microwave bead kiln demonstration tutorial 

Dogs barking, running up and down stairs for gloves,drums playing, kids crashing about and hubby chatting away! Thanks for the crazy tutorial 😅 I love that you left it all in the video, a genuine look into every day family madness😂

actually enjoyed hearing the sounds of a loving, energetic family playing together upstairs! Embrace the blessing!

I really enjoyed your demonstration, it was delightful to hear your kids and hubby and the dog. It sounded just like my place. Thank you.

Hi, Lindsay You CAN fuse two pieces of dichro together. Dichroic glass is coated on only one side with the metallic vibrant color. If you place two pieces together by NOT situating them metal-to-metal, you can fuse them safely... yielding extraordinary results. You can also place a piece of clear glass between the two pieces of dichro and achieve great results. You can even stack dichro (I have done six-piece-high pyramids) by altering each piece glass side to dichro side. The most beautiful dichro projects are with mixed dichro pieces... they original, unique, and have gorgeous depth.

I love this video so much-not only for exactly the instruction I was looking for (thank you!!!) but for the comments and extras. Obviously made by an actual human under ordinary circumstances!

I'm such a klutz, I'd shred my hands on the glass, then burn them off on the kiln. It was interesting watching you being so successful. Very interesting.

I loved this video! Very good and clear instruction. Perfect setting with your dog and children and your husband. I have subscribed and will probably watch all of them! Thank you.

Sooo...ive been contemplating alot about doing bead/pendants and such using the microwave kiln (going to be a house wife during fall) seeing as i cant just do nothing all day and cleaning doesnt take long to do i wanted to do this. Sadly i hadnt foudn a video that tells what to do to where i understood it. they mostly just show not really explain. Your video...has completely answered all the questions i had and im very happy you posted it! Thank you for the video!

I thoroughly enjoyed your video, including all the dog/family sounds. Thanks for posting this. I now feel confident enough to fuse my first glass without burning my hands off.

Thank you so much for this great tutorial! I love hearing your real life in the background, it's a great way to show we can be creative at anytime and to make time for ourselves! I am brand new to this and didn't even know there were microwave kilns so I'm really excited!

Thoroughly enjoyed your video. You obviously have a sense of humour! Very informative and enjoyable.

I switched to ultra thin kiln paper found at the stained glass shop and the packs of my pendants are so much smoother now. The paper does not stick but there is a coating of the powder on the back that I clean off with water and a toothbrush if needed. I paid a couple of dollars for a 20"x30" sheet of the kiln paper. I got a sheet of the thick paper too and I cut slivers of it and lay it between layers of glass and when the glass melts I have a hole for stringing, saves on buying a bail!

Not 2 minutes into the presentation and I must say you are fantastic! Looking forward to more videos!

I was unsure before your video but now I want to buy my own microwave kiln....Thank you for sharing!

Came here to learn about the microwave kiln, but oh my goodness this is so wholesome, this whole video is wonderful

what an awesome family you have... nice to know that such diverse talent can harmonize in the same household.. love all your videos

Very Interesting.I think my DH is gonna come hunt you down if I dare ask for stuff for ANOTHER craft! ;) BTW...My oldest daughter started middle school last year. She is in band and is a percussionist. I PROMISE that the drumming get MUCH better by Christmas. It is amazing to me how fast they lean an instrument! Also, EVERYTHING becomes a drum! Ya know, the walls, the doors, the shower door, the dash in the car, the car seats, the sofa, the dinner table, the dinner chairs, the washing machine!

This is awesome! I just discovered this tonight. Your pieces are quite lovely. 💕 It seems like a lot of work for such a small yield but on the other hand... you actually melted and formed your very own unique pieces of jewelry and that's brilliant! Truly one of a kind! Thanks! ☺

I realize that this video is old now, but there is a lot of safety information that is now known to be important, that was not mentioned. 1. Do not look at glowing glass without eye protection, or you can damage your retinas and corneas. Dark glasses rated for both IR (InfraRed) and UV (UltraViolet) light waves, at least Level 2 or 3 in darkness, should be worn. 2. Do not breath in the powder from used kiln shelf paper. It can cause silicosis. 3. Do not fuse random colored glass together. You must know the COE (CoEfficient of Expansion) of the glass, and you can't mix them. If you fuse mismatched glass together, the fusing is likely to explode apart at some point, and you never know when. If you are wearing jewelry around your face or neck, you can be injured by flying glass shards. 4. Not for safety, but for best results in fusing, use a "low and slow" firing method, not just blasting it all at high power. It will take longer than 3 minutes, more like 20 for best results. There is a lot more information available online for fusers, since you have not updated this. There are a couple of good groups on Facebook for microwave kiln enthusiasts, where you can get all kinds of info and advice.

