Dichroic dangly earrings

There is a technical consideration when working with mixed materials and heat. This is frequently called compatibility, especially when referring to glass. It has to do with the amount of expansion and contraction of a metal and/or other materials when heated and cooled, This is also called the expansion contraction rate. Silver and glass are not well suited to one another in this regard. Altough you can frequently fuse in a small amount of silver with a success rate of about 70%. This isn't bad for items you will make for yourself but if you are selling these - this may not be acceptable. Part of the problem is you may not know what has worked or not until later - like after you sold it and you have an unhappy customer. Sometime the stress generated by the incompatibility won't show up until one day when your customer left the piece on a hot window sill in the sun or '<img

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All of this being said - we love to do experiements and Dichro and jewelry seem to be a natural. I have had some success with Art Clay Silver and glass as well as adding small amounts of fine silver wire [ not sterling]. Also copper wire is closer to glass in terms of expansion-contraction rate - that may be a direction of interest.

It will be worth while to read through this thread regardiing glass and Art Clay Silver - there is useful tech. You might search our forum for fusing as well.

http://www.rings-things.com/cgi-bin....8;t=471
http://www.rings-things.com/cgi-bin....=fusing
You may find some additional comments under kilns and under work tips