Router frit crusher directions?

clover1978 · #1 2013-02-25, 9:16am

I was wondering if anyone might be able to point me in the right direction on how to make a frit crusher attachment for my router.

Many thanks

CheriB · #2 2013-02-25, 6:04pm

I don't know how, but sure would like to know! There will be many of us waiting for these instructions.
Cheryl

Dr Bill · #3 2013-02-25, 7:40pm

bye

clover1978 · #4 2013-02-25, 8:31pm

Lol guess I'm not the only one then. I've seen the Divardi one as well but seeing as how I already have the router I'd like to know how to make an attachment for it. The design seems pretty straight forward I just wouldn't know where to start

Bit size or pipe sizes.

Dreamsincolor · #5 2013-02-25, 9:50pm

I asked my DH about using a router to make frit and he came up with something he thought would be safer for me to use. He mounted a garbage disposal in the top of a new, clean 5 gallon bucket. It sits in a deep sink and I run water into it while I feed it glass. There is NO dust produced and the water makes it slightly quieter to use. You can swirl a magnet through the frit to see if there is any debris. The nice thing is that you get pretty uniform size frit and a little powder. I give it a little while to settle before I pour off the water. Just spread it in a tray to dry. You can use sifters if you like to size it when it dries. When you are done you just run a bit of water through to have it clean for the next color. The unit has been in use for over 5 years now and does as good a job as when he first put it together.

Andrea

Mr.Smeeth · #6 2013-02-25, 10:08pm

Coffee grinder is the bomb

houptdavid · #7 2013-02-25, 11:10pm

The "frit maker" is no more than a harbor freight laminate trimmer (router) with a piece of steel pipe welded to a piece of steel flat stock that is drilled to fit the bottom plate and a few odd pvc pipe pieces, screens and hose clamps. I don't know what "bit" they are using, but they do sell a replacement on their site. I bet you could fashion one for a lot less than $165

Frit Diva · #8 2013-02-25, 11:35pm

The idea of a "frit shooter" scares me to death! I also use a garbage disposal to make frit and it works very very well.

Jo

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dreamsincolor

I asked my DH about using a router to make frit and he came up with something he thought would be safer for me to use. He mounted a garbage disposal in the top of a new, clean 5 gallon bucket. It sits in a deep sink and I run water into it while I feed it glass. There is NO dust produced and the water makes it slightly quieter to use. You can swirl a magnet through the frit to see if there is any debris. The nice thing is that you get pretty uniform size frit and a little powder. I give it a little while to settle before I pour off the water. Just spread it in a tray to dry. You can use sifters if you like to size it when it dries. When you are done you just run a bit of water through to have it clean for the next color. The unit has been in use for over 5 years now and does as good a job as when he first put it together.

Andrea

shawnette · #9 2013-02-26, 1:01am

I have a garbage disposal in a bucket set up, as well. Got the disposal on Craigslist for $10 so the whole thing cost less than $15. (Already had the bucket. Bought a piece of wood to mount the disposal on.)

Dr Bill · #10 2013-02-26, 5:59am

bye

clover1978 · #11 2013-02-26, 7:52am

Wow, never thought to use a garbage disposal. And I just took out my old one and threw it away argh! lol.
I'd love to see some pictures of how it is put together. I also really like the idea that water is used with it so there is no dust. Which is always a concern.
Lots of great suggestions

Hardalee · #12 2013-02-26, 8:25am

Hey Dreamsincolor, FritDiva, Shawnette -

How about pictures????????

Would really like to see the setup.

Thanx, Hardalee

rosemarie23 · #13 2013-02-26, 8:34am

This is such a great idea!

Do you still shock the glass by heating it an rapidly cooling it when using the garbage disposal setup?

Dreamsincolor · #14 2013-02-26, 8:44pm

I preheat the glass chunks, rods etc. in the kiln first and then drop them in a big stockpot (stainless steel) full of ice cold water. Sorry I forgot to add that bit. I've heated Reichanbach and Zimmerman rods in the kiln and they can take a while to finish crackling, but when they are cooled some pieces break up into chunks small enough to be size 2-3 frit. I don't recommend using a coffee grinder to make frit. Besides the ear splitting noise they can contaminate the frit with a LOT of metal debris that is powdery and a total pain to try to get separated out with a magnet. I will try to get some pictures tomorrow to upload.

Andrea

GlassAlias · #15 2013-02-26, 10:09pm

Do the garbage disposals produce a common size frit or does it vary to the point of HAVING to sift the end product into many piles? Im just trying to get a feel for how tedious it might be sorting out sizes of frit afterwards. Also have any one you tried reintroducing the frit you made back into the disposal to make smaller frit? If so does this work well? Im more interested in small/fine frits and powders so the smaller the better for me. Any info will be helpful before I set up mine.

Dreamsincolor · #16 2013-02-27, 5:21am

The garbage disposable method produces mostly a size 1 or 2 frit depending on what glass maker you judge it by. It would be more like a size 1 Reichenbach or size 2 Gaffer whose sizes run a little smaller. It's probably 85 or 95 % one size with the occasional size 3 bit and some powder. There isn't a difference whether it's a transparent color or opaque. This setup is what I have because I process a bunch of each color I do. You might get to use a coffee grinder for tiny amounts, but it gives much less uniform size with quite a bit of powder and the blades wear down VERY quickly. If you only want tiny amounts a better method is to make the frit at the torch by heating a blob, flattening it with a masher and plunging it in your water bucket. Much less mess.

Andrea

GlassAlias · #17 2013-02-27, 6:18am

Ok. thank you. I guess since I have one laying around either way its not a bad thing to set up. I can just turn all my shorts into frit.

hyperT · #18 2013-02-27, 7:16am

Video download on making your own frits
https://vimeo.com/60524320

istandalone24/7 · #19 2013-02-27, 2:11pm

i use the visa/mastercard/paypal frit maker.

a bit more expensive, but then i'm not the one breathing the dust and fishing for metal filings.

GlassAlias · #20 2013-02-27, 10:01pm

I have the 4.5 kids and a wife Visa/Mastercard/Paypal Blocker on my pc......wont let me buy too much.

castaway · #21 2013-02-27, 11:07pm

If you want a no dust method uniform size frit then heat up a gather, flatten it, soften it up in the flame again but not so as you loose the paddle, then quench it in water, you get nice clean frit, no dust no noise, no metal and the size is dependant on how thin the paddle was.
B

clover1978 · #22 2013-02-28, 9:19am

Fabulous bit of options coming in. I'm intrigued by the garbage disposal idea as well as shocking hot glass in cold water. Both of which cut down drastically on dust, if not completely.
Hyper linked a great vid for doing small batches using the torch and a cup of water, super easy. Another person said they put batches of glass in the kiln then would throw it in cold water. This being better for larger amounts of frit.
Using the thermal shock idea is also appealing because there would never be metal fragments to pick out.
It seems like the garbage disposal idea would be good for large amounts as well and possibly smaller frit sizes. If anyone could post a photo of their disposal set up that would be great.
Might be time for me to get a set of frit sifters

Mountain Glass Arts has a decent looking set.

http://www.facebook.com/3leafcloverstudios
http://www.etsy.com/shop/3LeafCloverStudios

GTT Mirage and Smith Little torch on tanked oxy