FLOAT FIRE 82 GUIDELINES

Float Fire 82 has a COE of 82+/- 3.  This means that Float Fire 82 can be fused with standard float glass that has a COE of 82+/-3.  There are many manufacturers of float glass throughout the world but the standard COE is between 79 and 85.  Since there is no way to determine the manufacturer of the float glass you are using, you must always test for the appropriate firing temperature.

Float glass has a tin side and an air side.  To achieve the best results, it is necessary to determine the time side from the air side of the base material, the clear float glass.  To do this you will need a short wave UV light, sometimes called a tin detector or tin scope.  The side of the clear float glass that produces a glow when the UV light is shone on it is the tin side.  The opposite side is the air side.  You may choose to fuse either side of the Float Fire 82 to the float glass.  A different appearance will result depending on the side that you choose.  The only rule to remember is that the tin side of the float glass should not touch the coloured side of the Float Fire 82.  It is not necessary to determine the air side of  Float Fire 82.  The air side of  Float Fire 82 is always the colour side.  The rough side of  Float Fire 82 is always the tin side.

There is an exception to the above recommendations.  The metallic colours (F600 & F611) and the more translucent and transparent colours (F600, F611, F612, F614, F615, F616, F617, F623, F624 and F625) work better when fusing with the colour side up.  This will help avoid the formation of bubbles and reduce the possibility of fading when using these colours.  When fused properly, the colours will not fade and will even be enhanced.

When fusing two sheets of Float Fire 82 together, the colour side of each sheet should be fused together.

When sandwiching Float Fire 82 between two pieces of float glass, the tin side of each piece of float glass should be placed to the outside.

The firing schedule below may be used as a guide for fusing with Float Fire 82.

Relief or tack fusing   1415oF – 1450oF
Full fusing                   1525oF – 1560oF

The upper annealing temperature should be approximately 1125oF and should end around 825oF.

When slumping Float Fire 82, softening will begin around 1,295oF-1,400oF.

Although Float Fire 82 was designed for fusing, don’t forget that it can also be used in traditional stained glass applications as well.  All Float Fire 82 glass should be cut on the back side (rough side), not the colour side.