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DawnT
2007-11-05, 10:45am
Here is our first boro newbie tutorial. Thanks Kare (Country Kid)! Please limit discussion to the Boro Newbie Thread so we can keep the tutorials easy to find in this thread. Thanks!

Butterfly Tutorial by Kare (Country Kid)


This is not a hard project assuming you have some experience with lampwork. Before you start you will need to make a twisty to use for the body.

1. Now let’s get started. You can use just about anything you have around your work area with the example I started out with an 8mm rod.

2. Then heat until you have a gather on the end:

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3. Wrap the gather with what ever color or combinations of color you like, or even dip it a few times in frit. There are no rules!

4. Next melt your colors in. Gathering the end of the rod into a ball. When you have a well formed ball press the ball straight down on to your graphite marvering pad to make a disk.

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5. Now you will be using a smaller rod for a punty. Heat the end and sharpen it on the graphite pad to enable you to have only a small point attached to the disk. Using a warm seal attach the punty to the center of the disk.

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6. Remove the rod from the other side by heating just below the disk and using the tearing technique, remove any extra glass with your needle nose pliers. Then melt and smooth using your graphite tools.

7. Now you’re going to add a punty to the side of the disk and remove the one that is in the center.

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8. To begin making the butterfly you will heat the end opposite the punty, only heat the bottom half, you are making the bottom wings first, until red hot. Very carefully, using shears (household scissors work well also) you will cut about Ľ of the way up the center. Then make two more cuts heating the area first, cutting, and heating the next area, at about 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock.

92894oops bad pictures it's not your eyes
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9. You now have three cuts (right?) and two, soon to be tail wing sections. Heat one side until red hot. Now with a very small rod say 4mm make a hot seal to the center of the wing section and allow the attachment to cool slightly then begin to pull remembering the small rod will cool faster allowing you to pull the larger thicker wing section with out the punty pulling off until your ready to melt it off and move on to the next tail wing.

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10. Sweet now you have tail wings, so punty up to the tail (the thicker part rather than the tip, it will make life easier). And repeat for the top wings.

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11. For the body just heat down the center from top to bottom and make a mark with your tungsten pick for a guide line then warm your twisty, and the body and lay the twisty in the groove melt it in until it is attached yet still raised.

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12. Using another color, make a good size gather for the head. Hot seal it between the two top wings and round it out by melting. Then add a loop on the end of one wing.

13. An easy to make a loop is by making a bead on a mandrel, and heating both until red hot and joining them. Another way is by heating a rod until it is red hot, and attaching it to the red hot tip of the wing. Now moving down the rod heat it until you can mold it around the top of your torch making a C shape with a long end, then melting off the extra and shaping it into a loop using your needle nose pliers and tungsten pick.

14. Now add the antennas, and eyes. And ….TA DA one beautiful butterfly!

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DawnT
2007-11-05, 11:01am
Jones Art Glass
Rashan Omari Jones (sole proprietor)
1401 Pennsylvania NE #1145
Albuquerque, NM 87110
505-217-8535, JonesArtGlass@gmail.com, www.glassartists.org/JonesArtGlass


“Lets do the Twist…”


High Desert Twist How-To by Rashan Omari Jones
Photos by Andrew Brown


Introduction: Living in Albuquerque, NM is a beautiful thing; I am treated to some of nature’s most exquisite colors. As a Bead maker I best describe my style as natural, organic; and I’m happy to have found a bead that can capture that. The way the colors flow throughout the High Desert Twist and wrap themselves around spiraling outward is further accentuated by the twist of the bead itself. The shape truly displays the character of the High Desert. “Sometimes ebb sometimes flow but constantly in motion… “ Beads are a therapeutic release for me. Since I switched my focus to them I’m finally making the glass I’ve always seen in my minds eye. I’ve been a Boro Beadmaker since the spring of 2004. I had met Lewis Wilson a few years prior and he had such a profound affect on my career in glass that I turned to beads. In February 2004 I had an opportunity to work with Kevin O’Grady at the Best Bead Show in Tucson. I learned how much hard work and delicate detail could go into both making and marketing successful beads. I returned home to a head full of new ideas and spent a lot of time on the torch honing my skills. Soon I looked at glass in a whole new way. It was as if a love of beads had somehow awakened a whole new side of creativity within me. I would drive to the studio and notice how vibrant purples streak across the horizon at sunrise, or pay more attention to the golden sandstone browns and creams of the West Mesa. Next thing I knew those same colors were turning up in my beads. I also captured the rich greens of our forests and riverbank areas in the spring, and the streaky golds and ambers of a New Mexico Sunset. Once I had a color palette I was comfortable working with the Jones Art Glass High Desert series was born. I am creator of both the High Desert Twist as well as the High Desert Blown Honeycomb. The Bead Expo Show 2004 in Santa Fe was my first real bead show I vended at. Andrew Brown, Bryan Kitson, and Harold Cooney blessed me with an opportunity and did so much more than just let me on their table; they helped me establish the confidence to create. What follows is a Step-by-step for the Jones Art Glass High Desert Twist Bead…Thank you for enjoying my work and taking some time to spend with me. I spend most of my time on the torch here in Albuquerque, and I teach beginning Borosilicate classes on the weekends. If you ever find yourself in the Desert check out my class schedule and all my latest work, available on my gallery site: www.glassartists.org/JonesArtGlass. I can also be reached at 505-217-8535 or JonesArtGlass@gmail.com.





Materials:


1 12in 14mm rod

1 rod GA Caramel Luster

1 12in 4mm rod

1 set Nortel Stainless Steel Mashers

1 1/8in Tungsten Pick


A few words on Tungsten:

This How-To includes a brief discussion on Tungsten picking. Tungsten is a metal and when too much heat is applied it can fume a yellow gray residue onto your glass. It’s a skuzzy film that can be burned off with a high heat but its best just not to do it at all. As well as aesthetically unpleasing, it is also dangerous when done without proper ventilation. Tungsten picking is a fun and inventive technique and is an excellent addition to your glass knowledge. It takes a lot of patience in the beginning to get your heat controls proper but its well worth the practice. Good Luck!!



Heat the tip of the Caramel Luster and draw vertically down the 14mm rod. Maintain an even heat s that the stringer is even all the way down. I enjoy using the Luster Series from Glass Alchemy as a color palette for the High Desert Twist Pendant; the high silver content of these colors adds different shades and hues into the final bead that are very eye appealing. Tip: if you choose any cadmium-based colors, i.e. yellow, orange crayon be sure to fully encase them.
Rotate the rod place five equal lines of Caramel Luster evenly spaced around the rod. Tip: keep the torch heat on the tip of the color so that the 14mm rod doesn’t soften and bend while laying the lines.
Using the 4mm rod, encase each line of Caramel luster with a coat of clear.
Attach the 4mm rod to the end of the 14mm rod.
Slowly rotate the rods even in the heat until it reaches a pink glow. Then slow the spin of your hand holding the 4mm rod. The lines will begin to twist like a barber pole stripe. It’s important at this point not to stretch the gather of glass.
Continue heating the 14mm rod all the way to the end of the Caramel Luster lines, intermittently slowing one of your hands to continue twisting the colors together.
Once the colors are twisted completely; flame cut the 4mm rod off the twisted color.
Heat the color back into a gather.
Once you have an oval shaped gather center it into the mashers and squeeze. Tip: I usually set my mashers for a 1/4inch press
Take the gather out of the mashers and make sure the disc shape is centered on the 14mm rod.
Reattach the 4mm rod to the end of the disc shape.
Take the centered disc out of the flame and allow it to cool so that no orange glow is present before reintroducing it to the flame for the final shaping.
Place the center of your flame into the center of your disc and heat evenly. Flip it over 180 degrees and heat the opposite side. Tip: It’s important to the final shape that only the flat sides of your disc are heated. The goal is to raise the core temperature of the disc without losing the shape of the narrow sides.
Continue heating the disc from either flat side until it softens and glows near pink, then stop your hand holding the 4mm rod and the disc will begin to form into the twisted shape.
Take it out of the flame and allow too cool; once out continue spinning both your hands evenly until the bead cools a bit. If necessary reintroduce it to the flame to further intensify the twist shape.
Flame-cut the 4mm rod off and smooth out the top of the bead with the flame. Take it out of the flame and allow too cool until the orange glow has faded.
Slowly heat the heat the end of the Tungsten pick about a half-inch behind the tip and roll it quickly in your fingers as you push into the glass.
Continue pushing the pick through and heating it softly in the back of your flame as far back as possible while maintaining as dull orange glow. Tip: if you get your tungsten pick too hot it will fume your glass an ugly gray. A super high heat can burn it off but that same heat can distort the shape of your bead.
Push the pick back through the opposite side to make sure the hole is true from both sides of the High Desert Twist. Then pull it out of the hole to inspect the pierce hole and flame polish.
Reattach the 4mm rod and center it onto the High Desert Twist taking care not to get the pierce hole to warm that it collapses. A cold seal is preferred.
Flame-cut the 14mm rod off the bottom of the Twist.
Flame-polish the end of the bead and take all the clear off leaving just beautiful striated colors.
Grasp the High Desert Twist with tweezers and snap of the cold seal of the 4mm rod.
Flame-polish the end and kiln.

DawnT
2007-11-05, 11:44am
Triple “B” Basic Boro Bead

This tutorial is being written to provide information to beginners and to give all levels a colorful bead project to play with. If you have a little more time on the torch please look through the safety information and see if you can add anything to it.

The official stuff..

A LARGE CAUTIONARY WARNING: LAMPWORKING IS DANGEROUS . Please be careful and follow all safety precautions! AS the lawyers say do this at your own risk.


Some basic questions:

Q. What is the coefficient of expansion of borosilicate?

A. 33 +/-. Soft glass of 90, 96, or 104 is NOT combatable with boro. Soft glass will NOT work with BORO.

Q. I have a hot head torch, will it work for doing boro work?

A. In theory, yes, would be very slow, like watching grass grow. Additionally, with no supply of oxygen, you would not be able to get rich true colors.

Q. I only have a small room, with zero ventilation, what should I do?

A. Carbon monoxide fumes WILL KILL you, and also the fumes from the boro glass are a safety concern also. You must actually remove the polluted air and replace it with clean air not just move it around. If you start getting a headache or feel “off”- turn everything off and get some fresh air immediately.

Q. Can I use a fiber blanket to anneal my boro beads?

A. Sorry, proper annealing MUST be done in a kiln. Some VERY qualified long term glass workers anneal in a flame. I don’t, only been lampworking for about 14 years.

Q. What boro glass do you (Jim) use?

A, I use Glass Alchemy, Momka’s, and Northstar. They all make a high QUALITY glass, and this increases my color palette.


Tools:

The tools listed are the ones I personally use:

Eye protection: I use a boro shield that was purchased from Aurelis glass co in MN. Highly recommend, or glasses foe BORO, didys will NOT give adequate protection. Have heard some say to use welders glasses. To me, you only get one set of eyes in a lifetime.

Torch : GTT Lynx

Propane 5psi

Oxygen: I use tanked 02. gives maximum performance 10 psi

Rods: 3/32”, stainless steel. Any smaller diameter, and they will be burning up left and right on you.

Bead release, I use Sludge Plus from Arrow springs

Graphite paddle

Fire resistant work table surface

Fire extinguisher

Zetez gloves

Burn ointment



Borosilicate glass used For this project:

Double Amber Purple = 1547NS-26 (Northstar)

Star White= 1547 NS-54 (Northstar)

Rasta Gold Crayon = 3OZ GA (Glass Alchemy)

2m.m. clear Boro rods

Some basic advice:

A couple of cautionary words in addition to the fact that heat burns. You will probably melt your first few bead rods. This happens from holding it in the flame too long, and too close. Practice and more practice will correct this for you.

Kiln setting: Set your kiln for 566C or 1050 F. I normally set it for how long I will be torching.

Then, will go get myself a cup of coffee, while the kiln is going up to temp. Kiln is now at 1050, so: it is time to go forward.

Remember the word : P.O.O.P., it is an acronym and is the order of turning your torch on, and off. PLEASE memorize and follow this order.

1. (P) Propane, (O) Oxygen, and shutting down (O) Oxygen, and then (P) Propane.