You are pure awesomeness! I was trying to decide to ask Santa for the microwave glass maker this year because I wanted to make beads and pendants, but i wasn't sure how that would work, I now feel confident that I can do this, and I will get this!! ( or at least ask) Thank you for taking the time to share this, I am so excited now!!

Hey Lindsey, I just wanted to put this out there...I know you call yourself the frugal crafter :) Many of us run to watch your videos just based on that. I noticed that you thought that the kiln was made of pumice? It actually isn't, it is made of the same stuff you held in your had to repair it :D There is this stuff out there you can get on ebay and some hardware stores. It is called fire cement you mix that with vermiculite and them you can make your own for about 10.00 total. I found this man on you tube that builds his own kilns. I know there is no way I could afford to buy one even with hobby lobby's coupon (I think it was like 65.00) yikes!! So I found this guy named Robert Murray-Smith he made his own. So did I. I now have 5 kilns in various sizes and shapes! This was an awesome tip for those of us who have to be extremely frugal. But now I have my own foundry in my home and the products that you made on this video are ones I think I may try now! Thanks for the videos!

This was so informative!! I’m starting to make my own jewellery using sea glass and cabochon stones and was always curious about making my own fused glass! Definitely something I will be looking into x

Your added text comments had me cracking up. You're so awesome, Lindsay!

I find it helps to heat the kiln before firing - i recommend heating the kiln empty for 3 min first, then placing ur piece in and firing 3-5 min :D Awesome video :)

My husband had bought me a glass fusing kit for Christmas and I'm a bit apprehensive about using my kilm, but after watching your video it has put my mind at ease. Thank you x

I love your energy on this tutorial!

your family sounds like great fun. i laughed out loud several times while watching, burn your hands off caution was funny every time. didnt know here was such a thing as a microwave kiln so thanks for the tutorial.

Amazon has the best price in the beginner kit that comes with glass and paper. I have the Fuseworks kiln made by Diamond Tech. After that The best place to get glass and paper is a local stained glass shop. I buy "scrap glass" for about $2 a pound and the paper is a few bucks a huge sheet and I cut it smaller. Have fun!

Terrific! I had no idea there was such a thing as a microwave kiln. I'm intrigued. I only googled it after seeing someone talk about it in a TV show. What a great video, thank you very much! No worries about the life around you It just makes it seem very simple and easy to do in real life. 😉🤗 (I'm impressed too by the low startup to try out a new hobby.)

You are unbelievable! So talented, patient and upbeat. Thank you very much for the video. I subscribed to you.

you can sand the edges too using a shallow dish with some sandpaper submerged, this keeps the glass dust trapped, I did that to a few beads that came out rough edged, it has not happened since we got the new microwave so that also makes me think you need to cook your beads hotter.longer. That said my new microwave is too hot for dichro glass and it cracks on me...I am thinking of keeping the old micro just for dichro! Good luck!

As someone who makes stained glass windows, you're pressing the glass cutter too hard, based on the sharp noise. It shouldn't make that hard of a noise. It can cause fault lines, & jagged edges in the glass (then again, not ure if the heating process would fix this)

Don't burn hands off, don't burn kids hands off, no explosions got it. :o) I LOVED your video. Noisy kids, barking dog and all, lol. Thank you so much for sharing.

Thank you for the entertainment! Did not know we were getting live music!!! Nice👍

I love using my micro-kiln, I have made a lot of jewelry for my family. Now I need to sell some!!! So easy using the microwave kiln.

You need to see what kind of bail you have but Gorilla 2 part epoxy is great and also I like E6000 1 part epoxy (if the bails package says you can use 1 part epoxy). I have had some bails come loose with the E6000 but never with Gorilla 2 part epoxy. Basically if it is thick and stinky glue it will probably work LOL!

So very helpful! And from a mom of 5 at home, I LOVE the soundtrack to your video!

I saw Mark Montano do this on another youtube video but yours is much more informative. I've been wondering how the hole was made inside the bead. Brilliant. Have you done a tutorial on that? I will be watching you more often. Thank you!

I don't know what's more fun, the glass or you!

I would call a ceramic/pottery studio and ask if they have kiln that runs that hot, usually you can pay to have them fire it. If it does not have to heated too long at that temperature you might try a lampworking torch for Boro glass, that would be a lot cheaper to buy as well but you could not sustain that heat with a torch over a large object (you could melt glass for a bead but not slump a wine bottle for instance), That is where I would start;)

no, you can use your food microwave, the glass is contained in the kiln, it does not touch any dishes or give off fumes unlike polymer clay does, I have a clay dedicated toaster oven for that because of the amount of clay stuff I make:) Even then as long as you have pans you use for clay and not for food and you clean your oven afterward (there's the rub, I'm not cleaning my oven that often!) you would be fine:)

I just have to say I love your videos and u are one of the few people that I never skip your video when it pops up in my feed ! Thank you so much :) you make me laugh too !

