I DID IT! I DID IT! And I LOVE it!!!

[MardiGrasGlass]

Well I did it. =D> I ordered my Hot Head from Jenny in California, received it, and today I bought my 1LB canister and set it up. 30 Mins later I was melting glass!!! I mostly just melted the glass and let it blob up on itself, and tried to keep it on center, so that I could learn the visocity of it. But I did try pulling a few stringers. the first few were a little thin, but the last few were a lot better. I just can't get them more than about 6 inches long.

Here is a question. When you pull stringers, do you pull the blob away from the rod, or pull the rod away from the blob? Does it make a difference?

[NLC Beads]

Congrats! I'm still on a HH 5.5 years later and love it! I pull the blob away from the rod, until my arms reach the point where I need to do both.

I teach beginner's classes, my class notes are on my site under the tutorial section, check them out, I hope they help you learn quicker and play more.

Welcome to the addiction. :)

[lavendar420]

Here is a question. When you pull stringers, do you pull the blob away from the rod, or pull the rod away from the blob? Does it make a difference?

I do both. Heat your blob, pull it out of the flame for a few seconds, then pull.

[lurvey]

Congrats.

I pinch the end of the blob with the pliers and pull it away. I think that means I leave the blob on the rod and hold the rod still, but I don't know if it makes a difference.:)

[MardiGrasGlass]

Thanks. Now I'm off to Hobby Lobby to pick up some bead release. They have some made by Fireworks. I'm sure its not the best, but its the closest thing to me, and I surely dont want to wait another few days for something to be shipped. I have three days off and I plan on emptying that 1LB canister.... although I can only go so far. I only have about ten rods of glass.

[NLC Beads]

Thanks. Now I'm off to Hobby Lobby to pick up some bead release. They have some made by Fireworks. I'm sure its not the best, but its the closest thing to me, and I surely dont want to wait another few days for something to be shipped. I have three days off and I plan on emptying that 1LB canister.... although I can only go so far. I only have about ten rods of glass.

Hobby Lobby has some glass, too, the last time I was there they had 2 sample packs. I believe Fireworks is air dry only, read the label before you use it.

I'm hooked on Fusion bead release. :)

[MardiGrasGlass]

Congrats! I'm still on a HH 5.5 years later and love it!

I've heard of a lot of people who still work on their HH. I can see where it would become a fixture though. I felt MUCH more comfortable sitting behind the HH today than I did sitting behind that Minor Burner last weekend. Of course I was in the comfort of my own home, without 8 other people looking at me either. But the flame on the HH was so much different than the MB, I really like it.

[EmbellishYourself]

Chris, I am so glad you got it up and running! Have fun and share pictures of your progress!

[MardiGrasGlass]

I will! It might be a while before I am ready to post pics though...LOL Thanks again! I can't tell you that enough.

[Mr. Smiley]

Get another tank or three... you'll be so bummed if you're on a roll and run out. ;)

[MardiGrasGlass]

I thought about that! LOL. I'll be going back to Home Depot tomorrow. I hope that the "Benzomatic" Propane is as good as that MAPP stuff that they no longer make. Its the only thing I can find around here.

Meanwhile back at the ranch.... I just got back with bead release and coated my mandrels. I roughed them up a bit with my rotary tool. I made sure to file down the ends where they were cut and smoothed them out. then I roughed up about the last 4 inches of the mandrell so the bead release would have something to stick to.

Speaking of... what exactly is bead release? It looks like "slip" that you would use in pottery to "glue" two pieces of clay together.

[MardiGrasGlass]

Well, here is my first attempt at two beads. A cylinder and a bicone... as you can see, I need A LOT more practice.

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc68/chebert22_2007/DSCF0016.jpg

[NLC Beads]

If that's your first attempts ever, keep it up, that's a great start!!! :jawdrop:

[MardiGrasGlass]

Well this is my first attempt that took longer than a few minutes. I made a bead or two last weekend at the bead makers meeting, but they were just a few hurried attempts because I was so nervous. And then earlier this afternoon I made a few lentils (if thats what the term for them is.)

BUT it was short lived. I dont have an annealer, and the cylinder turned to frit already... The bicone is surviving though..... so far....

[teachertracey]

You gotta get a kiln. You had such great shape on those! Isn't it exciting? It's even more fun when you can play and learn in your own sweet time.

[MardiGrasGlass]

I am doing good to afford my HH and a little glass right now. I can't afford an annealer just yet unfortunately. Whats funny though is the cylinder cracked before the bicone. I thought the larger bicone would have shattered before anything else.