Turn torch on, Propane ONLY . Light with a torch lighter, cigarette lighters are not safe.
Now, turn on your oxygen supply. Possibly, the flame will go poof, and go out, if this happens repeat steps 1-3 and turn torch knobs slowly.
Use a neutral flame, equal amounts of Propane and Oxygen. (see post #58 of this thread to see how to set a neutral flame)
My settings are as follows: propane- 5 psi, O2 10 psi
O.k., eye protection in place,



Triple “B” Basic Boro Bead

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Preheat your rod of Star White, when it starts to glow, pick up the mandrel you will be using. Make several winds around the mandrel with star white. Keep turning your rod very close to the flame, but not totally in it. Too close, and your metal rod will melt. Continue this until you have a nice even, round bead.
Make one wind with your clear boro rod, and melt it in.
Make one wind with your Rasta Gold, over the clear wind you just melted in., and melt it about 50- 60% into the clear.
Take your double amber purple rod, and lay a wrap over the Rasta gold. Melt in about the same amount, 50-60%.
Now, take your clear, and make dots with it, going right into the gold and amber. Make 5 dots with the clear rod.
Still, using your clear rod, go back and make squiggles in the colors you have in place.
Almost done, encase you bead in clear boro.
Keep turning until it is as round as you can get it. Remember glass moves toward the flame, it’s just slower with boro.
Let your bead cool for a moment or two (like a five count), put on your ZETEX gloves. Open kiln door, and place your new creation in there to anneal. (Minimum annealing 30 Min) After your annealing time is done you can just turn off the kiln and let it cool naturally, you do not need to ramp down.
When your kiln has cooled to room temperature, open, and admire your new creation .
Hope this tutorial has been helpful, and easy to understand. Any comments pro or con are welcome.

Peace, Jim

DawnT
2007-11-05, 2:27pm
Basic Frit beads with Silver Strike 5 frit and variations.

Sandra Seaman, 57 Park Road, West Lawn, PA 19609 • 610-670-3104
One Bead at a Time • http://www.onebead.com • sandree@comcast.net •

Rods:

GA Indigo Luster
Black (I like Precision Jet Black)
Elvis Red (self-striking)
Momka Purple Thunder
Precision Unobtanium

Frit:

GA Silver Strike 5

Silver Strike 5 is one of my favorite frit colors because it provides a nice contrast with a lot of different base colors and often you will get nice outlines around the frit and some shiny, metallic luster.

1. Making a frit bead with boro is just like soft glass. Start with a small spacer size base bead in one of the base colors. With boro it is more important to put the glass where you want it to be because it does not flow like soft glass. Heat to a nice orange glow and roll quickly in frit. You will find that the base bead cools off way more quickly than with soft glass. Didn't pick up enough frit? Just heat and roll again. Melt the frit in using the cooler outer ranges of your flame. The intense heat of a boro flame can cause small bits that stick up (like frit) to boil.

2. Encase with clear. You will need to get your clear very, very hot. The base bead should be warm. You can allow the base bead to get a little more hot when encasing than you would with soft glass. The colors will not get distorted as easily. One of the nice things about boro! I generally put a swipe of very hot clear around the center of the bead, then add a swipe on the right and left shoulders of the bead trying to apply the glass as close to the mandrel as possible. If you want to, you can use a brass stump shaper or butter knife to move the clear closer to the mandrel but don't let it touch the mandrel. When you add additional swipes of clear, get the clear very hot and push it up against the clear already on the bead. If you can actually melt the clear that is already on the bead a bit so they meld together, that's good. It is easy to trap air as you wind on your clear because the boro glass does not flow like soft glass.

3. Round up your bead. I aim the flame at the bottom half of the bead, allowing the top half to stick up out of the flame a bit. This is my attempt to keep the full heat of the flame off the mandrel. You will easily burn through mandrels if you rotate the bead fully in the middle of the flame as you do with soft glass. You need to get the clear casing really hot...the bead will round up and condense just as with soft glass if you give it enough heat. Rotate more slowly to allow the heat to soak into the bead. If you see long lines of air in the bead, give it more heat. If there is air trapped it will resolve into round bubbles instead of lines if you are using enough heat.

4. I generally don't strike the beads with bases of Indigo Luster, Unobtanium and Black. Indigo Luster can be struck so you might want to experiment with it. Black and Unobtanium are "what you see is what you get" colors. The Silver Strike 5 can also strike so if you want to experiment with striking all the beads, you can and see if you get different effects. The Elvis generally strikes on its own as you work it so even though it is a striking color, you don't have to do much to get it to strike. The Silver Strike 5 often produces a metallic sheen with my torch setup. My torch (Bethlehem Barracuda) is slightly reducing which I believe makes this happen.

5. For the Purple Thunder, you will need to strike this color. After you have encased and rounded up your bead, remove the bead from the flame until the glow has entirely disappeared. You can hold it in the shadows under your table to see that the glow is gone. Then reintroduce the bead into the outer third of your flame and rotate slowly, watching to see the color come up. It should strike very quickly, so as soon as you see it start to blush purple you want to remove it from the flame. Make several of these and strike them for different lengths of time to see what you get. I generally strike my beads in the flame rather than in the kiln. Some colors such as pinks may need some kiln striking.*

6. Variations: After adding your frit and melting it in, you can add clear dots or stripes of clear, melt them in and then encase. Adding clear always gives interesting effects.

Annealing: I garage my beads at my soft glass temperature (950 degrees). I then ramp up to 1050 degrees and hold them for about 1/2 hour. Then cool down slowly. *Sometimes (to get colors to develop in the kiln) I will garage at 950, ramp up to 1175 for 20 minutes then down to 1050 for 1/2 hour and then cool down slowly. There are many versions of annealing schedules...this is just the one I use.

Have fun...post lots of pics and ask questions. That's what I'm here for!!

Sandy

SadiesJewels
2007-11-05, 4:28pm
Wow thanks Dawn ... all I have to do is follow the tutorials!

DawnT
2007-11-05, 7:09pm
Here is some more great info from Sandy regarding her frit bead tutorial:

Hi Everybody,

Here's a photo of my frit beads. OK...so these are pretty simple and looking at your boro thread, I think you guys are beyond these simple beads but hey, this is what I planned! My sample beads have some other ideas for adding texture to your frit beads.

The beads going from left to right are:
1. Indigo Luster with SS5 frit - just encased with clear
2. Jet Black with SS5 frit - after melting in the frit I raked with a 3mm clear stringer, then encased.
3. Elvis Red with SS5 frit - after melting in the frit, I dotted with bead with clear dots and then encased.
4. & 5. Purple Thunder with SS5 frit - after melting in the frit, I put diagonal stripes of clear on with a 3mm stringer, then encased. #4 was with no striking, #5 was with striking.
6. Unobtanium with SS5 frit - after melting in the frit, I twisted the frit with a thin stringer, and then encased.

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Have fun! There are such endless combinations of base colors and frit...no end to the fun!

Sandy

DawnT
2007-11-05, 7:12pm
Written by Heidi (Hot Coles) Tube Implosions
Hi guys! Sorry I haven't gotten back to you about the that I do. I use Simax 15.9mm tube, 2.4mm thick. The instructions below will give you an implosion much like the one shown.

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I believe the colors I used in this one were teal and Solara. You will need 2-3stringers in the colors of your choice, 2 - 5mm clear rod (for punties) and 15.9mm (heavy wall) Simax tube.

1. Preheat your tube glass and then, using your first stringer color, apply dots to the outside of the tube, spacing this row evenly all the way around the tube very close to the edge.

2. With a different color, add another row of dots on the very end edge of the tube, spacing them between the dots of the previous row. This row of dots will actually become the center of your flower. If holding the tube in your left hand, this row is placed in front of the dots in the first step, to the right.

3. Using the same color as in the second step (or color of your choice), make a third row of dots behind your second row (these were made in the first step), again, spacing them between the dots of the previous round.

4. Make a total of 4-5 rows of dots (or more depending on how large you make your dots). Keep the dots about a 1/2" to 5/8" from the end.

5. Now for imploding. Keep your tube horizontal with the flame and begin to heat the end slowly until the tube closes (continually rotating). When I see that the closed end is about a quarter of an inch, I then press the end on my marver (mostly, I allow the weight of the rod to do the pressing)

6. Return the rod to the flame and hold the tube with the end pointing down about 35-45 degrees to the flame. Direct the flame on the tread of the imposion. Press gently on your marver. Repeat this step until you see that you have your implosion.

7. Optional: add black to the bottom of the implosion, heat and flatten until there is no longer a ridge and is smooth.

8. Cold punty to the bottom with 5mm clear rod. Now heat the tube just above your implosion. When soft, blow gently on the opposite end to make a bubble (careful not to blow it out, as shards are dangerous to breath). Place the bubble in the flame to remove tube from implosion.

9. Pull or cut off any unwanted glass (from the bubble), then heat to smooth out the top.

10. Cold punty to the edge of implosion and break off first punty. Heat and smooth any scar left by punty.

11. Add loop to top, grab with preheated tweezers, and break last punty and smooth out scar as before.

I usually put these right on my marver and batch anneal them later.

I sure hope this was helpful. If you have any questions or something just wasn't clear...let me know. Here are other examples of this type of implosion.

fyrsmith
2007-11-06, 12:39am
Hi Dawn,

Per your request,here is a photo tutorial (a "pictut?") of how I do my hearts. This is posted also in the tutorials section of the library with some follow up info. If anyone has any questions, post them in the discussion thread, and if I don't respond, PM me to tell me there is a question and I will be happy to respond. -Don-

60149..60150.

.60151..60152.

.60153..60154.

.60155..60156.

.60157..60158.

.60159..60160.

.60161..60162.

.60163..60164.

.60165..60166.

.60167..60168.

.60169..60170.

.60171..60172.

.60173

SadiesJewels
2007-11-07, 9:29pm
Very cool heart there ... thanks for all the tutorials - us newbies to boro really appreciate it!

Sadie

beadaddicts
2007-11-08, 10:10pm
Oh wow! Nice tute, Don! You make it look so easy!

mmdl2bl
2007-11-09, 4:00pm
Frysmith you make it look so easy, however its gorgeous

fyrsmith
2007-11-09, 7:02pm
Hi everyone,

Thank you all for the compliments. Its nice to be appreciated.

-Don-

Lea Zinke
2007-11-10, 6:56pm
Thanks, Don -- great tutorial! What's your raking tool? (Swear it looks like an attachment for hair clippers;-)!!!

Thanks for sharing,
Lea

murf
2007-11-10, 10:41pm
thanks Don, great project
Murf

fyrsmith
2007-11-11, 1:30am
Lea, Very close. It's from an old beard trimmer, held in a jewelers hand vice. The advantage of this tool is that all the lines get raked down at the same time. It gives a different look than raking with a single point.

-Don-

Lea Zinke
2007-11-11, 5:53am
Thought that's what I was seeing! Aren't the "made-up" tools the best ever??? I have an old toolmakers something or other that I use every day almost!!!!

Keep twirling glass,
Lea:biggrin:

Mr. Smiley
2007-11-12, 7:02am
Great idea... the only point I have issue with is Jim's suggestion that the beads don't need to be ramped down to strain point slowly. They do! They may not break, but they aren't "annealed" unless you do this. It's still glass and it needs to be cooled at a controlled rate to @ 950... don't want anybody to get started off with misinformation. ;)

Kare TX
2007-11-12, 7:51am
For us newbies what is a good kiln schedule? I've noticed as I do bigger things, i.e.Turtles, I've started seeing some cracks.

Mr. Smiley
2007-11-12, 9:49am
I garage at 1065... then I ramp down at 60 degrees per hour to 950. Hold for 20-30 minutes and off. ;)

DawnT
2007-11-12, 11:02am
Is that okay for a Chili Pepper kiln or just the brick kind?

fyrsmith
2007-11-12, 12:16pm
Brick kilns cool slower than fiber kilns, however, once the temperature gets below the "strain point", it is OK ( for the size of things we make) to cool fairly rapidly. Annealing point is about 1060 and strain point is about 975. Remember that what you see on your indicator is only true at the end of the probe. Temperatures in other parts of the kiln may be somewhat higher or lower. (and your mileage may vary :) )

-Don-

ShelleyLee
2007-11-12, 3:03pm
Fantastic tuts!! I've just bitten the bullet and ordered lots of boro, new torch & stuff.... now I just have to figure out how to use it!
I'd really love to know how you guys make those zig zag looking beads.... I can post a pic if you're not sure what I'm talking about...

Thanks in advance!
Shelley

fyrsmith
2007-11-12, 4:29pm
Shelly, Is that zig-zag or wig-wag? One is done by raking wraps the other is done by twisting tube. The pipe-makers have so over-done these techniques that many now look down on them. I even saw a tee-shirt that said "Friends don't let friends wig-wag" LOL!!! Nevertheless, really nice designs can be made with raking. Parts of my ornaments are done that way. See the http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71543 thread. Also, please post a picture of what you are asking about in the other thread: http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71431

-Don-

Venbead
2007-11-13, 4:41pm
Boro Frit Stone Pendant
By Paula McDonough aka The Venerable Bead

This tutorial is a tribute to all the fine glass artists who have taught me along the way either in classes or in their generous informal sharing of techniques. It is a culmulative expression of my love for this medium. Take it and find your own voice

Glass
1 8mm rod of clear
1 6mm rod of clear
1 rod of either butterscotch, carmel, almond nuggest, silver sands or silver
strike 5 that is basically any silver based rod in a beige color
The mariner's promise frit blend and if you do not have that blend then you
can use emma's emerald or nessie's dowry. If you do not have any venerable
bead blends then make your own with some different greens and blues and
throw in some yellow
clear frit in small size (optional)

Tools
parallel mashers or you can use a marver and a graphite paddle
tungsten pick (it has got to be tungsten)
graphite reamer
marver pad
frit tray or you can use marble mold to hold the frit
1/8 inch mandrel
bead release
brass stump shaper

1. Make a butterscotch bead on your 1/8 inch mandrel which has been coated with bead relase. Roll it in The Mariner's Promise boro frit blend and melt smooth. encase in clear and pop the bead in the kiln leaving enough of the mandrel hanging out so that you will be able to grab it out without burning yourself. I use 12 inch mandrels.