thanks so much for commenting, I appreciate it and I am glad it helped you:)

Great Video! This ole girl is going to fire it up..LOL. Loved the background..sounded so darn good..wish my grandkids were here. Yep, won't burn hands! Your video is really done very well. Wished I knew how to do that too. Thank you for sharing gal.

you know you could probably use it as frit, using a mapp gas torch you can heat glass then roll the molten glass in the ruby filings. Check out the Devardi glass you tube channel for a video working with frit, I bet that would work, it would be a neat experiment anyway! Or you could try sandwiching it between two layers of clear glass in the microwave kiln. I wonder if Ruby filings could melt, you would end up with a dichro type glass I think (in the kiln), let me know what you decide!

Please tell me you are not using the same microwave for your kiln as you use for your family's food prep! The fumes coming out of the kiln are not just toxic to breath, they're also toxic to injest. ALWAYS use a dedicated microwave for your kiln!

I love the background noise 😄 Reminds me of my brothers and I making music singing our lungs out and blowing my mothers ears off ...😥 But anyway great video I learned allot and will be subscribing😊

Really enjoyed your video and your subtitles! Such fun. Now I want a system to store my glass better 😄

I bet you need to cook it longer. My old microwave would take 5-7 minutes on high and sometimes I could still see the distinct pieces of glass. With my new microwave it turns into a smooth oval or circle of glass no matter what. Try cooking longer. Br rough do you mean the back? I switched to ultra thin kiln paper sold at the stained glass shop and I cut it to fit the base of the kink, the backs are nice and smooth now. Let me know how this works:)

thanks! We had a hobby lobby just open where I live and they sell the kiln and you can use a coupon on it too. just in case you were looking for a deal!

Great tip, I've never heard of preheating the kiln. Thanks!

I have a lot of stained glass that I wanted to use years ago to do mosaics and never got around to it. Was thinking of destashing it, but NOPE..! Not now.. A new thing to try. I'm in to copper and poly clay now. But this is something I will do in the near future. Awesome. Thanks for this video. I stumbled upon it.

Thanks for the simple quicker way to make fused beads , eventually id like to sample this next year. Happy crafting

So glad I found this video, I would like to make my own glass beads; round shape, oblong shape, ects. Do you have a video on how to make these? And I love the excitement in your voice!

Ahh that's what that white powder is in my beads! Lol I learned a lot more than that. Wish I saw this like 30 years ago before the first time I burned my hands off. I most certainly have the don't burn your hands off singing in my head now even after not learning my lesson a bunch. Thank you 😊

I loved the video! A lot of good information, and a great sense of humor! Thank you!

thank you for the encouraging words, I'm glad the drums are getting played (at whatever level) I can't wait for that Christmas concert:) As for your husband tell him the kil costs as much as a nice pair of shoes, I just saw the beginner kit for $68 with free shipping on Amazon, an early Xmas gift maybe?

At the craft fairs I do they do not sell well (but neither do my other pendants on their own-oddly my Doctor Who pendants sell the best) people in my neck of the woods like completed jewelry pieces. I've seen the dichro pendants sell well at big fairs though for $10 but after you buy the dicroic glass and bails and have your kiln occupied for 45 minutes per bead it is hard to make and money...It probably depends on where you are selling, price and the right customers;)

Oh my God!! Best video ever! You had me in stiches!! It had everything: suspense, drama and comedy🤣🤣🤣 It was also very interesting

Thank you, I would have made so many mistakes. I ‘m really excited to give this a try, love the fused glass pendants!!!

I think yo can use most glass, after I ran out of the microwave kiln glass I bought a bunch of scrap glass from the stained glass shop and it works great! I think I will also try some glass from wine bottles too. I'll try and remember to let you know how it turns out:)

oh that wouldn't be good LOL! I am a klutz in the kitchen but somehow I have managed to keep my hands in tact in the craft room, so there is hope for klutzes like us!

I LOVE the background noises!

not sure...I use either stained glass scraps or glass rods. Different minerals give them the color I think. Good luck!

I luv your video. I have not made any glass, but it looks interesting and beautiful pendants that you end up with.

really loved this video - great to watch such an entertaining and informative tutorial. I had never heard of microwave kilns, now I can't wait to get one. Thanks Lindsay

This is super cool! I'm going to purchase one of these Kilns. TFS. New Sub. ☺

This is a great video. I want my own kiln now. So happy I ran into your channel. Keep up the great work.

