and "What are" series

[ct4mom]

Thanks Ian and Steve...every bit of info is important in understanding these processes. I asked because these different processes confused me.

[Becki]

I know I can be a pedantic sob, but.....

Pedantic??  You???  Well, maybe just a wee bit. 

I know I seem to always be bringing up the rear with a link and once again here I am...with a link!  Di, this may help you visualize what each of the above described terms should look like and the temperature ranges where they occur. Hope it helps a bit.
http://www.system96.com/Pages/FormStagesF.html

[Stephen Richard]

This link also provides visual and descriptive elements of what glass is doing at various temperatures.
http://www.bullseyeglass.com/pdf/technotes_tipsheets/TechNotes_04.pdf