[NLC Beads]

If you didn't give the cylinder insurance heat - reheat it nicely overall after shaping - before you tucked it into the blanket or vermiculite, any shaping tools may have pulled enough heat from it to thermal crack it.

I used a fiber blanket and had a dear friend batch anneal for my first 3 years... It is very possible to do successfully if you're careful about keeping the bead warm while making it, a nice dose of insurance heat when you're finished, and not peeking at it until it's totally cool. Also, if you press beads, make sure there's a mandrel-width thickness of glass on either side of the mandrel so they're not too thin - I've had them crack right along the length of the mandrel if I don't do that.

[MardiGrasGlass]

Well I have a fiber blanket, obviously. And now that you say that I dont think I got the cylinder as heated up as I did the bicone. After the last shaping of the bicone I stuck it back in the flame and got it good and orange, then took it out for a few seconds and stuck it in the blanket.

Speaking of shaping tools, I was simply using the stainless worksurface that holds my torch, and the flat side of a wide chisel I got from my tool box. I am going to need to get some graphite marvers soon.

ETA: How long should I leave them in the blanket? They cooled rather quickly.

[BugNerd]

If you get glass at Hobby Lobby, don't forget to print the 40% of any item from their website!!!

[NLC Beads]

I usually leave them in 30 minutes minimum... If you put your hand on top of the blanket and feel heat, wait... And be careful to not expose them too much when putting the next bead in. Time depends on the bead size as well as how many are in there as they tend to "share" heat.

I have to resist all urges to smack my students' hands when they put a bead in a fiber blanket then try to peek at it 5 minutes later... :lol: No! Let it finish cooling, unless you want to look at a broken bead!

[BugNerd]

oh also, you might want to get a larger propane tank sometime :-) I keep mine outside until I want to use it. Those small tanks go fast :D Have fun!!

You'll figure out the stringers. You just need to get the gather heated more and then as you pull, you'll figure out when it's too soupy and when it's too stiff.

[MardiGrasGlass]

Well just in the little bit of time I played with the torch today I think I am getting the hang of it. I know its going to take so much more, but I'll get there. I did figure out how to work just below the flame and not directly in it. I also figured out how to roll the shape somewhat. When I first started I was trying to put pressure on it, and the cylinder would twist. After a few tries I learned that I didn't need to bear down on it, just slightly push down on the mandrel a little bit and ROLL it with a sliding type motion. At least thats what was working for me... which usually means I'm doing something wrong. LOL

[fread]

Chris, Go to Kittrell Riffkind and get some of the bead release they make called Krag Mudd. I is really good. They are in Addison.

[MardiGrasGlass]

Donna J. told me about that place, and I was going to go this week, but I couldn't make it. Thats a good drive from where I live. I'm going to try and get there soon though.

[cherylsart]

Your beads look pretty good for your first ones! If you want an inexpensive pair of tongs to make tabs, get some Martha Stewart ice tongs. About 4.00 at Kmart. I use them all the time!

I don't have a kiln and I use vermiculite. I leave the beads in there until I'm sure they are cool. The small ones are no big deal but if you take the time to make large beads you have to leave them alone till they are cold, like an hour. Well, I don't make anything big enough to take more than an hour to cool, but you get the idea! Also, if you make pressed beads, you have to put them in the fiber blanket before they stop glowing. Not when they are still orange but before the glow goes away. It really lessens the chance of thermal shock. I don't use my presses much because I have a hard time getting the bead warm enough not to shock without starting to lose the shape. I guess that's one of the challenges of working on a Hot Head. But I have no plans to upgrade so it's just a matter of finding the balance.

You're doing great! And this forum is awesome for tips, advice and support.

Cheryl

[MardiGrasGlass]

Also, if you make pressed beads, you have to put them in the fiber blanket before they stop glowing. Not when they are still orange but before the glow goes away. Cheryl

I'm glad you brought this up.... Last before I made my bicone and cylinder, I was playing around with lentil shapes. I put a mandrel full in the fiber blanket and I guess they were too hot because the ceramic fiber stuck to them. Now when they were cool I was able to pick it off, but were they too hot?

When is the optimum time to put them in the fiber blanket?

[cherylsart]

I'm certainly no expert, but you have to wait till the glow starts to fade but before it's gone altogether. I put my bead under the table out of the light so I can see the glow fading before I put it in the bucket. Or in your case, blanket. I've put it in too soon and ended up with a dent in the bead from the vermiculite. It's just one of those things that you have to work with till you find the balance.

Cheryl