Venbead
2007-11-13, 4:43pm
2. Take a 8 mm clear rod and melt a ball on the end. Cover the ball with butterscotch by striping from the top of the ball down. completely cover the clear. Melt smooth.

Venbead
2007-11-13, 4:44pm
3. Now get the ball of glass nice and hot and roll it in The mariners Promise frt blend covering the ball with frit. it may take a few times of reheating and rolling to get good coverage. Melt smooth. heat the ball back up and roll in clear frit (optional) and melt smooth.

Venbead
2007-11-13, 4:46pm
4. Heat the ball until it is hot and molten, flatten it with parallel mashers. If you do not have parallel mashers then use a marver and a graphite paddle

Venbead
2007-11-13, 4:47pm
5. Heat the lollipop. Take your tungsten pick and get it hot and glowing. be careful not to put it directly into the flame but put it very close to the flame until it is bright red. Pierce the center of your lollipop with the tungsten pick. Keep the pick hotter than the glass or the pick will stick. Do this until you have a hole big enough to fit your graphite reamer. It may take several times of reheating the tungsten pick and poking before you make your way through the lollipop. If your tungsten pick fumes onto your piece just burn the yellow fume off in the flame. Please make sure you have excellent ventilation and wear a respirator if you have one. the tungsten is quite noxious and bad for you.
Now keep the glass hot and keep the graphite reamer out of the flame. Work the hole until it is the size you like. Keep the hole hot and burn away any of the graphite that gets into the hole. keep spinning the graphite reamer as you work the hole

Venbead
2007-11-13, 4:48pm
6. Now remove your bead bail from the kiln and attach it to the top of the lollipop by getting both the bead and the spot where you will attach it glowing hot. You want a hot seal. Bring the two together in the flame then remove them from the flame and pull up on your bead bail. Straighten it out before it sets. Now smooth out the chill marks around the seal in the flame.

Venbead
2007-11-13, 4:49pm
7.Now you have the mandrel in one hand and the clear rod in the other. Using gradient heat , heat from the hole to the end with the clear rod and begin to pull into the desired shape. Pull off clear rod and then melt end into the arrow shape. Use brass stump shaper to make arrow. Now decorate the front of the pendant with dots or squiggles and pop into hot kiln.
anneal at 1050 for 1 hour

Venbead
2007-11-13, 4:50pm
here is the original and several variations using the same colors

fyrsmith
2007-11-14, 5:32pm
Hi everyone,

It seems there is a lot of discussion and difficulty in doing loops. Here is one way I do it, using a pin on a steel plate or on my torch:

94067..94068..

Attach a loop rod and pull out slightly. Be sure it is fused on.

94069..

Wrap the hot rod around the pin, stretch it a little more and tag it down on the back of the piece. The neat thing here is that the glass in the loop where it touches the pin freezes and keeps its shape, but you can still stretch the rest of it slightly to attach it to the back.

94070..

Lift it of the pin. It should look like this:

94071..

Snap off the rod and fire polish the nub.

94072

This is all one movement: Wrap, stretch slightly, tag, stretch slightly, hesitate and snap off.

Hope this helps. :)

-Don-

DawnT
2007-11-22, 11:20am
Bump!

Bobeche
2007-11-22, 6:12pm
Very helpful tip, thanks! I'm gonna try it.....

DawnT
2007-11-25, 10:42pm
We have a new tutorial! Thanks KareTX!

Leaf Tutorial

I originally learned how to make leaves from the book “Flameworking” by Elizabeth Ryland Mears. This book has a lot of great information for beginners and intermediate boro folks.

Supplies
Clear rod
GA Trans Green
VB Amber Mist frit

Tools
Masher
Round pliers (or other shape)
Small brass shaper

1. Encase clear rod with Trans green

95129

2. Heat until lines melt in and then mash

95130

3. Heat lollypop and dip one side in frit , reheat and dip one edge again

95131

4. Melt in Frit

5. Heat until soft and use brass shaper to make vein marks (usually take two or three times reheating)

95132

6. Cold attach punty

95133

7. Make sure the leaf is soft and stretch , if too soft wait two seconds. Heat the body of the leaf not the tip when doing this.

95134

8. Flame cut and heat at the tip on one side and use pliers, move from top to bottom. Flip and do other side (if pliers have different prongs flip those also if you want the sides to match.

95135

9. Finish shaping, disconnect and attch to bead or make loop. I make tabs so that I can easily attach bunches together .

95136

DawnT
2007-12-02, 7:53pm
Here is the Supplylist for the 15 Dec Tutorial from Jo (AKA Sleekbead)

Encased Rainbow Twist Drops

SUPPLY LIST:

COLOR:
2 rods clear (6mm) one for punty, one to use
4 fancy color rods (no crayons for this tut... use high silver colors or fancy colors) example: Momka's Magic Mirror, Momka's Blue Lightening, Glass Alchemy's Silver Strike 3, Turquesa. (but you can use whatever you want, that was just an example).

TOOLS:
Peters Tweezers
small and large tungsten pokers
long pair of looped hemostats (or whatever you use for puting an offmandrel piece into the kiln)

DawnT
2007-12-02, 8:36pm
Turtle Tutorial by Karen Draper


Supplies:

Clear rod (Med size and small)
Pearl Green
NS Silver Creek
NS Unxplainium
NS Sublime (cut into five ˝ inch pieces)
Black stringer


Tools:

Masher
Graphite marver
Flat nosed pliers


1. Make a clear maria and use the mashers to flatten

96020


2. Use the Green Pearl to cover the top with the last wrap just coming over the edge to cover the clear and melt in well

96021

3. Make dots with Silver Creek and then Unexplainium as you like leaving space around them. Use the small clear rod to fill in around color.

96022

4. Start melting and shaping

96023

5. Make sure you melt really well so that the crackle look seen above melts in. Use the small rod to fill in divots

96024

6. When you get the shape you want start adding the legs that you pre cut.

96025 96026

7. Shape as you go with flat pliers, make sure they are melted in well. Add the head and shape. I use a razor tool to make the mouth. Use black stringer to make eyes.

96027

8. Add a loop or cut rod and use the turtle as is. Make sure he goes in a hot kiln and that you ramp down after annealing to prevent cracking

96028

DawnT
2007-12-09, 9:05am
This tutorial was written by Scott Young of Vetro Glass in Grapevine Texas.


I wrote this about 3 and a half years ago, but it should help anybody who is "exploring" this technique for the first time...

1. using a 12-14mm clear rod, get a nice ball of hot glass on the end
2. flatten the "ball" into a disk by holding rod perpendicular to marver & pressing down (looks like the following -------| )
3. draw dots or lines on the outer limits of the face of the disk
4. melt in by holding the disk almost perpendicular to the flame (if you think of the disk as a tire, the flame would be on the outer "tread" near the face)
5. once the pattern starts to melt in, tilt the rod/disk up slightly to allow gravity to begin "slumping" the "tread" towards the face. looks like ----{
6. marver back into a disk (see #2)
7. (optional) you can add "highlights/veins" to the petals by placing dots (2 or 3) on each line of your pattern.
8. place 3-6 "small" dots in a circle near the center of the disk (I find that intense black or ocher works best)
9. repeat steps 4, 5, & 6
10. now, draw evenly spaced lines or dots (using mixtures of green) around the circumference of the disk (these will be your leaves/stem)
11. repeat steps 4, 5, & 6 approximately 5 or 6 times (depending on how well your pattern is "imploding")
12. now, to finish, you can either let the "slumping" from step 5 continue until all sides melt in to become a ball (my preference), or some people will use a small punty and cold seal to the center of the flower and pull out the stem. If you use this method, you will then have to encase the nub/stem with a coat of clear.
13. now use the marble mold to finish the rounding process.
14. (optional) If the bottom of the marble looks "runny" (the greens smeared or whatever), you can put a small "covering" pattern on the bottom.

Anyway, that is the "brief" (yeah right) steps I use. Your results may vary.

Hope the pictorial helps!

I used 104 COE for this tutorial, but you can use any COE. If you are doing boro (33 COE) I would recommend using Blue Spruce for the petals and Goldenrod for the Stamen (pull stringer for the stamen – approx 2mm).

This technique can be used for quite a few decorative patterns/pieces. Some really nice effects for boro occur using double amber purple frit first, imploding a few times, then backing with a contrast color or black. Instead of making a marble, you may also just flatten the back after imploding and place a loop for a pendant.

96686

96687

96688

96689

fyrsmith
2007-12-14, 3:36pm
Hi everyone,

Here is a photo tutorial for boro raked hearts. I posted this on WC about 3 1/2 years ago and thought it might be time to post it here for the newbies.

97269..

97270..

97271..

97272..

97273..

97275..

97276..

97277..

Let me know how this works for you in the other thread.

-Don-

fyrsmith
2008-01-25, 1:36pm
No one has posted in either of these threads for over a month. Anyone still around?

-Don-

DawnT
2008-01-25, 4:50pm
I can post a couple more tutorials here but there didn't seem to be much interest so I wasn't sure if I should.

Is there still interest in this tutorial thread?

sharon*johnson*designs
2008-01-25, 4:59pm
Hi there!

I haven't checked this post in awhile - thanks for the reminder that it exists!

I love making heart shaped beads in soft glass so extra thanks for the boro heart tutorial!!!

Sharon

rguttierrez
2008-01-25, 5:38pm
I am interested. :wave: I have been thinking about going down the Boro road. :) This thread is awesome.

Rob
2008-01-25, 5:55pm
I'm very interested. I was checking this thread daily. But there was no change for a long time.

Rob.

teachertracey
2008-01-25, 5:59pm
Don't stop! I'm a newbie and love this. I can't wait to try that heart.

playingwithfirebeads
2008-01-25, 6:39pm
Please keep posting. I made a couple of hearts Don's way and was going to use that kind for beads of courage.

Thanks,
Bonny

Nickeson Designs
2008-01-25, 8:36pm
yes... please do add more!!!

Thanks everyone for sharing such kewl stuff!!!

Dan


=D>=D>=D>

DawnT
2008-01-25, 8:59pm
Okay then! I'll get the new ones up this weekend.

SadiesJewels
2008-01-25, 10:58pm
Yep ... me too says More More More!

I've been taking my time in getting into Boro but keep checking the beads and the tutorials for new things. It's all very much appreciated!

bclogan
2008-01-26, 7:34am
Yes! More tutorials...!

I keep checking back for the next one....

Beckah
2008-01-26, 8:36am
Love to see more tutorials:grin:

DawnT
2008-01-27, 7:59pm
Implosion Ring Tutorial by Karen Draper

Sorry about any fuzzy pictures was taking myself while I worked. This assumes you know how to make a marble. Have fun!

Supplies:
Clear rods 3mm an 10-12 mm
Black rod
Frit of choice
Color rod to complement the frit

Tools
Marble mold
Marver
Pliers
Ring Mandrel (Size of your choosing)


1. With the 10/12 mm rod heat and collect a gather

102857

2. Use marver to create a maria

102860

3. Heat and apply frit to bottom of maria

102861

4. Heat and press to form implosion and form into a small marble back the bottom with black.

102863

5. Leave on putty (using 3mm rod) and place in hot kiln to hold

102864

6. Heat your ring mandrel and desired glass. Mandrel must be thoroughly heated or glass will come off as you turn and apply.

102866

7. Decide where the top will be, add a little frit either side and melt in. As you heat marver the sides to flatten but do not thin out.

8. Once ring is formed to your liking put a small blob of clear where you want to attach the implosion.

9. Get the implosion out of the kiln, hold the implosion with pliers and take off the putty. If some clear sticks that is ok if it is on the bottom.

10. Heat where you want the two to join (the clear blob and the bottom of the implosion)


11. Using a small flame make sure this joint is completely melted.

102867

12 Anneal is you wish.

Sarabella
2008-01-29, 6:00am
Very helpful tutorials - keep them coming!!

Thanks everyone for sharing your boro expertise.

Sals

jojo101
2008-01-31, 3:15pm
hey thanks dawn and everyone for doing this!
im bout to go try the turtle :)

DawnT
2008-02-06, 9:15am
TUTORIAL
Encased Rainbow Swirl Pendant:
By: Joanna Mueller

104307
104308

Quick Tip: Remember to wave your rod in and out of the flame every now and again during this process. Even though it is boro, you will be painting stripes onto a rod and there is a chance of them “popping off” if not painted on hot enough.

