技法
Press Fusing
Japanese: プレスフュージング
A technique in which release paper and shelf boards are placed on top of glass arranged in a parallel layout to act as weights, and the glass is fused into a single layer at 800°C while minimizing shrinkage.
Learn More
Press fusing is a technique in which release paper and a shelf are placed on top of glass arranged in a parallel layout to serve as weights, and the assembly is heated to 800°C to fuse the layers into a single sheet. The weight pressing down on the glass from above prevents the glass from shrinking and creating gaps, allowing it to be finished as a uniform, thin sheet. This technique was systematized by Rei Chikaoka (2021, p. 102).
While conventional full fusing tends to cause shrinkage due to surface tension, in press fusing, the physical constraints imposed by the weights suppress this shrinkage. The shelf used as a weight delays heat conduction to the glass, resulting in a slower effective heating rate and promoting uniform heat distribution—another advantage of this method. It is a technique well-suited for producing thin, lightweight sheet glass works and is particularly effective for creating large, uniform sheets.
Related Concepts
Understand the guidelines for selecting fusing techniques, including block fusing, full fusing, the plate-count effect, and the joint-design rule.
This entry is written in Japanese by Rei Chikaoka and translated for readers outside Japan. If something reads oddly, the original is the source of truth.