1 Fusion, July 2007 - Rio Grande

SUMMER 2007is close-up shows two of the brackets afterfiring. In each case, an equal and generouspuddle of paste was used to make the joint.e pieces were pulled until the joint failed.By observing the amount of curve thatappears before the break, we can comparebend a little and then in most casesthe joint came apart. By comparingthe angle achieved before breaking,it is possible to compare the strengthof the bonds.As you can see, the homemadelavender paste was the strongestmix tested. In fact, two of the threesamples are not broken... our testerwasn’t able to pull the pieces apart!Is this a scientifically rigorous test?No, of course not. But this is the sortof expensive and time-consumingtest that few people can do on theirown. e Guild is happy to offerthis new paste and our data to ourmembers. Please let us know how itworks for you.PAGE 6Each of the L-shaped pieces was fired for 30 minutes, using the three most familiar temperaturesettings. Each one was then grasped in pliers and pulled apart until the joint failed. In threecases, the tester was not able to break the joint.