Step 1: Take one of your boro colors and “paint” a 2 inch stripe down the length of the 6mm clear rod from the very top. Melt in slightly (just enough to know it will not pop off). Take your next boro color and repeat. You can use as many colors as you want, however, for the coolest effect, make sure to leave some clear “unpainted”.

104309

Step 2: For this step you can either use another 6 mm clear rod, or a 4mm clear stringer rod… your preference. It’s time to encase all your “painted” stripes with clear glass. Begin covering each color stripe by “painting” the clear over each and every one. Then, you will also need to paint a clear stripe in the areas that had no color.

104310

Step 3: Pick up another 6mm clear rod and melt it to the tip of the painted bulb you just created. Make sure the pieces are sealed together hot, not a punty. Once you have done this, remove from heat just for a quick moment until the glow is gone. Remember to keep your entire piece straight, don’t have the piece you just added at a large angle. Put the entire “bulb” of glass with stripes into the flame and heat slowly to a nice even red glow. Remember when rotating in the flame, at this point, to keep each hand rotating in the SAME direction while you are heating. Once your “bulb” is heated through and is workable, begin to rotate your hand in opposite directions making a “twist” in the bulb.
You can pull apart slightly depending on if you want the design to be tightly swirled, or loosely… the choice is yours. (It will take a few practices before you feel comfortable with this, and know what you like.)

104311

Step 4: Now that you’ve twisted your bulb into a swirl design, it’s time to melt off the clear rod you added in step 3. I prefer to melt off all the clear and drill my hole right through the color other than have a large blob of clear at the top of my pendant… but it’s up to you. Once you have melted off the clear rod from ONE side of the bulb, it’s time to make your loop-hole. Bring the tip of the bulb into the flame and gently shape into a rounded end. (I like to turn mine upside-down for just a moment and narrow it up a little, however, again, personal preference). Once you have your end nicely shaped and smooth, bring it into the flame once more and give it a nice red glow (not drippy, but definitely HOT). Pick up your Peter’s Tweezers and press them together into the tip of your bulb. (Quick Tip: It’s important to make sure you’re not pressing your tweezers together too near the end of the bulb… if you do this, then the top of your loop will have less glass and be weak.) Once you have pressed your tweezers into the end of the bulb and you have a nice print in the glass, pick up your tungsten pick and slowly heat it in the flame. Then, quickly “drill” your hole through the imprint left from your tweezers.
(This can be tricky and it is usually the part where all newcomers have trouble, just keep practicing, it will come!) It is important to keep the glass warm but not molten when you are drilling the tungsten into it. IF your glass is too hot, the tungsten will stick to it, if it is not hot enough, you will have trouble getting the tungsten to poke through. Keep your tungsten at a little glow, but do not heat so much that it is fuming in the flame… HAZARDOUS!!!!

104312

Step 5: Ok, so after a few trials and errors, you’ve managed to drill your hole…
Take a clear rod (I prefer 6mm) and punty up to the end with the loop-hole.
Remember, when you punty, you are heating the punty rod NOT the pendant loop.
Once your punty is on, bring the other end into the flame and burn off the clear rod of glass. Once you have done this, you can begin letting gravity and heat shape your pendant for you. I hold my clear rod in my hand with the pendant pointing UP into the flame. Important to remember NOT to heat the loop-hole while doing all this. If you do, you will distort your loop-hole and have to re-heat it and re-drill it. I let the heat shape and smooth my encasing into a nice bulby shape. (almost like a large jellybean with out the little dent in the middle) If you want your pendant smaller, just remove unwanted glass. Once shaped, and encasing nicely melted around, I like to raise my arm up and turn the pendant DOWN into the flame. I let it get hot enough to move, but not drippy. (hah! Can boro get drippy?) ………then I let gravity “pull” the pendant down slightly into an elongated shape. Or sometimes, I just leave it in a fat jellybean shape. You decide!

104313

Step 6: Flame strike and when happy with color, gently grab your pendant with your looped hemostats and break off the punty. Turn your flame down to a medium point and “flame polish” and slightly shape the area where your punty has broken off.

104314


Put in kiln and anneal…..

Take out of kiln when cool and wear your new rainbow twist pendant!!!

Now go experiment and let’s see those pictures!

Leanne
2008-02-11, 12:58am
You can also do the first couple of steps in the above tute ny sleekbeads and then condense it into a marble!
Great tuts keep em coming!

Iwantonetoo
2008-02-15, 3:11pm
being new to boro, this thread is awesome! Thanks to all of you for the time you put into posting and sharing this information.

Sheri

Reenie
2008-02-18, 4:14am
bump

skookum
2008-02-18, 1:21pm
Great thread! I'm off to try some of this.
Any chance of this thread becoming a sticky so it doesn't get lost?
Thanks to those who posted!
Sherri

DawnT
2008-02-18, 8:51pm
I PM'd Corri and asked it if could be made a sticky and never got a response.

Cathie
2008-02-22, 6:10am
I am new to boro also and am loving this thread. I tried a couple of them this past weekend. Thanks so much for putting this together for us newbies :)

debgay
2008-02-23, 7:34pm
Is there any on seahorses?

Kare TX
2008-02-23, 8:13pm
tried to get one but was not successful. If there is anyone reading this who can do one for us we would love it.

Rob
2008-02-23, 8:18pm
I'd like to see one on making buttons. :D yup boro buttons. that would be good. also saw something called "moving mud" that was well like a glass buckle made with a free formed disk with a large round hole and a straight piece that looked separate. some how makes a closure for things like leather bags, sweaters etc. be cool to see how to make them also. Pretty much I enjoy any tutorials that show up here. ;)

Rob

Rob
2008-02-23, 8:26pm
I'd like to see one on making buttons. :D yup boro buttons. that would be good. also saw something called "moving mud" that was well like a glass buckle made with a free formed disk with a large round hole and a straight piece that looked separate. some how makes a closure for things like leather bags, sweaters etc. be cool to see how to make them also. Pretty much I enjoy any tutorials that show up here. ;)

Rob

here is a picture of the things I was talking about.

107598

Rob.

DawnT
2008-02-23, 8:29pm
Rob that's interesting! Haven't seen those before.

Okay so if you guys have any ideas of who we can ask for tutorials Kare and I are more than happy to send out the requests. As of right now I think we're pretty much at the end of our list of willing teachers. Any ideas out there?

Rob
2008-02-23, 8:48pm
ummm I don't know who to ask. Have you tried bribing them? feel free to promise that if they do a tutorial I'll nev er show up and inflict raspberries on them ;)

Rob.

Ps. I think I could figure out how to make them if I could figure out how they work. but I can't do that until I make one to see how it works. vicious circle.

Over the Moon
2008-02-24, 5:23am
Hey Rob - those look quite similar to hair things. I'm sure if you go to your pharmacy, and look in the girlie section of hair stuff, you'll see them - they're usually made with ugly, cheap plastic. Although for hair they are somewhat curved, the concept is the same...

Kare TX
2008-02-24, 8:27am
rob, thanks for the ideas !
We will look for some tutorials on seahorses, buttons and togle closures.
The only seahorses I found so far is for soft.
The togle looks like a mashed circle. I'll try to play today and see what comes out.

Kare TX
2008-02-24, 8:50am
A couple methods for buttons http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1577388

meadowesky
2008-02-24, 2:18pm
I can work on something for this thread :)
I am a procrastinator though so remind me often

Kare TX
2008-02-24, 8:43pm
Rob sorry didn't do any glass today, sitting typing with one hand with a wrist wrapped and iced :(
Didn't want you to think I was blowing you off. I'll be out of town for a couple of weeks, so not torch until later. Hopefully someone else gan give it a shot

Rob
2008-02-24, 10:40pm
Rob sorry didn't do any glass today, sitting typing with one hand with a wrist wrapped and iced :(
Didn't want you to think I was blowing you off. I'll be out of town for a couple of weeks, so not torch until later. Hopefully someone else gan give it a shot

what did you do to your hand?

I didn't feel like or think I was being blown off. I figured out years ago that if people are doing me a favor that its always worth waiting for. ;)
If anyone (first) nows how the closures work and (second) can explain that well I may be able to make them all by my self. I'm just lost on that. what I see is a disk and a stick and that just doesn't equal a buckle in my mind. I did go look at the hair things and they do look sort of like what I see in that picture. Can't see how they work either. I've never really paid any attention to hair thingies before. ;)


Rob.

DawnT
2008-02-24, 10:45pm
The way that I've seen them work is the fabric comes up through the hole in the round part. The stick then sticks through that fabric twice (coming out the other side) and then rests on top of the circle part. I'm not sure how they'd be used as cufflinks or buckles though.

jojo101
2008-02-25, 9:24pm
hey kare tx, would you mind telling the color(s) you used on the bead in your signature? its absolutely beautiful.

meadowesky
2008-02-25, 10:22pm
hey kare tx, would you mind telling the color(s) you used on the bead in your signature? its absolutely beautiful.

yep that sucker is gorgeous!!

Elegance_1
2008-02-26, 7:22am
I thought it may be to your advantage to know I am hosting a boro bulk buy in the Bulk buy section of the garage sale. All the information as well as cost per lb is there. This is boro case pricing so you are getting a good deal.
No-buy-in-fee

Thanks!

Kare TX
2008-02-26, 6:12pm
Rob thanks, I hate when I say I'm going do something and then don't.
I smacked my wrist pretty hard. A week later still black and blue and swollen. Good news not broken.

The color in my sig bead is Momka stormy weather with some clear. started out with a pre mix tip and wasn't happy and changed to a surface mixed tip to finish. Used a clear stringer for swirls the color change is heat. Note have changed signature the current picture is Momka Cherry Blossom-lots of heat and marvering.

Kare TX
2008-02-26, 6:31pm
Rob, not sure if this will help. You could pull the fabric, or what ever, in front of or in back of the "stick."

Rob
2008-02-26, 8:00pm
that does help me get an clearer image. doesn't look like they will work as a buckle. they look like they are basically on the idea of a fibula. well back to hunting for a way to make something out of glass that will work as a "buckle" ;)

Rob.

jojo101
2008-02-26, 8:35pm
hey thanks kare,
i thought it was stormy weather but i wasnt sure. what parts of the colors did u get from premix? im curious cus i have a surface mix midrange but the minor on top is premix.
im sorry bout ur wrist but im glad its not broken :)
hey sometimes u can sorta comb a black and blue out with a spoon from the freezer. lol same principal behind getting rid of hickeys.

hey elegance can u link us up to the bulk buy? im kinda techno-tarded and i cant find it.

jojo101
2008-02-26, 8:43pm
hey rob u can make the buckle thing up top as a toggle closure, if that makes sense. i can try do a rough sketch if you tell me how to upload it to the thread. if u do it as a toggle it would work more like a button and less like a buckle. it would be almost exactly like what kare posted cept u wouldnt attach the middle line thingy to the circle- it would be a long button that comes out and thru sorta like some coats have. u wouldnt really have to do the circle if they had a button hole for it to go thru but if u wanted to have matching findings on both sides for ur project then yea u could make a matchin circle for the female end of the button. like this -> o (female side) / (long toggle thing.. u could do it as a long bead, or a long shape wit a lil loop in the middle for them to thread it) .. ok can someone tell me how to upload a picture i think itd be a lot easier to show u.. or u can also just make a normal button if u make a disk and then punty up to the bottom of it, and stab some button holes wit a tungsten pick.

Kare TX
2008-02-26, 8:58pm
Jojo- got baby poop from the premix. was irritated because its a large bead and a lot of glass so I changed back to my normal tip and got really lucky.

To load, a couple of ways but...I click "go advanced" then page doen to the "manage attachments" and click there.
Click one of the browse buttons. After you select you pictures click the up load. When it tells you it is done uploading you can close that pop-up screen and go on with your post.

Kare TX
2008-02-26, 9:08pm
If you attached the cross piece to the circle it could work as a buckle of sorts. or a to scale hook and eye?

hotcoles
2008-02-27, 10:17am
I'm not sure how Dawn posted other tuts from over on the WC site, but, given the ones that I did are pretty image heavy...probably would be a lot of work to transfer. So here is a link to the pulling points and blown bead tutorials. They start mid way down the page. http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=445124&page=3

Crazycatglass
2008-02-27, 11:50am
Thanks Heidi, your tut rocks. Great pictures!!

DawnT
2008-02-27, 12:23pm
I'm not sure how Dawn posted other tuts from over on the WC site, but, given the ones that I did are pretty image heavy...probably would be a lot of work to transfer. So here is a link to the pulling points and blown bead tutorials. They start mid way down the page. http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=445124&page=3

Oh shoot Heidi! I totally spaced transferring it over. Will work on that this week.

playingwithfirebeads
2008-02-27, 1:24pm
Heidi - You rock. I am so going to try that.

