Is this normal?

[alma t. mendoza]

Am i the only one who ends up with all this MESS? Is it normal?

[Glowbead]

What mess? I can still see the top of that table.

[crystalflipz]

You call that a mess? Your rods are still only one layer deep on the table. LOL

[alma t. mendoza]

i've been trying for more than a month and i still get the rods to expode whe they touch the flame. i try to put them slowly but they still explode. i think i am buying the wong type of rods... i changed to the Hot torch for a new one. And I changed my oxygen tank for one that has a 5 l / min OXYCON and i still have the same results. i wont give up till i solve this problem.
What can i do? What do i need to do?

[KEW]

Having had glass stringer removed from both my foot and my elbow, I would at least sweep those little bits into a pile away from the first 4" of the table.

Other than that, you are really neat.

ETA: You need to try a couple of things. One is to wave the rod in and out or the back of the flame until it warms up enough, I think this usually works for most people unless the rod is just bad. Put the rods on top of your kiln to warm. Get a portacana (pricey) or a little curling iron heater ($40) to warm your rods.

[alma t. mendoza]

mmmmmmmmm............ so then this mess of broken glass be prevented?

[NLC Beads]

Are those opalino or alabastro colors? They're usually shockier as well... Preheating does help, I jab mine into the flame to preheat, but some rods are still very irritable.

As far as the mess...? I'm in the what mess group.

[mini]

My desk is messier! But not with exploded rods. Just rods & tools all over the place. But to me that really is a whole lot of exploded rods. You have to go much much slower into the flame. I hope you are wearing long sleeved cotton shirts to save your arms.

[cakelady]

Try warming your rods slower and at the tip of the flame. Still I get a messy desk. Mine more stringers and tools.

[alma t. mendoza]

again i thank you for all your help. but one last thing. can you tell me what type of glass rods you buy to do glass beads. because what bought was glass in abundance in Devardi glass. and i never found out which type of glass rods were.

[SilverRiverJewelry]

Devardi glass is coe 104. I happen to love it but it does take a bit of time to warm it up enough so it isn't so prone to shocking. Do you have a kiln? I lay mine on top of my kiln to get them nice and toasty then introduce them very slowly to the end of the flame. If you go to their website they have some great videos that will help. I also have been known to put the end of the rods that I know are shock prone on the inside of the kiln, leaving about 3/4 of the rod hanging out so I don't burn my fingers.

[evvybuns]

Oh, dear. Devardi glass explains the mess!

Devardi rods need to be preheated before being put into the flame. Do you have a kiln with a flip-door or some other equipment where the ends of the Devardi rods can heat before you use them? Also, you need to use a low flame.

Devardi is the last glass in the world I would recommend to a beginner, despite its cheap price. Try Effetre.

[CelesteK]

How cold is your studio? I tried to torch today and exploded my dark silver plum and then lost the bead I was working on because it got too cold while I was trying to deal with my rod. I stuffed it into the kiln after that, but got too cold to work.

Get yourself some nice cheap Effetre glass in unfussy colors like periwinkle, pea green, and a few others and work with those for a while. They rarely shock when you melt them.

Celeste

[alma t. mendoza]

i dont have a klin but i use verticule in a slow cook the klin will be my next purchase. so i will start buying Efetre glass before exploting more glass rods. thanks for the help .

[Lisi]

You don't want to see my tables!

I have two studios - studio #1 has spiders! Then #2 has lizards. lots of them. Both have a mess though. I just clean once a year.....or so.

[IF-Designs]

thats clean lol

[Carolyn M]

OMFG, you should see my work bench right now!!

OK, who wants to take the sweep off. I can take pics if you like. It is literally 3 inches deep in shorts, stringers and twisties. Cakelady got the last lot, who will it be this time?

[Torched Art]

I learned that Devardi glass is shocky tonight. But still, no matter what glass in 104, I like to warm it in the back flame slowly passing thru a few times. I think this winter I may get the curling iron warmer because my studio is cold enough to make my toes numb. (maybe I should buy an extra set for my feet. LOL)

As for a messy work station, I'd say it's pretty similar to mine. Except the other night I flipped an entire triangle tray full of glass powder all over my work area. Complete mess, I really don't feel like cleaning up that mess.

[Elizabeth Beads]

Not all the Devardi is shocky just some colors. The greens seem to play nice. I have to clean my table once a week whether it needs it or not. I make random cleanup beads, some to donate to BOC and some actually turn out nice enough to sell.

