Place a stack of seven 1/8” thick layers of 3x3” glass in your kiln. If you are fusing together two stacks of glass in your kiln at a time, make sure that you leave enough empty space around them in the kiln so that the glass pieces can spread easily as they melt to fuse together., The firing schedule will be broken up into four different segments where you will adjust and hold the temperature for a specified amount of time to heat the layers. Avoid thermal shock by slowing the ramp of the first segment for firing layers bigger than 3x3” in size.For the first segment, fire the layers at a ramp of 500 degrees per hour with a target of 1225 degrees Fahrenheit. Hold that temperature for an hour.
For the second segment, fire the layers on a full ramp with a target of 1500 degrees and hold that temperature for 30 minutes.
For the third segment, fire the layers again on a full ramp with a new target temperature of 950 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour.
For the fourth and last segment, fire the layers on a ramp of 150 degrees Fahrenheit per hour with a target of 725 degrees. This is a quick firing so don’t bother holding it for any allotted amount of time. Meet the target temperature and turn the kiln off.
 At this point, the layers of glass should have spread to be about 1/3 of the original height of the stack of glass.Transport the puddles to your work table once they are fully cooled.
 Clean the fused glass and turn them over. You should be able to see concentric ring of colors as a result of the seven layers fusing together.Use firm pressure and score the puddle in the middle by scoring it down the middle with a glass cutter.
 If the glass is too thick to break away, which a lot of the time it is, there is an alternative method to breaking the glass. Set the glass on top of two pencils at both sides of the puddle’s long edges. Use the edge of a hammer’s face to give the glass a firm tap.The score line you created with a glass cutter in the previous step should be on the puddle’s other side when you break the class. So break the glass with the score line face down.
Always use eye protection when you’re hitting glass with the hammer, even when doing a light or firm tap.
 Each half of the puddle needs to be broken down further to create smaller pieces that will be easier to work with and refine. A recommended tool to use is a mosaic nipper. Cut the sheets into a variety of smaller pieces., Heat is necessary to create cabochons into the round, non faceted stones, or puddles, that this method calls for. Firing it in the kiln again is necessary. Arrange the chunks onto the kiln, a few inches apart, as you would cookie dough on a baking sheet.For the first segment, fire the puddles at a ramp of 500 degrees Fahrenheit an hour with a target of 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not hold it for any amount of time, just do a rapid fire and heat it quickly until it reaches its target temp.
For the second segment, fire the puddles at a full ramp with a target of 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. Hold it for 30 minutes.
For the third segment, fire the puddles at full ramp again with a new target of 950 degrees Fahrenheit. Hold it for 30 minutes.
For the fourth segment, fire the puddles at 300 degrees an hour with a target of 725 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t hold it. Instead just fire it rapidly again.
 Shelf primer might be stuck on the bottoms of puddle cabochons and vinegar is a great way to remove this. Soak the pieces for 20-30 minutes, shake them in their container gently, and remove the puddle cabochons from the vinegar.Shelf primer should easily rinse away after a soak. If it doesn’t, soak them again for a longer time until you notice the shelf primer is completely gone.
Remove any devitrification with a sandblaster. If you don’t have any access to a sandblaster, light devitrification can removed from the tops of cabochon puddles with glass etching cream. Coat the puddles with cream for 30 minutes and then rinse them clean.
 A final fire polish is the last step to finishing your puddles. Because it’s providing a polish to the puddles, holding times during most segments are obsolete.For the first firing segment, have a ramp of 500 degrees Fahrenheit an hour with a target of 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not hold once it’s met its target.
For the second firing segment, have a full ramp with a target of 1400 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not hold it.
For the third firing segment, have a full ramp with a target of 950 degrees Fahrenheit. Hold it for 30 minutes.
For the fourth firing segment, have a ramp of 300 degrees Fahrenheit an hour with a target of 725 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not hold it.
 When the firing is complete and the kiln has cooled, remove the cabochon puddles from the kiln. Your jewelry components are done and ready to be used. Be mindful that it can take several hours to a full day for the cooling to be complete.
Gather your glass pieces together.
Fire the kiln using a firing schedule.
Check to see if the seven layers are fully fused.
Prepare to work on your puddles.
Break the glass by using running pliers.
Use your tool of choice to continue breaking the glass puddle.
Mold the jagged pieces into puddles.
Remove flaws from your puddle cabochon pieces.
Return sandblasted or etched cabochon puddles to the kiln.
Remove the finished cabochon puddles.
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