Thanks,
Bonny

Bobeche
2008-02-28, 7:41am
That is a great one, Heidi, thanks so much for doing it!

jojo101
2008-03-01, 5:57pm
thanks kare
actually ok bob what she posted makes a lot more sense than what i was gonna make a picture of
thanks again to everyone addin to this thread!

Moth
2008-03-04, 12:55pm
I was going through my bookmarks today, visiting sites I hadn't been to in a while and came across this link. I'm sure newbie boro people who haven't seen it will find it useful.

http://frittsartglass.com/marbles/articles/Borosilicate.PDF

Hope it is ok to post that here.
:wave:
~~Mary

Lizabeads
2008-03-11, 9:10pm
Bumpity Bump cause I'm Lovin it !! :waving:

Meow Meow Beads
2008-03-13, 4:23am
I am new to boro glass. I bought some on my last trip to get glass. I need a annealing temps to set my kiln for it. I have a digital conrol kiln. Can someone pm me a table of temps to use it. They said at the glass house that it needs to be around 1050 degress. HELP on this please. I need a time range for holding and cooling.

Kare TX
2008-03-13, 10:54am
Susan, Welcome to "the dark side" LOL
Glass Alchemy and North star both have great information on their sites.
http://www.glassalchemyarts.com/support/user-manual-pg1.html
can't remember were I got this probably GA or Cosmo (I think he knows everything :) )
"In general a small piece, (less than 1/4 inch at the thickest point) you should soak for 15 minutes at 1070°F and come down no faster that 1.95 degree per minute (117 per hour) until you reach 910. After that you can increase the ramp down to 7.5 degrees F until you reach 400°F. In practice it is a good idea to follow the first ramp rate until you hit 850°F then speed up to 7.5. (450 per hour) After you hit 700°F you can double the down rate and in most cases that would allow shutting the kiln of. Remember not to open the kiln until 400°F or lower."

I tend to do most beads at 1100 for 1-2 hrs (I use the kiln to strike some of my colors) and then bring them down to 970 for 10 min then let it cool on its to 700 in a contro;led drop and from there on its own. I think there are as many annealing schedules as there are people doing boro. You will find what works best for your style and the colors you use..
If you search the boro room for "annealing" I suspect you will find loads of aditional info. good luck

G.L.McBead
2008-03-17, 5:11pm
Great info.
Thanks all,
G.

jknappcampbell
2008-06-15, 7:38pm
Kare and Dawn
I had a great time the other night. I hope we can do it again. I came here to find a few of the tutorials. Great thread! Thanks
Jill

DawnT
2008-06-16, 9:28am
:waving: Jill - so glad you joined us the other night - it was great to see you! Post pics of your results for us!

Kare TX
2008-06-16, 4:52pm
Jill it was a joy to meet you. Thank you for sharing here are a couple fish I did when I got home

skookum
2008-06-22, 12:56pm
Bump.
I have more notes to take and I don't want this thread to get lost.

spring_a_leak_in_art
2008-08-17, 4:56pm
Bump

Blair
2008-08-18, 6:55am
Is there anyway this thread can be made into a sticky? Lots of people keep bumping it, and the information will [I]always[I] be good for newbies...

simvet02
2008-08-23, 8:50pm
I tried a couple of the tutorial yesterday. They weren't totally successful but great pactice learning how to work with the glass and gravity. Beyond the acutally physical workings of the glass it seems that color is a whole other animal. I had a bag of shorts from Glass Alchemy so I used rods from that, have no idea what colors they were or how to work them but then I'm not there anyway.

Mr Smiley's heart tute-had to bring out the big shears for this one. I've since tried it with soft glass and had a bit better luck.
134465

Joanna's encased rainbow swirl.
134466

amealer
2008-08-24, 6:37am
OK, I've been hoarding some boro shorts and some labeled boro rods, and last night I got up the courage to give it a try using the shorts. I had set aside some clear glass rods that I thought was boro but was, apparently, soft glass. Most of what I took out of the kiln this morning was shattered throughout (two beads and a marble). Is it possible to test these clear rods to determine whether they are boro or soft? I'd hate to ruin a batch of 104 beads with the wrong glass. BTW, I only have boro and 104 COE glass in my studio, so I don't have to wonder if it is 96 COE!

Thanks!
Allen

simvet02
2008-08-24, 6:48am
I bought some TAG Red Elvis awhile back thinking it was 104. I should have known when I was trying to add it to a bead of soft glass. It was stiffer and wouldn't even stick to the other glass. I figured it was just stiff so I kept going but they all shattered too.

Just melt what you think is boro clear at the same time you melt 104, the 104 melts so much more quickly. The boro never quite gets as soft as 104. I'm sure there is a more scientific way. I know you can make a twistie with it and a 104 rod and it will pull away if its boro.

earlbacher
2008-08-24, 11:44am
if i try and use soft glass now... it drips like water from the rod.... its funny, in a way, but frustrating...

Troll Lover
2008-08-24, 1:06pm
I just found this thread and there are some awesome tuts in here for boro newbies like me! Gonna try some stuff!

Kare TX
2008-08-24, 5:03pm
I have to see if I can find where I saw it. One of the boro books I had showed a simple way to test compatibility. Something about pulling a stringer of the two. As it hardens it will bend or shatter if not compatible.

There are even more tuts and links over on the other newbie thread since it has stayed more active. We are also doing a "then and now" S&T since our newbie thread is a year old over there.
I know some don't care for "the other" forum but here are links for those who want to look.
Tuts...http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=445124

"Then and Now" S&T...http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7078119#post7078119

Newbie thread..http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=440681

Kare TX
2008-09-22, 9:04pm
Since there have been some new boro folks since this bumped up last ...sooo bump :)
If anyone has anthing they would like to share here for newbies to learn we would love to see it and give it a shot :)

Oh... and the book was "Flameworking" page 38 by Elizabeth Ryland Mears- if you pull a thin stinger out with tweezers with the two glasses and it bends as you hang it down while cooling then they say it is not compatible.

glastrid
2008-11-15, 4:03pm
thank you all so much, i'm gonna have my first boroclass next week and i'm hoping to try everything you posted here

love you all for the hard work on the tutorials

astrid

spring_a_leak_in_art
2009-02-20, 10:33pm
Somebody just ask what to do as a newbie to boro.... thought I'd give this thread a bump

Bunyip
2009-02-21, 8:29am
It's great for new directions for "Mediumbies" like me too =)

steph1214
2009-02-21, 1:24pm
WOW, i leave the house and come back and there are so many new goodies i cannot handle it!!!! I am so excited to try these but i have no glass yet, what am i going to do with myself? :rolleyes: i guess i will do some 104 for now!! Thanks SO MUCH for all of these great projects, and the colors are fantastic. I especially LOVE that pin for making loops because i am not a pendant maker and i stink at it. That is just so darn helpful. I am loving this boro room!! I am going to show my hubby that pin thing so he can somehow put his skills to work, he loves stuff like that!!! I mean, what would he do if he did not have me to put him to work on the weekends:pout:? ha!
steph

steph1214
2009-02-21, 1:26pm
Jill it was a joy to meet you. Thank you for sharing here are a couple fish I did when I got home

Whoa, the allure of the boro ethereal look, it is just beautiful, what colors are these???
steph

jojo101
2009-02-21, 2:09pm
steph if u dont have a pin thing u can also just add a big dab of color or clear for ur loop, and then get it warm but not so hot that it moves- then use tungsten and get that nice and hot and just push it thru ur "loop" and wobble it around a lil- u then have a loop! u can go back and reheat and open up more or less with ur tweezers.

steph1214
2009-02-21, 3:21pm
thanks Jojo! I have the reamer and pick oredered. i never used either, i am kind of a 5 tool gal, but hey, never too late to pick up something useful!
steph

jojo101
2009-02-21, 5:22pm
yea i feel u, i use a brass triangle reamer, 2 long graphite reamers (one likea pencil and one fatty guy for opening up cups) a pair of blunt nose tweezers on either side of the torch for each hand.. scissors and my tungsten, thats pretty much it. oh and claws or gloves for finishing work.
i saw in another thread i posted in that u were tryna do inside out beads. .. ull probably want some small claws or a hemostat or hell just ice tongs to grab ur bead before u open up the other side..
or u could probably grab the open end wit ur tweezers and polish the other end but good claws are a good investment.

jojo101
2009-02-21, 5:22pm
and remember to flash ur claws or holding tool before u grab ur piece so that u dont shock it.

Kare TX
2009-02-22, 12:34am
Thanks, Fish are fun
I was using shorts for the most part but I thing the top was GA Peacock or Agua Azul with NS lt blue amber purple for the fins.
The Second was a combo GA brilliant blue NS Lt Blue Amber Purple and NS Super Unobtainium with frit but I'm not sure which one (I tend to mix my own). May be Silver Creek.

Also I have a clean mandrel stuck in a container to make my loops on.

steph1214
2009-02-22, 8:25am
Another good idea, a mandrel!! thanks for the color analysis, it seems you boro people love the amber purple? I had to buy that for my shopping list from brent (his video projects) so hopefully some day i will be able to get those colors to pop like that. Believe me, you all will probably see my stuff at its poopiest of colors, i am going to start with beads, just simple beads and see about the striking etc... thanks again
steph

Kare TX
2009-02-22, 10:00am
Happy to help. If you are getting "poop" colors adjust your flame until you see a haze burn off (usually more oxy). And use more heat. Once you get the haze thing down you can strike from there (work hot, when you get your shape let cool until glow is gone and then reheatfor about 10-20 sec, you can do this a few times to get your colors). If you don't burn the haze you will have "poop"
The blue AP is a little different from the regulare AP and DAP but works the same way

side note: people kept telling me to burn off the haze. I didn't know what I was looking for. Think of de-fogging a mirror with a blow dryer. you have to hold the dryer in place until it starts clearing, then as you move it it goes faster once it has started clearing. Burning the haze off amber purple colors looks and works the same way. Once you find your sweet spot (oxy mix and temp) you're golden.

eej713
2009-02-23, 5:59am
Another good idea, a mandrel!! Believe me, you all will probably see my stuff at its poopiest of colors, i am going to start with beads, just simple beads and see about the striking etc... thanks again
steph

And what is easy about beads????? I've only done beads a few times and I'm less than pleased with most of the results. I work better off the mandrel! I know practice, practice. Only trouble is, when you are renting studio time, you don't want to spend half an hour or more making one bead, just to find it less than "keepable".

Only another week or two and my torch will be here. I got the Oxygen Concentrator delivered Friday afternoon. I will then be able to work from home. Whopppee!

steph1214
2009-02-23, 10:07am
Yeah, i finally get the experience i need under my belt with soft glass and then i decide to switch glasses, well, i will always have my wall of soft glass that i will still work a lot with! I am excited though for the challenge, and that bigger/hotter flame!!!

eej713
2009-02-23, 11:41am
Holy Cow, is that your "soft glass"? How big is your room, that looks like the length of my garage, if not longer. I wouldn't dare leave my glass out like that, I'm looking into containers that will seal to keep the dust off of it. You can fit most of my glass in a few containers with lots of room left over. My "studio" shares a corner of the garage, which has to be cleaned up before I can fire my torch.

Lynn in PA

steph1214
2009-02-23, 12:56pm
Hi Lynn,
yeah, my hubby is awesome, i just wipe them all down before i use them. A dip in the alcohol (on another table) or the armpit swipe, ha! It seems that whenever i get a dull moment i can turn around in my chair and stare at the wall and sometimes it gives me color idea. I love it much better this way. Here are a few more pics (i know this is not a studio thread, but hey, i should show off what my husband has done for me). the propane is outside and housed in a locked box and comes through the brick into the studio. I have 650 cfm and two work stations. I am still putting the studio together. Now i guess i will have to have a wall of boro!!! All of my bullseye is in containers and still needs to go on a wall. I have three walls left, it really is a big room. We lucked out because my nephew owns his own construction company and he and Mark did this in two weekends. I am still decorating it because i want it to feel like home.
157606
157605
157604

Tancaro
2009-02-24, 11:09am
Oh my gosh, LOVE that wall of glass! (And the rest isn't too bad either! LOL)

-Carol

steph1214
2009-02-24, 11:45am
Thanks Carol, it makes it so much easier to see the glass that way and i still have two more glass walls to put together, the glass is sitting in bins just waiting. My floors are now done and i have cool rugs and it is getting there. now i have to figure out if i like boro when my stuff comes and then i can put that on the wall too!!!
By the way, i love these tutorials, i cannot wait to get my stuff so i can do them.
steph

eej713
2009-02-25, 6:18am
Yeah, i finally get the experience i need under my belt with soft glass and then i decide to switch glasses, well, i will always have my wall of soft glass that i will still work a lot with! I am excited though for the challenge, and that bigger/hotter flame!!!

