Glue chip: heat vs cold

Robert Schwieger · Post by **Robert Schwieger** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 10:10 am

Having had reasonable success with glue chipping, still experiementing, I still seek guidance regarding a step in the process:
Working in high humidity area. Glass is blasted and glue ( best grade) is prepared using 1:1 up to 1:2 (glue/water by volume). Heated and applied to warm glass.
2 to four hours allowed for glue to bond in this regular high humidity. Glass is gently cooled in this high humidity with fan for additional two hours and then placed in enclosed air tight chamber with desiccant. I have read both approaches to this drying step (1) using warmth source or chill by refrigerating. I have mixed results with both systems and am wondering which works best for the experienced artist.

I will continue to experiement but, as usual, expert assistance is always appreciated.

Bob

Kent Smith · Post by **Kent Smith** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 8:42 pm

The issue is still humidity not temperature. I have had good results in the winter here when the humidity drops outside and the glue cools to room temperature, by putting the glass outside to dehumidify/dry. To aid using the box, I have seen a contraption that using a fan that draws the moisture out and a paper type filter for the intake (flat carburator air cleaner works) to minimize moisture going in. Moving the moisture around even helps the glue dry but moving it away helps the most. The desiccant is more effective if the air is moving and even more so if fresh dryer air is introduced. If you are going to do a lot of chipping in a humid environment, a commercial dehumidifier can be a worthy investment.

Larry White · Post by **Larry White** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:24 am

I ran a couple of tests this weekend. First one was standard 1:1.5 (glue to water by volume). Using the asphaltum method, I flowed the glue on the glass. I always allow the glue to dry hard and clear prior to enducing it to chip. After it dried, I was concerned there wasn't enough glue on the glass, so I did a second piece of glass. For the second one, I mixed up the glue 1:1, flowed it on and allowed it to dry same as before. After it was dry, you could see a thicker deposit of glue. I put them both into my chipping cabinet, similiar to the one Rick Glawson had (there's a design sketch of his cabinet floating around this site somewhere). The interior environment of the cabinet was 105 degrees with 40% humidity. The piece with the 1:1 glue completely chipped in 6 hours. The piece with the thinner 1:1.5 glue chipped, but was a lot slower, a day later, there's still areas that haven't chipped (and may not). As a note; it was the intricacy of the design that didn't allow me to flow enough glue on at 1:1.5, that's why I went to the 1:1. The true goal of the test was to ensure a mix that when dry, would chip off overnight, which I acheived. ...but, I always let it dry to a transparent, hard state, with or without a fan. I like the glue to dry on its own for a few hours prior to putting it under a fan.

I've got another interesting test I'm going to do, which is getting a double glue chipped look with one glue run. I'll let you know how that works out.