Frit methods

[demcc2]

Hi everyone! For those of you who make your own frit regularly or fir those of you (and me) who make some now and then, what is your method of choice?
Do you make a lollipops and stick it in coked water? Do you blow small bubbles and stick those in cold water? Do you cut small pieces of desired rod(s) and put them through the Home Depot masher ( 2 1/2" pipe with cap and use a smaller pipe/cap or solid metal rod) to mash the pieces with? I've heard some people have tried coffee grinders...I don't get that one though as " wouldn't the glass damage the blades?"

Thanks

Duane

[whatwhat]

I use boro and I haven't gotten the lolly pop method to work. I use the Home Depot method and it works great for me. I use various size screens to sort out the sizes.
Dan

[GlassGalore]

I have done the melted, mashed lollipop dropped into cold water method, but it is way too time consuming. Last time I made frit I put sections of rods (4-7" long) into the cold kiln and ramped it up to garaging temp (940). Then I used long handled tweezers / hemos to take the rods out of the kiln and drop them into a glass bowl of cold water.

The rods 'fracture' but don't fall apart typically. I then used a sort of "Home Depot" method of smashing them up, with a bit of water included to contain any dust. I think this will be my go-to method from now on. Lots less 'smashing' effort than the "Home Depot" method alone.

[Listenup]

I've used all of those, except the bubble thing. The coffee grinder thing gives too much powder. My current fav is to melt some glass, put it in cold water, filter & dry it, then put them in the frit crusher (an expensive version of the Home Depot thing).

[losthelm]

The coffee grinder type methods need a dedicated machine and a magnet to remove any bits as the blades wear.
The same issues apply to modified garbage disposals, blenders, and food processors.
adding a little water helps a lot with controling dust but can rust the pipe if your useing the home depo method.

[crystalflipz]

I have a metal tray that I put my shorts in, then ramp the kiln up to full. Once the kiln is hot, I pull the tray out and dump it into a metal container filled with ice water, which shatters and weakens the rods. I break the glass down further using a blender - be sure it has a glass container, not plastic - and then pour the glass through 3 progressively smaller mesh strainers. I end up with 3 pretty even sizes of grit + powder, and best of all the frit is clean and dust free.

[28676bhe]

Lollipop seems to work the best and give me the most uniform size. Do have coffee grinders but they keep breaking down. Heat and fracture in cold water is what I use on sheet glass and dichro. So, I guess all!

[MagpieGlass]

I've used all the methods but the bubble method (or the kiln method mentioned).

For small amounts I use a Home Depot style method (that todda on here hooked me up with). Makes more powder than I typically like but less powder than the coffee grinder.

Any time you use something with metal blades to make the bits smaller ... you need to use a magnet to remove debris.

For large batches ... I have the devardi deluxe frit shooter and love it!! I've made some minor mods to it to make more "smaller" frit since that is what my customers seem to prefer.

[KJohn]

Ha, that frit shooter looks so cool!

Myself, I don't make frit that often, so my method is simple, lollipop heated and dropped into cold water. It fractures, and I use a hammer to tap a few times or pliers with teeth to crunch the bigger pieces gently. Usually the frit is quite small, and similar in size, but I don't tend to mind the variation. I do this with glass like ivory, so the variations can actually be nice for an organic, random look.

[jaci]

I stick rods in the kiln then into water. Like someone mentioned it fractures the rods then they will break apart easily, they will crumble like sand in your hand most of the time. Then I put them in the coffee grinder just to break them apart a little more.

I don't make large batches, so this is perfect for me, and I can portion a blend without measuring out tablespoons etc. I just use inches if rod or 2parts this one part that 1/2 part etc. so I can write it down then I can replicate it any way I want in the future. (I make sure the rods are fairly uniform in thickness or compensate)

[Deb L]

I make small amounts at a time using the lollipop method, then drain the frit on coffee filters. Once dry I can reuse the filter again. I don't mind variations in size, but if they didn't break evenly I will hit them in the folded filter with a hammer.

[crystalflipz]

One thing that is fun to do when you use the kiln method is to put a bunch of shorts in complimentary colors in together, heat them up, fracture them in water and then grind everything up at once. I've gotten some really pretty tonal blends this way.
I also use the water and blender method with my end pieces from my dichro stringers to make dichro grit. Because the dichro is already encased, it keeps its sparkle as grit, especially when encased. You could probably do this with goldstone stringer as well.

[bbisker]

What does everyone use to sift the Frit into sizes? Is there anyway around buying an expensive set of sifters

[PattyK]

What does everyone use to sift the Frit into sizes? Is there anyway around buying an expensive set of sifters

I use several different size sifters and colanders I found at the dollar store. Works great. :)

[crystalflipz]

My sifters have all been collected at yard sales or the dollar store.