Okay, how did you make that glass wall? It looks like PVC pipe (Size?) cut into segments but how did you get it hooked to the Masonite? Getting your hand in there to put a screw or nut cap would be hard. Did you glue them in place? I won't always have to keep my glass away from dust, and having it where you can see it would be great.....plus you could put a sticker on the holders to let you know the glass manufacturer and color.

Lynn in PA

steph1214
2009-02-25, 8:33am
Bingo, it is all listed and i love it. Ok, so you have to stand above the board and reach around as you put bigger plastic zip ties through the holes and then pull on the other side as tight as you can, you have to do this uniformly or one side will hang a little lower, so just check them and if a couple are loose pull harder. i was able to get my small arms over the top for almost half of the board and then i turned it upside down and did it again and then mark helped with the middle by being behind the board and me in the front. OR easier would be to just get a friend or something to stand behind while you fish through.

steph1214
2009-02-25, 8:36am
oh, so you can see that you have to cut the pipe in 1 inch or so, mabye 2 inches and then you go through the hole from the back on the right side of pipe, go through the pipe and then back through the back of board and slide zip into counterpart and pull. hope this helps, do not have a closeup
steph

eej713
2009-02-26, 7:41am
Great, I never thought of electrical ties, but that makes a lot of sense. Did you stagger the rows a little? It doesn't look like it, but it seems like that would allow you to pull the rods out a little easier, or is that a problem?

Still waiting for my torch to get here.

steph1214
2009-02-26, 8:28am
Lynn,
I pull a little to the right and then angle and go through the bottom, no probs. However i can get a lot more glass on this because it is soft glass. WHOA, i got my boro yesterday, could it get any longer??? Do you all cut it in half i hope? I could use one of those rods to balance myself on a tight rope!! ha
steph

eej713
2009-02-27, 6:44am
You should see the clear, or is that what you are talking about? Clear, I cut up about 5 rods in 12 inch lengths to use. The rest, I'm keeping in the box wrapped in the plastic they shipped it in.

Colored, I do cut in half and when it gets too short, I either punty to same color or a clear rod. Colored for now is in a plastic container that I bought so they would fit. I think most of them are 20-22 inches long if I remember right. If I were you, for the colored boro, I'd stagger the rows so you can get them out. Just drop down between the holders on the first row for your first set of holders. I'm putting in another order today to Wales for the Asian glass (most of it is transparent) and really cheap at $8 a pound to practice with.

My torch arrived yesterday, but we need to finish the cage for the propane. I just may try to find someone to fill a couple of tanks today, just so that we can fire it up and check it out. My Oxygen Concentrator arrived with two broken wheels, they are going to send new wheels, but I'm not sure when I'll get them.....in the meantime, I'll just put a block of wood under the one side.

Have fun with the boro..........I'm going to need to order a little soft in order to use up the frit and stuff I have, or trade it off for something else.

s38hyler
2009-02-28, 6:30pm
Steph,
I love your wall of glass and your set up, do you think I could send my hubby for lessions from you hubby on how to make me a set up like that. All I can say is wow, I am in the garage and it stays too cold out there in the winter to torch.

I love this thread I so wanted to work on some of these this weekend and it has been cold and raining here since friday and they are calling for snow tomorrow, and I am in the south I thought spring was here.

Sandra ( who is disappointed she isn't getting to try the new things she learned on this thread.)

steph1214
2009-02-28, 9:24pm
No you do not want to send your hubby for lessions< haha!!! but for lessons that would be no prob. (i could not resist)!! Good luck with the weather, that is the nice thing about my studio. where are you? probably in one of the big time glass states. Here in Ohio, there are not many of us it seems.
steph:waving:

eej713
2009-03-01, 5:34am
I'm in PA and it was cold again here yesterday........but that didn't stop me from setting up my torch finally. I'm still waiting for Pyronamix to send me new wheels for my Oxygen Concentrator (2 of the wheels broke in shipment), I'll call them again on Monday, but for now we leveled it with a piece of wood. I need to go buy some longer hoses for the propane and torch, but that might have to wait a few days. Think I'll check out Harbor Freight and see what their prices are before I pay the local prices.....I'll have to check their prices out also.

I'll have a bit of a learning curve with the Cricket after using a 9 jet torch at my instructor's studio. So far I like it, but it is a bit slower to melt than the bigger torch. I did sit down in the "cold" garage for about 3 hours to play, until my son remembered he had a propane heater in the other garage and I had gotten two tanks filled, so he sat that up and I managed to stay warm. I'm going to try to keep track of how many hours I can get out of the small propane tank, I dropped $43 filling two tanks (12.4 gal.), my instructor says it lasts forever.......but then she has about a 200-300 gal. (or is it lbs.) tank behind her studio.

My problem right now is figuring out how to program the Bluebird oven. My son did it last night and it was wrong, after 4 hours it still wasn't up to "garaging heat". I can't find out how to remove the program from the memory either. I used a fiber blanket for my little heart buttons (for my SIL), and the little pendants I did. I'm delighted with the little mushroom I tried, even if I did get it "catywampus", I'm going to try some more of them today. I'll add some photos of a few things, but they aren't very good. The camera battery needed replacement so they aren't as clear and sharp. I'll take some new photos later today.

158274 158275

steph1214
2009-03-01, 7:18am
I love your mushroom, i have never done that either, remember, i am soft glass girl. I am glad that you are able to keep warm. my propane lasts forever too, it is just the oxy that goes so quickly. but now that i am turning up the propane a little higher it will go a little bit faster. I do not even want to know how quickly the oxy goes. good luck with everything, they always say "oh it is so easy to program" the kilns but my brain does not like to think that way. ha !
steph

StellaBlue
2009-03-01, 1:53pm
Great stuff here for newbies - thanks! I've been using soft glass for the past year and a half. The proprieter of my local glass shop (troublemaker!) just made me a wonderful gift - sample packs of NS, GA, and Simax promo packs - about 40 different colors in 4-6" shorts. I've got a couple rods of clear (and will get more soon), appropriate eye protection also on the way. I have a minor and tanked O2, so I should be able to do small stuff ok.

I do not currently have a kiln (will be getting one in a couple of months), and batch anneal all my soft glass at my local shop. I cool in vermiculite, then take everything down to be annealed every week or two.

Can I batch anneal small boro beads in the same manner, or do I need to wait until the arrival of the kiln before I can play?

Yours in clueless newbiehood,

Kare TX
2009-03-01, 2:17pm
yes you can batch anneal. Still need to cool in vermiculite. Boro is more tolerant of temp change but can still react and some colors more than others. Do not try to encase green since it is more likely to crack, also no matter what I do GA Bibitibobiti blue cracks on me.
Have fun

StellaBlue
2009-03-01, 2:45pm
Coool! Thanks so much! I've tried some of the "boro-style" stuff - Brent's hearts, on-and-off mandrel implosions, some little mushroom-things - in soft glass, and I'm really looking forward to trying them in boro.

Appreciate hearing from you.

StellaBlue
2009-03-01, 5:14pm
Here's the colors I got, all 4-6" shorts. Is there anything here I should stay away from at first, either because it is hella temperamental or because it has been out of production forever and no one wants to see me lay waste to it on a newbie practice bead? Or conversely, stuff that is so easy and fun that I will be forever drawn to the dark side?

Simax clear shaped (2 triangles, 2 squares) – what are these for? Are they to be used as twisty bases? Or some other purpose into which I am not yet initiated?

PC14 dark amethyst (2)
PC16 Green Tea (2)
PC12 Silver Creek
PC40 tan silver creek
PC 66 obtainium
PC10 unobtainium

(GA color labels all have working suggestions – i.e.; flamestrike, do not overkiln, etc…)
GA 386 Purple Luster (2)
GA 138 Ruby Strike 4
GA 444 Clover
GA 446 Aqua Azul
GA 987 Amazon Night (2)
GA 301 Acid Yellow Crayon
GA 204 Orange Crayon
GA864 Sienna
GA132 Jasper Red
GA 974 Black (Violet)

NS 63 Canary
NS 78 Mystery Aventurine
NS 72 Millennium Moss
NS 53 Forest Green
NS 01 Cobalt Blue
NS 81 Blue Caramel
NS 75 Onyx
NS 45 Blue Moon
NS 41 Butterscotch
NS 82 Ruby K
NS 65 Cherry
NS 26 Double Amber Purple
NS 04 Dark Multi
NS 14 Irrid
NS 70 Ice Blue
NS 27 Green exotic
NS 80 Hyacinth
NS 83 Skyline
NS 79 Blue Spruce
NS 54 Star white

eej713
2009-03-02, 6:52am
Rita, Lucky you, to get such a neat sample package. A neat way to try out a lot of colors.

I bought an Oxygen Concentrator for about $400 and a new Cricket torch $200 (with small top marver, shipping, etc.) and that takes care of my oxygen. I've been on the torch the last two days playing around. That's why it took me so long to get a setup in place, I had to wait to afford these last two items. I had no desire to run around with tanks of oxygen in my car. I'm trying to keep track of the number of hours I get out of this tank of Propane so that I have an idea how much to budget for Propane.

I got the Bluebird programmed yesterday and it seems to have worked great. I'll make a few changes to the program as recommended by Paul Ewing and I should be good to play. I'm going to try to get out my Photo Cube and see if I can get some better photos of the mushroom pendant, I made another one that I like and one that turned out a bit wonky.

Okay, got to get off the computer and get three birthday cards made that have to go in the mail today........two of them will more than likely get there the day after their birthday, but I forgot to make and mail them last week. We are suppose to get a snow storm today (up to 12", but I'm not sure that's in my area), so I have to get to the post office before it starts in earnest.

s38hyler
2009-03-02, 9:21pm
Hi Steph, Looks like I did mis spell LOL. I am in Western NC not much glass here. Or at least there not much that I know of, I know there are people around that do lampwork but there aren't that many that I know of.
take care,
Sandra

theglasszone
2009-03-02, 11:40pm
Required BUMP to get it back up there!!! This is a cool thread!!!

De

jojo101
2009-03-05, 11:46am
rita ns14 irrid is awesome, its one of my all time favorites. its really easy to use. but if u blast it with oxy while u work it , like really relly really overkill it with oxy, and hten strike it with an oxy flame, u get really awesome silvery effects.

StellaBlue
2009-03-06, 5:28am
rita ns14 irrid is awesome, its one of my all time favorites. its really easy to use. but if u blast it with oxy while u work it , like really relly really overkill it with oxy, and hten strike it with an oxy flame, u get really awesome silvery effects.

Awesome - thanks! Are there any other colors you particularly like to use it with?

eej713
2009-03-06, 10:22am
Uggh!!!!! I've been trying to make an Imploded flower every day, for the one I got (almost) right, I have 3 that end up off-center on the rod and the petals don't meet in the center. I've tried standing up, keeping it at a 45 degree angle, and am just not getting it right. Maybe I'm holding it in the wrong part of the flame? Maybe I'm not putting the lines close enough to the center? It's almost like the thick rod itself is acting as a heat sink and keeping the rim from heating up enough to pull in. It's taking me 45-60 min. and then I turn it into a fan pull or pendant............I shall keep trying, one of these days I'll do it right at least two times in a row and then it should start getting easier..........I hope.

I have an order into Wales for some 12mm clear rod, I'm almost out of the rods I got at the estate sale, all my other rods are 7mm. I told them to wait until the rest of my Asian glass gets in to ship it, no sense in paying the shipping twice.

Today I practiced pulling twisties, using a transparent over a solid color and did some fairly decent ones, although not as long as the experts. I'm happy when they don't pull out "thick & thin". I'll do a lot more of that, especially once I figure out the implosions.

I'm hoping my electric bill won't shoot through the ceiling for this month, since I'm turning on the oven for 8 hours or so a day. I bought the Bluebird XL (bead doors) and they said it was energy efficient......sure hope so.

I need to learn how to take decent photos of my glass. I don't know how you all do it and come out with such clear photos.

Lynn in PA

eej713
2009-03-06, 10:32am
Where do you go to sell or trade some glass? I have a bunch of soft frit and Millefiori and I only use the boro. I really don't have any idea of the value, and it's been 3 months or more since someone told me they were interested and I've lost her name. I'd like to trade it for Boro frit or tools.

Lynn in PA

steph1214
2009-03-06, 11:05am
Hey Lynn,
I am hoping that you will get it soon, they make it look sooooo easy on the videos, ugh is right!!! Don't worry, you will not be alone for long, i will be heading down to try and something tells me even though i have been on a torch for two years, i still have no off mandrel experience and i feel completely intimidated by it. i am still waiting for my 15mm rod to come but i got my vin pin and peters tweezers in the mail today!!! I have not been this excited over a glass tool in a long time, that vin pin is soooo cool.
steph

eej713
2009-03-07, 2:02pm
Well Steph, I have little to no experience on mandrels. I've learned mostly off mandrel and I'm more comfortable doing that. I'll tackle beads one of these days. I don't have a clue as to what I'm going to do with all this glass I'm making. My friends are sure getting happy with all the things I'm giving them. I have the Peters Tweezers, but don't think I'll be ordering the Vin Pin real soon. I'm waiting for a set of marble molds I ordered on eBay on the 14th, and still haven't gotten. They cost me about what the Vin Pin costs......I am not happy!

