Tekta Glass and Haze

[Mary Kay Nitchie]

Hi Valerie,

I was distressed to read your post, especially because you were so happy the last time we saw each other!

We would like samples of this glass, both fired and unfired, from the same production date. I understand that you are now working with our sales staff on this, and I will keep in touch with them as they work with you.

I hope that this can be resolved for you soon.

Mary Kay

[Delberta D]

I'm just curious if you have found out anything as the Tekta does seam to be more susceptible to devit or a haze on the surface.

[Mary Kay Nitchie]

I haven't heard anything new. We use Tekta every day in our studios. We use a specific cleaning method, and do not have a hazing problem, on fiber paper, ThinFire or Bullseye shelf primer.

However, we are interested in doing further testing based on Valerie's experience.

Mary Kay

[bertglass]

I haven't heard anything new. We use Tekta every day in our studios. We use a specific cleaning method, and do not have a hazing problem, on fiber paper, ThinFire or Bullseye shelf primer.

However, we are interested in doing further testing based on Valerie's experience.

Mary Kay

Try Glass Plus, from the grocery store, for cleaning. I find the Glass Plus to be cheap, work perfectly, and as far as I know, it is a nationally available brand. I bought some of the Zep for tinted glass concentrate, mixed it with water, and I hated it, because it takes so long to evaporate.

What people need to understand is that it is the last few almost dry wipes that accomplish the complete final cleaning. I work with a less is more cleaning regime. You need enough solvent to loosen the schmutz, and then you need to get to that almost dry moment with a clean Bounty paper towel, and you will get clean glass that fires cleanly. The same regime with Windex will result in a streaky mess.

[Mary Kay Nitchie]

Hi all,

Regarding glass cleaning, our recommended method is thoroughly demonstrated in a segment of Bullseye's Kilnforming Education Online, a new series of video lessons. I think that following Bullseye's method should prevent a lot of these issues: http://www.bullseyeglass.com/education/online/

Mary Kay

[lapiper]

I have also been having problems with hazing on Tekta glass. Last night, I fired several test pieces in preparation for a larger piece. Some were layered with Tekta on the bottom of an opaque glass and the other with Tekta as a cap on the same opaque. They were placed side by side on the kiln shelf, using Bullseye Thin Fire paper. All pieces were cleaned and cut the same. The piece with the opaque glass on top came out beautifully, very glossy and shinny. The one with the Tekta glass on top came out dull and hazy. I have been researching and have found comments that this may be caused when using thin fire paper with Tekta. Can anyone confirm this? I have had this happen in the past on quite a few other pieces where I was using Tekta glass, and I think I was using thin fire in those instances as well.

[marykaynitchie]

Hi lapiper,

We are not experiencing haze on Tekta in relationship to using ThinFire in our studios. We think that the right cleaning methods are the key to getting a good glossy surface with Tekta. However, I would be interested in documenting the production dates of your Tekta sheets, just so we can compile data on the results people are getting with the glass outside of our Research and Education studios. Feel free to send me this info via private message or email.

Thanks!

Mary Kay

[barrygitelson]

I too was having problems with haze on Tekta when fired with thinfire.

Now I use a diluted Zep cleaner which I dry very well and vent to around 1000 degrees and seem to have eliminated my hazing problem. Or at least .... so far so good!

[BarkingDog]

Seems that the glass cleaning video is only available to 'subscribed users'. i log in and find out it is not a free video.
Linda

[marykaynitchie]

Hi Linda,

Sorry about that--I forgot that the Glass Cleaning video is in the subscription set of videos. We do have a free article, that covers the same information http://www.bullseyeglass.com/methods-id ... asics.html

Mary Kay