Optic Mold

[BarbC]

What is it and how do you use it? thanks

[*MAR*]

They are a (steel?) metal mold that you get a nice glob of glass molten, then plunge the gather into the mold and then pull to get a shaped rod you can then slice and use in your pieces. I know that Kate Fowle Meleney(sp?) uses them to create those beautiful clear in the center murrini that she uses in her pieces. I can't remember who makes the optic molds, shoot. Sorry.

[*MAR*]

Here, the pictures in these links might be of more use than my sputterings.....
8-[ I believe that after you shape the glass in the optic mold it can be encased to maintain the shape of the inner shape. I could be wrong. I've only gotten to *see* one used once by a glass blower with mega globs of glass. On a slightly different scale than I would be using!

http://www.glasscolor.com/molds/steinart_metal_molds.aspx

optic molds for lampworking:
http://www.steinertindustries.com/catalog/bead_series_407204_products.htm

all sorts of fun molds!
http://www.snodgrass.net/optic.html

shows you a bit of how glass blowers use them in this link:
http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/molds.htm