Kare TX
2009-03-07, 5:33pm
eej713- you can try selling some in the "garage sale" area.

Steph - off mandrel with boro is totaly diff than soft. Try a leaf first, supper easy. I can't work off mandrel with soft but prefer it with boro.

Also you don't need to spend the money on a Vin-Pin right away. Go to hobby lobby etc and get a metal "floral frog." You can find them on line in different sizes. it will work until you want to spend on a vin-pin.
http://www.stonelantern.com/Kenzans_s/50.htm

jojo101
2009-03-08, 5:57pm
Awesome - thanks! Are there any other colors you particularly like to use it with?

hey stella, i really like backing it with ga peacock, black, or any kind of white.
if u wanna do an easy quick pendant, make a clear maria off some 10-16 mil rod of clear, and then while u still have that base heat (right after u mash it) flash it in the flame and then mash it again on some ns-14 irrid frit. then u can just heat the shoulder until it melts the frit in. sometimes i back it with clear, then back it with either peacock (favorite), black, or white.
for white i really like bright white from borostix.
i like adding the clear lens at the back cus it makes the imploded frit hang above the backing. just keep a nice oxy flame on it.
i also like backing pendants with irrid.

jojo101
2009-03-08, 6:04pm
oh yea and glasstronics green is great, i use it inside out and deeply encased, no checking. i have imploded it really deeply and bench cooled it without any problems, and also have garaged it for long periods of time without a problem.

steph1214
2009-03-08, 8:18pm
Thanks JoJo
i already have the vin pin on my counter, ha!! i ordered it because smiley said that if you are not quick you will melt down to the lead in the base of the frog and sometimes pick up the pins inside the glass so i just ordered it. oh well, thanks for trying to help!!!
steph

Kare TX
2009-03-09, 10:09am
My frogs are brass...I guess you would have to be really slow to melt it. I know they make them out of a base metal combo I suspect that that might cause issues. I've never had any residue. Just incase there are some folks who are having to watch pennies. The vin pin is realy cool though:)

Drumfr
2009-06-17, 3:39pm
*Bump*

I'm a newbie here and found this thread really helpful. I know it's old but I was wondering if anyone has anything new to add to it? thanks guys :)

sbordocj
2009-10-17, 12:06pm
I'm new to boro and happened upon this wonderful thread! So it hasn't been added to for awhile but there's enough here to keep me busy for a few days...!!! But would also love to see more! more! more!

wondersgalore
2009-10-19, 4:52pm
I know this is an old thread, but I just found it and wanted to say thanks for the great tutorials! Before finding this I was thinking of ways to make a butterfly... the tutorial's approach was completely different than what I came up with. I tried my way and am excited to now go and try that tutorial along with some of the others!

Bunyip
2009-11-09, 7:18pm
I know the board search engine is tough to use so I bumped this :) This should be a sticky!

effemess
2009-11-28, 6:54am
This is a brilliant thread - perfect for a noob newbie like me :)

AcidFly
2010-02-04, 5:46pm
We need some thing new to play with :)
Anyone got any new info/tut to share ?

And a big thx for everything here so far :) love this thread :)

Thanks
AcidFly

Kare TX
2010-02-04, 11:14pm
I've been playing with a lot of soft lately and the boro I've done has been sculpture so not sure I have much new. Maybe someone else has something they would like to share???:grin:

madpup
2010-02-05, 2:16am
what a super thread, you could almost turn this into a book (boro for newbies)
thanks to all for sharing, please keep it going.

brayjr4484
2010-02-05, 5:56pm
Yes I agree! So Glad to see some stuff for a newbie :) Keep em comin!

Cathie
2010-02-06, 8:05am
I can't wait to try these, The book idea rocks!!!

Nitadee
2010-02-10, 5:46pm
I'd love to see this as a "Sticky" so it doesn't go away
BUMPITY BUMP BUMP
:D
Nita

brayjr4484
2010-02-22, 2:00pm
bump

fattirebiker
2010-03-06, 6:52am
These tuts are a great help. I am just getting into boro and these def help. Thanks everyone for their contribution.

Craig

davelovins
2010-03-06, 10:55am
Wow, what a great thread. I have just gotten back into glass and boro was my background. There are so many cool things to try in here. I can't wait to get in front of the torch. I think it would be cool to see anything anyone has made from these tutorials. I'm going to try some this week.

Kare TX
2010-03-06, 7:05pm
Here is the link to the newbie thread where pictures were being shown.
http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71431

Donna T.
2010-03-18, 6:09pm
Bumping again as I've just ordered some boro and trying to learn a few things before trying it out for the first time. Great info here would love to see more idea please.

britnismom
2010-03-30, 5:44pm
Any more favorite frit and rod combinations out there??? (LOVE this thread!!!)

Kare TX
2010-03-30, 6:31pm
I like NS green exotic frit with GA Tequila sunrise and/or Momka Exotic Citrus Grapefruit. The leaf is one of the GA Tequila mixers and NS Aurora Frit. Of course clear frit over any amber purple.
There is a "recipe" thread here some place. I'll bump it if I find it.

There are some cool frits from Venerable bead and Dragonfly Glass looks like they have some nice boro frits but I haven't tried any yet.

Nitadee
2010-04-29, 4:42pm
Bump :D

brayjr4484
2010-06-27, 5:55pm
Bump ;)

BeadBlossoms
2010-06-30, 8:10am
Whoa! Seriously gorgeous! I'm just starting and have just ordered this combo to try. Thanks so much for sharing - this thread is great!


I like NS green exotic frit with GA Tequila sunrise and/or Momka Exotic Citrus Grapefruit. The leaf is one of the GA Tequila mixers and NS Aurora Frit. Of course clear frit over any amber purple.
There is a "recipe" thread here some place. I'll bump it if I find it.

There are some cool frits from Venerable bead and Dragonfly Glass looks like they have some nice boro frits but I haven't tried any yet.

LampworkbyLori
2010-08-10, 10:55am
bump

Bakerman44
2010-08-31, 10:27pm
I was going through my bookmarks today, visiting sites I hadn't been to in a while and came across this link. I'm sure newbie boro people who haven't seen it will find it useful.

http://frittsartglass.com/marbles/articles/Borosilicate.PDF

Hope it is ok to post that here.
:wave:
~~Mary

Is there anything like this for Northstar? I've preferred them to GA thus far in my 7-8 months of boro experience.

Chemwapuwa
2010-09-06, 9:02am
WOW what a great thread, thanks

Seasoned Soul
2010-09-14, 9:39pm
This thread makes me wanna cross over and I haven't even been on the 104 side very long. :cool:

Kare TX
2010-09-17, 9:28pm
Bakerman44, Have you checked out the "Working our color" link on the northstar site? http://www.northstarglass.com/
That will get you some of what you are looking for.

indyglassman
2010-09-18, 5:48am
Bakerman44 -- Also, Milton Townsend has a couple of DVD's in the "Focus on Flamework" series.

Focus on Flamework
An Introduction to Using Borocolour® is a good intro. There is also one on Frit and Powder use.

ironmountainglass
2010-09-21, 6:34am
Bump

Lizabeads
2010-10-02, 1:22pm
Bump

SilverRiverJewelry
2010-10-06, 6:37pm
Okay I keep hearing that clear is used a lot. Can someone explain this please? I don't want to sound like an idiot but is the clear used as a base because the colors are intense, or as an encasing? Or both? Or am I reading things wrong?

ginkgoglass
2010-10-07, 8:30am
Yes, used as a base it saves money because it is much cheaper than the color you coat it with.
Also many times it allows the colors to be their best with some light shining through.
Clear used on top of the striking colors in frit, encasement or swirled around in it makes some interesting color changes and variations.
As Tom mentioned some people even mix the more intense colors like Double Amber Purple for example with clear to thin it out.

Here's a couple of examples of the changes you can get with clear:

This one is solid Loki's Lipstick:
207735

This one is a light coat of Loki's over clear:
177610

SilverRiverJewelry
2010-10-07, 8:57am
Wow that is seriously cool lol. I am looking forward to giving this a try.

shawnette
2010-11-02, 9:34pm
bump

mandoziller
2011-01-03, 5:02pm
Bump thx

SilverRiverJewelry
2011-01-03, 5:29pm
5. For the Purple Thunder, you will need to strike this color. After you have encased and rounded up your bead, remove the bead from the flame until the glow has entirely disappeared. You can hold it in the shadows under your table to see that the glow is gone. Then reintroduce the bead into the outer third of your flame and rotate slowly, watching to see the color come up. It should strike very quickly, so as soon as you see it start to blush purple you want to remove it from the flame. Make several of these and strike them for different lengths of time to see what you get. I generally strike my beads in the flame rather than in the kiln. Some colors such as pinks may need some kiln striking.*

I have a question on this. You strike this AFTER you encase it in clear? I didn't know that would work, I always thought you had to strike it first then encase. But I have only done soft glass until now.

hannahbeads
2011-04-12, 4:09pm
bump

nate-d
2011-04-30, 7:35pm
bump

Lizzydee
2011-04-30, 8:06pm
What an awesome thread..thank you everyone!

nate-d
2011-05-03, 9:25am
I'm a total newbie and tried making all the different hearts here with not too much success. So I borrowed a little from all of them. I made a cone from a gather of persimmon strike and an unknown similar color mixed together. Smashed the cone flat like the mandrell heart bead, the used scissors to cut and shape similar to Mr. Smiley's technique, and even managed a twisted bail. Anyway hear are the pics.

236932

DawnT
2011-05-03, 11:29am
Cool! Good job nate-d!

PaPiGlass
2011-06-06, 3:25am
I just want to thank you everyone for this incredibly useful thread.
I learned a lot.

RicoX9
2011-06-07, 2:00pm
Yes. This is great. I have a boro sampler that I've been wanting to try. I think it's time.

nate-d
2011-08-13, 9:25am
bump

Flame Ryder
2011-08-24, 6:24pm
I made the change from soft glass to Boro a few months ago and I have found this thread to be a great source of ideas and inspiration.

I am just getting the hang of tubing and expect to post some pictures in a few days, after more PPP.

Bunyip
2011-08-26, 7:35am
Check these tutorials out:

http://openlabglass.com/?page_id=22

maddog1050
2011-09-20, 4:13pm
I'm glad I found this thread. After 16 years melting soft glass I needed a change to re-energize creativity so I recently bought a lot of boro rods and frit. I took a wonderful boro workshop many years ago with Bandhu Dunham and it was a lot of fun. But at the time I didn't think I'd actually cross over to boro and (shame on me!) I didn't pay a lot of attention to detail or ask pertinent questions. So - no surprise - I knew the working properties are much different and sometimes frustrating for a soft glass person. This thread has been very helpful. I feel like a newbie all over again but I know practice and patience will eventually pay off.

untamedrose
2011-09-20, 8:00pm
Check these tutorials out:

http://openlabglass.com/?page_id=22

I "know" that artist Berts driptips rock :D

untamedrose
2011-09-20, 8:04pm
I'm glad I found this thread. After 16 years melting soft glass I needed a change to re-energize creativity so I recently bought a lot of boro rods and frit. I took a wonderful boro workshop many years ago with Bandhu Dunham and it was a lot of fun. But at the time I didn't think I'd actually cross over to boro and (shame on me!) I didn't pay a lot of attention to detail or ask pertinent questions. So - no surprise - I knew the working properties are much different and sometimes frustrating for a soft glass person. This thread has been very helpful. I feel like a newbie all over again but I know practice and patience will eventually pay off.


Being a newbie that jump straight into Boro...curious whats different exactly?

LarryC
2011-09-21, 12:47pm
Being a newbie that jump straight into Boro...curious whats different exactly?

Actually it would be easier to ask the converse.....What are the similarities?
I had been working soft soda lime glass for almost 6 years when I jumped into torching boro.

maddog1050
2011-09-23, 10:53am
Boro is so much stiffer than soft--longer time to melt enough to wind onto the mandrel, much more effort and heat needed to shape. I've burned through more than a couple mandrels.

And there seems to be a number of different annealing schedules depending upon striking and non-striking colors, cased and non-cased colors. With soft glass I have a one size fits all annealing schedule that seems to have successfully and consistently worked for me.

With most soft glass I've found the colors to be wysiwyg, but boro can come out of the kiln with some surprising results.

So far those are the biggest challenges I've found. But I'm not giving up! I'm guessing that going from years of boro to soft would be just as challenging.

pierces*designs
2012-01-29, 7:29am
Bumping this up for the new newbs. LOL

chevygirl70
2012-02-25, 2:53pm
I just took my first boro class the other night (Sonoran Glass Art Academy in Tucson, AZ) and now I'm addicted!!!!! - so glad I found this awesome thread! Great material and so useful for practicing boro techniques that I just learned.