I don't know of any, they would have to be really small and i think they would not come out shiny due to the kiln wash you would need to coat them with. I bet your microwave is not hot enough if they are not coming out round. Try cooking it longer;) Or try using a high power microwave (bring your kiln to a friends house and try theirs.)

thank you so much thought i d wrecked my microwave kiln. Didn t know i could repair it ....tutorial great to usually work with silver,,,can see beads my next project xxxx for anyone in the UK £8 buys repair kit company in Bath

I love this tutorial - very relaxed but so informative for a newby

In my area, we call the kiln's building material "Refractory Cement". Its used to make Fire bricks that line wood stoves, bread ovens, furnaces, fireplaces, ceramic kilns, etc. For special applications it can be troweled on or used as a casting medium.

I love your glass shard storage system!!! I was wondering how to organize my broken pieces better than the jewelry and shoe boxes that I have!

yes, get the kiln paper and glass scraps at the stained glass store and save a bundle;)

👍😍 awesome! You make it very simple to understand. Great information. Thank you!😊 😂😂😂💖....lol, the sounds of a happy home,... love it! No better accompaniment in life!💯😁

Safety first!...Just to mention that kiln paper is made of silicon & can cause silicosis of the lungs(cancer) once cooked. It should always be put in water, then drained & disposed off in a sealed container & in the bin!..Also I noticed a post about using a different microwave...really important!..some of the chemicals produced when heating glass can also be toxic!..Some glass contains lead & cadmium!...

my sister bought it for me for my birthday;) but the best prices I have found are at Amazon for $80 and free shipping, I got the Fuseworks Beginner Fusing Kit:)

Thanks for this video! Much easier to follow than the directions...we used our kiln for the first time to make a "plant cell" for science class. Might have to turn it into a pendant later!

my sister bought it for me for my birthday;) but the best prices I have found are at Amazon for $80 and free shipping, I got the Fuseworks Beginner Fusing Kit:) sorry for the duplicate response, I posted it under the wrong comment, dug;)

Loved this and the 'noise' actually made it more enjoyable. maybe it is because I understand about 'never a quiet moment' even though I have only one son - often he is loud enough for 3. :P - Heidi

thanks for sharing that info! I ordered mine from Canada;)

I love you! your fun and funny. enjoy your kids while you still can, one day they will be all grown up. thanks for the tips, I'm just starting to learn how to make kiln microwave jewelry. so any help is good. stay safe out there and thanks. oh p.s. I'm not 100% sure but I hear that if you fuse dichroic glass you have to put one up one down one up one down or the down one use clear glass.

the "tacked together fused pendant is similar to that of a low fire fuse, and the fully melted together pendant is a high fire fuse. both are popular and it depends what you like with your style. Low fire fuses have more control over what the after affect looks llike

Your vids are awesome....and you crack me up! Been thinking of purchasing a microwave kiln. Thanks for sharing!!

Very pretty Thank you for your time showing how to make jewelry pieces with this glass.

Very interesting video but as the mother of two musical sons I sympathize. They are now both band members (one of which tours!) so the drumming is very loud and persistent. But I could barely concentrate for laughing so much: could they have made any more noise? Thanks for cheering me up Christine

Hello, I would suggest when you are speaking to folks about cutting glass either with a tile nipper or using a glass cutter to remember safety first and wear eye goggles or some sort of eye protection I was a stained glass artist for 10 years and it is safe to say that whatever can go wrong will go wrong otherwise. Just a tip Thanks JoAnn

I saw that! Yay! Have fun with your new kiln!

that should not matter, I use the turntable and it works just fine but I keep in in the center so its not orbiting the microwave, just spinning in the center.

Love this and your ideas!!

Very clever, I love watching your videos.

You are amazingly funny! I think I laughed more then I should have. Thanks for this video. I can't wait to start making beads and an assortment of "things". Lol

Love Love Love the video!! Was wondering about buying one. Love the background, just like my house.😆

Could you do more videos about the microwave kiln? :) I love your videos, and I just got a fuse work kiln.

Hi there. Love your video this got me started glass fusing. Just want to let you and the other people here know though that you and they should wear a protective mask when going near the kiln as it gives off smoke from the paper especially the thin fire paper which isn't that good for you. Also in most of the thin fire paper like the one you mentioned you are starting to use there are silicone particles included in the paper which are very harmful to your lungs if breathed in, that is what the white residue is on the back of your pendant, so don't blow it into the air. I always use a good mask now as you can't be too careful with your health. Trying to keep glass fusers safe. x

You are just a delight to watch, not to mention what a great tutorial this is. ENCORE! :D

Great video and great teaching. Keep up the good work.

Any stained glass show should have boxes of leftovers they sell for $1-$2 a pound, that is the best way to get it. One place sold me a big coffeecan of shards for $10 but you get what you get, I got much better stuff from Quality Stained Galss in Waterville Maine where I could pick the scrap glass I wanted.

the gloves that come with the kiln are just regular gloves, more or less potholders. It's all you really need with a microwave kiln but don't expect them to protect you from anything glowing red or orange. Get a good pair of welder's gloves for that.

Thanks, you are a very nice teacher. great video.