[Wickedartglass]

I just couldnt pass up posting lol. I have been torching in the shop with no heat and its been so cold the last couple weeks.
I have fat rods of clear I use for marbles and they are very shocky I figure mostly because of the temp inside the shop.
I fan them in and out of the flame for quite a bit and they are fine however I did get in a hurry last night and exploded the rod and a gather I was fanning at the same time.
I swear for a good 3 seconds I thought someone shot me lol , thats how loud it was.
But I do clean off my table after Im done for the day, every day.
Hubby has parked the tractor behind me, storing it in the shop for the winter and if that isnt artisticly uninspiring I dont know what is so at least I have a clean table to look at.
Planning on shopping tomorrow for a hot plate or something to warm rods on and praying it helps.
Happy Holidays to all, Donna

[Mitosis Glass]

Yes, Effetre, which is also known as Moretti, tends not to be so shocky. Stay away from Effetre Uranium Yellow Opaque; that one exploded all over my shop. Other than that the Ivory is one I've rarely had shock problems with, all the opaques really, and even the transparents are pretty stable.

Like someone said, stay away from opalinos and alabastros for now. And with all your rods, wave them in and out of the cooler part of the flame and bounce them into the hotter part of the flame slowly.

Oh, and if all you have is exploded glass all over your bench, no dust or metal shavings or anything, you can just pick it all up and keep it as frit. That's what I do.

Otherwise your workbench looks great! Mine only looks that good after I clean it.

[mini]

Originally Posted by alma t. mendoza

i dont have a klin but i use verticule in a slow cook the klin will be my next purchase. so i will start buying Efetre glass before exploting more glass rods. thanks for the help .

I use almost exclusively Effretre glass with a few exceptions. I wave it a few times in the very tip of the flame then a few times a bit closer & closer, etc. Some of it does spit or chip a bit but not like what you have on your desk. I rarely get chunks that big.

If price is your concern, check out Mike Frantz store he is having a big Christmas sale on Effretre glass you can get it at a good price. And you can mix it with your Devardi glass. (I'm sure others are as well, but I happen to remember his sale.)

Again, please be careful about what you are wearing, Ok?

[shawnette]

Mess? That ain't no stinkin' mess. THIS is a mess:



You might want to get one of these:

[Mermaid Glass]

Oh puh-lease! That's a mess?

After 'misplacing' an entire 1/2 pound of Triton somewhere on my workbench, I was finally forced to clean it. But, after two weeks, it looks exactly like it did before!

[neagle]

I use a hot plate with a steel plate on top of it-about 8" x 8" to pre-warm my shockiest rods. I find that Vetrofond Odds are really shocky.

The regular rods I just start at the far end of the flame and heat slowly, and hardly ever get shocked anymore.

I have to warm large rods or conical rods on the hot plate every time. My work space is messy, but I try to sweep up the bits every so often so I don't put an elbow in them.

[playswithfire104]

You may want to try some COE 96. Val Cox sells a nice starter pack and I think there is one for sale in the garage. The 96 is not very shocky at all! And the colors are super yummy!

[j2canoe]

My DH found a used sauce warmer (sort of like a crockpot but taller and smaller in diameter) at the local Goodwill store for $2. I turn it on at the beginning of my session and put my shockiest stuff in it. By the time I'm ready to use it towards the end of the session the rods are nice and toasty. I'd love to have one of those curling iron warmers - but, $2 =vs= $40 or $50? It works really well for the Vetrofond oddshocks Plus, it has a nice picture of Frosty the Snowman on it! When I am going to use Devardi opaques, I still stick those on top of the kiln as they are much thicker. The Devardi transparents don't seem to be as shocky as the opaques. Still use the end of the flame circle/bounce technique even if the rods are warmed - it really helps! Check out the local thrifts for a used small crockpot type warmer for cheap! Cheers! Joan (DH's next mission is to find an adjustable piano stool for me -

[KEW]

Years ago, somebody on the ISGB forum said she used her (never-made waffles) waffle maker to preheat rods.

[GlassTorturer]

Have you checked the 'Garage Sale'? Someone is selling a professional rod warmer:
http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=147771
No takers yet, but it looks like the same one that someone posted here!
Judy

[Leslie Dana]

Originally Posted by Carolyn M

OMFG, you should see my work bench right now!!

OK, who wants to take the sweep off. I can take pics if you like. It is literally 3 inches deep in shorts, stringers and twisties. Cakelady got the last lot, who will it be this time?

Me ???