THANK YOU TO ALL THE ARTISTS THAT POSTED TUTS ON HERE!

Eileen
2012-03-10, 11:06am
I've got my gifted glass, just received my clip ons to add to my didy's, and am waiting to receive a tutorial on working boro on an oxycon set up. This thread will be a welcome addition to my arsenal as I try boro for the 1st time, thank you all!

deb tarry
2012-03-10, 2:07pm
Go Eileen!

Baywinger
2012-03-10, 4:36pm
Enjoy Eileen boro is lots of fun

ASamples33
2012-04-10, 6:24pm
Keep the info coming some of us are learning a lot! Thanks

dehoffa
2012-04-10, 7:36pm
I'm glad I found this thread. I'm just beginning to use Boro and now have a 2nd kiln so I can have different annealing schedules. ABR had a rockin sale of their demo and/or class kilns.

Roo Blaty
2012-04-13, 10:01am
Hey, I'm so glad this got bumped so I would see it!!

Hi Ann, in Houston! I'm new to Boro, too! AND in DFW area =D

Roo Blaty
2012-04-13, 10:09am
Yes, used as a base it saves money because it is much cheaper than the color you coat it with.
Also many times it allows the colors to be their best with some light shining through.
Clear used on top of the striking colors in frit, encasement or swirled around in it makes some interesting color changes and variations.
As Tom mentioned some people even mix the more intense colors like Double Amber Purple for example with clear to thin it out.

Here's a couple of examples of the changes you can get with clear:

This one is solid Loki's Lipstick:
207735

This one is a light coat of Loki's over clear:
177610

Holy Freeeeking Cow!! :jawdrop:

What a difference! Also, adding Loki's Lipstick to ever lengthening list of must have's! (and at some point I suppose I will need to actually start ordering glass! it's just so hard to whittle down the list! :lol: )

dehoffa
2012-04-13, 10:18am
Great! I'll be in Dallas the first week of May, with my day job.

Hey, I'm so glad this got bumped so I would see it!!

Hi Ann, in Houston! I'm new to Boro, too! AND in DFW area =D

angelique_redhead
2012-04-13, 12:34pm
Contact me. I'm in the DFW area as well if you want to get together. :love: Angelique

Great! I'll be in Dallas the first week of May, with my day job.

adcurti
2012-04-18, 6:19pm
Question from a newbie-is there a better mandrel material for boro than steel? Winding a bead on steel takes forever because of the way you have to heat it, and I'm just not getting the nice shape I want.

deb tarry
2012-04-19, 8:09am
I haven't made allot of beads on the mandrel for the same reason you are talking about. But with that being said I have had better success in using larger diameter that can take the heat more. Boro does not flow as quickly as soft glass but it does flow. If I can give you a tip it would be work at get your base layer perfect as it is hard to get a nice shape if you base is off. In soft glass having the base off didn't seem like such a big deal cause you would just get it hot and it would move in to position, but with boro it seems like you have to get it so hot to move like this that the mandrel want to melt to. Start another thread and post some pics of what you are doing then more people can chime in and help.

adcurti
2012-04-19, 11:15am
I haven't made allot of beads on the mandrel for the same reason you are talking about. But with that being said I have had better success in using larger diameter that can take the heat more. Boro does not flow as quickly as soft glass but it does flow. If I can give you a tip it would be work at get your base layer perfect as it is hard to get a nice shape if you base is off. In soft glass having the base off didn't seem like such a big deal cause you would just get it hot and it would move in to position, but with boro it seems like you have to get it so hot to move like this that the mandrel want to melt to. Start another thread and post some pics of what you are doing then more people can chime in and help.

Will do! Hoping to hit the shop tomorrow night for some serious work, so I'll start up a thread with pics then. My Ipad can take youtube video. Not the best quality ever, but would it help if people can watch how I'm handling it?

deb tarry
2012-04-19, 5:29pm
Most of us can see just by the finale piece in a still photo, but I would never pass on a video of someone melting glass. Also if you don't shoot through a filter all we would see is a bright yellow flame. :) Good luck and remember to have fun.

caliglassguy
2012-05-14, 7:46pm
Question from a newbie-is there a better mandrel material for boro than steel? Winding a bead on steel takes forever because of the way you have to heat it, and I'm just not getting the nice shape I want.

Theres a web site that sells almost indestructable mandrels and a thread about same here ....just type "almost indestructable mandrels" in search engine....mind you I have not used them yet myself but do plan to ....heres a link to the site http://www.auralens.net/bs_mandrels.cfm
__________________
and a link to thread on here http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2487409

hope this helps :-)

P.S. I've melted several regular mandrels trying boro and also had same issue because boro does not flow like soft glass so they say try to put it where you want it right away so you dont have to try to get it totally melted and make it flow.

caliglassguy
2012-05-14, 7:50pm
Will do! Hoping to hit the shop tomorrow night for some serious work, so I'll start up a thread with pics then. My Ipad can take youtube video. Not the best quality ever, but would it help if people can watch how I'm handling it?

sorry last link doesnt work just go here for almost indestructable mandrels http://www.auralens.net/

MagpieGlass
2012-05-15, 6:32am
sorry last link doesnt work just go here for almost indestructable mandrels http://www.auralens.net/

Wow, just checked these out and bookmarked it. Next time I have some money ... I'm game to try.

Just got the mini mandrel pack from Arrow and let me tell you. The less than 1/16" are really bendy. I'm gonna cut them in half and put them in a pin vise to use to reduce the warpage (I hope).

Hadn't planned to use them with boro ... not I might be able to try little beads in boro. Whooot! Thanks for posting the link.

caliglassguy
2012-05-15, 7:14pm
Wow, just checked these out and bookmarked it. Next time I have some money ... I'm game to try.

Just got the mini mandrel pack from Arrow and let me tell you. The less than 1/16" are really bendy. I'm gonna cut them in half and put them in a pin vise to use to reduce the warpage (I hope).

Hadn't planned to use them with boro ... not I might be able to try little beads in boro. Whooot! Thanks for posting the link.

:wave: No problem Magpie ....you have some very nice glass pendants on your etsy page by the way :-)

I will likely order some of the almost indestructable mandrels next week when I get paid again.

MagpieGlass
2012-05-15, 9:49pm
:wave: No problem Magpie ....you have some very nice glass pendants on your etsy page by the way :-)

I will likely order some of the almost indestructable mandrels next week when I get paid again.

Awe. Thanks for the compliments. They are coming along. Still working out what colors come out the best.

alb6094
2012-05-21, 7:50am
How did I miss this? Awesome info! Ansley told me about it when I bought some of her boro stuff. Today's a boro play day for me! :D

MagpieGlass
2012-05-22, 5:52am
I ordered the manrels too. They came yesterday ... quick shipping. Not sure I'll try them today ... but soon ... very soon!

glassy_lassy
2012-09-04, 11:45pm
This thread is just what I needed. Thank you everyone who contributed :)

Troyd
2012-09-22, 2:36pm
Can't wait to make some of this stuff! Thanks guys/gals!

caliglassguy
2013-01-01, 3:25pm
Not sure how to bump a thread so I though maybe just posting to it would bump it. For all the boro newbies there are some great free tutorials here :)

MagpieGlass
2013-01-01, 7:18pm
Not sure how to bump a thread so I though maybe just posting to it would bump it. For all the boro newbies there are some great free tutorials here :)

yup ... just add a post ... you'll see some that just say

---bump---

mightymike
2013-04-04, 10:16am
bump

Trapped In Glass
2013-04-24, 12:28pm
Thank everyone. Ive been over at a different forum for a while and miss all the great vibes here.
Darrin

angelique_redhead
2013-04-25, 3:49pm
Welcome back! :love: Angelique

Thank everyone. Ive been over at a different forum for a while and miss all the great vibes here.
Darrin

Nohline
2013-06-21, 12:41pm
Just found this thread and am going to bump it. Never tried boro, don't think it will work with my torch. More research needed ......

angelique_redhead
2013-06-21, 6:52pm
It will work with most torches even a hot head. NLC Beads proved that one. However, it will TAKE FOREVER on a hot head. I've made beads and pieces on a minor. :love: Angelique

Just found this thread and am going to bump it. Never tried boro, don't think it will work with my torch. More research needed ......

pierces*designs
2013-06-22, 5:19am
Just found this thread and am going to bump it. Never tried boro, don't think it will work with my torch. More research needed ......

What kind of torch?

Nohline
2013-06-23, 3:39pm
Nortel Mega Minor; 15 LPM OxyContin, natural gas.

I did type oxycon but this damn auto correct! :)

geoplasmik
2013-07-14, 3:12am
Hello all!
First post! I will hopefully be able to get some pics of my poor attempts at these tutorials very soon. Thanks to all who shared in this thread!

Raimond
2013-07-14, 1:38pm
Welcome to LE...

Don't even be concerned about the first few attempts, concentrate on getting the glass hot but not boiling. Learn to get the glass even on the mandrel, spinning the mandrel throughout...
What torch/glass are you starting with?



Hello all!
First post! I will hopefully be able to get some pics of my poor attempts at these tutorials very soon. Thanks to all who shared in this thread!

Crazy Woman
2013-07-20, 7:23am
Hint for making boro beads on mandrel ~ get the tip of the rod really hot before touching down, heat only the glass and not the mandrel. Mandrels tend to burn right thru ~ ask me how I know. Turn the mandrel slower than you do with soft glass ~ it needs time for the heat to sink in. You will get nice even dimpled beads.

Dragonharper
2013-07-21, 4:01pm
Unlike soda lime glass boro likes to be screaming hot, think yellow going on white (clear glass, color incandesses so much it's hard to tell how hot it is).

dehoffa
2013-07-31, 2:16pm
Hint for making boro beads on mandrel ~ get the tip of the rod really hot before touching down, heat only the glass and not the mandrel. Mandrels tend to burn right thru ~ ask me how I know. Turn the mandrel slower than you do with soft glass ~ it needs time for the heat to sink in. You will get nice even dimpled beads.

Great tip!

Willyp
2013-10-23, 6:13pm
any tips for making basic simple murrine? contemporary lampworking has a little pic demo of an eye cane but im having trouble shaping and really understanding what it is I'm doing.. although i managed to make a simple bullseye millie cane the other day, i would love to be able to build something that isnt a bullseye haha. searched around on youtube and a lampwork forum but couldnt find much. any help is greatly appreciated!!!

mightymike
2013-10-24, 12:09pm
here you go i went to search function typed in making murrine cane. the first one was your question the second one I saw this link that has lot of tuts.

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=247687&highlight=making+murrine+cane

the second link in #12 is this one that has great pictures on the whole process. but there are many more great links so if you read thru that thread and all the link in it you should know all you need about murrie.

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63699

good luck !!

Willyp
2013-10-25, 6:06pm
thank you!!!! this is great!

LadyGlass108
2013-11-21, 12:40pm
Hi -- I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I'm a noobie on this site and am a self-taught boro pendants and beads artist for just over one year. I work a Carlisle Mini CC with oxy/propane. My daughter has been on a torch for about three years and just got a new Red Rocket to replace an old used Major-Minor. We both have multiple refurbished medical concentrators for our oxy. She works medium sized art/functional pieces and we are experiencing what appears to be stretch marks on the outside of her tube work and can't figure out what is causing it, or how to fix it. Suggestions/help please!?!

Also -- thanks everyone for the tutes... I'm working my way through them and can't wait to get on the torch tonight -- very inspiring!!

istandalone24/7
2013-11-21, 1:06pm
my guess is devit, from not having the glass hot enough when you manipulate it.

how many oxycons do you have running the red rocket? those torches can hog some major oxygen. do you have a holding tank set up?

LadyGlass108
2013-11-21, 1:09pm
Thank you... She's got 9 or maybe 10 (I can't remember), and we are trying to figure out how to get the actual psi of the oxi coming out of the main hose to her torch. But, the set-up "seems" to be pushing plenty of oxy. Have not heard of setting up a holding tank -- how does that work?

Eileen
2014-01-12, 10:46pm
I'm really enjoying reading this, have more pages to go, but it's time for some sleep!

jhamilton117
2014-01-13, 11:38am
Thank you... She's got 9 or maybe 10 (I can't remember), and we are trying to figure out how to get the actual psi of the oxi coming out of the main hose to her torch. But, the set-up "seems" to be pushing plenty of oxy. Have not heard of setting up a holding tank -- how does that work?

A holding tank is just a compressed air cylinder. You feed the oxycons to it and then run you torch hose to that. After your run it for a bit it pushes all the air out of the tank and replaces it with o2, allowing your torch to run off that rather then the seive beds eliminates breathing from the machines and hives you more o2 to run for a bigger hotter flame until you deplete the tank. You don't stop working when the tank empties, just turn your oxy and flame down and let if refill while you continue to torch!