Lampwork Etc.
 
AKDesign

LE Live Chat

Enter Live Chat

No users in chat




Beads of Courage


 

Go Back   Lampwork Etc. > Library > Tips, Techniques, and Questions

Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #181  
Old 2007-08-12, 9:35am
Lorraine Chandler's Avatar
Lorraine Chandler Lorraine Chandler is offline
Salt Box Beads
 
Join Date: Oct 23, 2005
Location: Heading to Paradise
Posts: 4,161
Default

I thought I would keep my cell phone handy in case I had a call...ummm, bad idea. I wear a half face respirator and a full face shield when torching.

I am merrily torching away when the phone rang so I transferred the rod to my left hand and flipped the phone to get my call and tried to stick it up under my face shield to my ear..

WHAT A FIASCO!! When I pushed the phone up to my ear I
knocked the face shield halfway off my head so I was trying to staighten it up as it was painfully crooked on my head with my only free hand which had the cell phone in it.

I then knocked my flip phone closed and lost the call so I then put it back on the counter and got my face shield back into place and when I returned my gaze back to my mandrel it was pointing southeast and my bead was drooping and twisted and all knarly!!!

NO more trying to answer the phone while torching.
Lorraine
Reply With Quote
  #182  
Old 2007-08-12, 10:31am
Ma-Le's Avatar
Ma-Le Ma-Le is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 25, 2006
Location: Ashby, MA
Posts: 63
Default

A rod of Red roof tile + shorts and tank top = really, really bad idea
Sue
__________________
ËœDon't wait for a light to appear at the end of the tunnel. Stride down there, and light the bloody thing yourself."
--Sara Henderson
Reply With Quote
  #183  
Old 2007-08-28, 1:55pm
Yellow Dog Girl's Avatar
Yellow Dog Girl Yellow Dog Girl is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 14, 2005
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 121
Default

Just found this thread today - what fun!

I have two: taking what was probably my second bead class, on a hot head, from Molly of Heritage Glass fame. To know Molly is to love her - without a doubt one of the sweetest, kindest women I have ever known. So, I'm sitting there, trying and trying - and TRYING - to light the damn torch. I finally say, "Molly, I just can't get the torch to light." She looks at me for a second - a long second - and finally says, "Well, you have to light the match first...." I'm pretty sure there was pity in her eyes...

The second one is NOT on me, and certainly not a beginner's mistake. I'm again at Molly's, taking a class from Leah Fairbanks. Leah has just finished making a cane of some sort, and is looking around for something to punty on with so she can pull it out...she hastily picked up a rod - of rubino - and proceeds to punty up. We all got a great deal of milage out of teasing her about being so famous that she could afford to use RUBINO for waste glass!
Reply With Quote
  #184  
Old 2007-08-29, 1:48pm
dragonfly designs 56's Avatar
dragonfly designs 56 dragonfly designs 56 is offline
Formerly Kellyhorton
 
Join Date: Nov 29, 2005
Location: PA
Posts: 2,028
Default

My lessons learned as a newbie:

1) You don't have to twirl the f*cking mandrel like propeller when making a round bead. Sloooowwww it down. Let the bead shape itself.

2) Don't wipe hot rods on your shirt to clean them. If you do, get used to your husband asking you "who's been whipping you today?"

3) If the bead looks and acts like dripping honey, it's probably time to remove it from the flame.

4) If the length of the bead is from the flame to the desktop, and the bottom of the bead is shaped like a puddle, it's DEFINITELY time to remove the bead from the flame.

5) Don't try and catch hot glass that drops towards your lap by closing your thighs quickly. No no, bad thing.

6) Before blowing through glass that costs $3000 a pound and is only available every other month in 1/4 lb increments if you have 6 forms of ID and four friends wiling to vouch for your character and have a notary sign and send the check federal express overnight along with 4 pints of blood, you might want to read up on forums about what other people have tried, so you can avoid ending up with a set of muddy, cracked beads with an average cost of $50 each.



THAT IS HYSTERICAL, LAUGHED TILL I CRIED!!!! SORRY, DONT KNOW HOW TO PUT HER POST ABOVE MINE, SO JUST INCLUDED IT IN THERE,
__________________
Kelly

MEAN PEOPLE SUCK
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


In the '60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.
Reply With Quote
  #185  
Old 2007-08-29, 6:34pm
Mbrim's Avatar
Mbrim Mbrim is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 08, 2006
Location: Ottawa,Ontario, Canada
Posts: 232
Default

yes that would be an open kind of neck shirt, tucked into the jeans, and large section of a disc that just exploded finding its way in and to sit about an inch from my bellybutton! yes,.. that was my thought too, what the f**.. now! jump up, contor body so that the glowing piece of disc doesn't catch shirt on fire which means holding it on my belly, while untuck my shirt as fast as i can to be able to get the dam thing out. once it is out my automatic reactions is to rub it!!.... yup you got it.... rubbed that instant blister right the hell off and left some nice raw skin, along side the other area that was still a blister. sat back down and kept going....

ya that one left a permanet mark... LOL .... i call that one my burning in...

now i make sure that the shirt i have on is a tighter collar and that nothin is tucked in while i am torching...

Last edited by Mbrim; 2007-08-30 at 3:43am.
Reply With Quote
  #186  
Old 2007-09-05, 9:05pm
Rubiee's Avatar
Rubiee Rubiee is offline
Previously silverfaeriedesigns
 
Join Date: Aug 29, 2007
Location: Aurora, CO
Posts: 317
Default

I'm glad I found this. Lots of things to look out for next time I torch!
__________________
~* Melissa

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
~
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
~
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Nortel Minor with oxycon and NG
Reply With Quote
  #187  
Old 2007-09-06, 9:33pm
menty666's Avatar
menty666 menty666 is offline
Borovangelist
 
Join Date: Jan 26, 2007
Location: Auburn, MA
Posts: 3,002
Default

All good ones... Here's a couple of mine.

- If your major isn't lighting right way for some reason or another, don't keep turning up the gas while using the striker. After the fireball dissipated I honestly had to sit there for a moment staring at the ceiling just to make sure it wasn't on fire.

-Treat all glass near the flame as if it was hot. I grabbed one end of a point in a class after looking over my shoulder and it must have passed through the flame for a second. Even though it wasn't supposed to be hot, it very much was and the burn was enough to make me turn off the torch and go home for the night (I was out in my own shop the next night). I now use the back of my hand to "proximity test" the glass before grabbing it.

-If you do fusing as well, be careful if you have sheet glass upright on your work bench. Being the thin profile that it is, I didn't see it and nicked my knuckle pretty badly on it while reaching for something. I still finished what I was doing before I went in to tend to the wound.

-After finding some odd marks on my sweatshirt I now wear a leather apron when I'm working. And even in 5 degree temps I roll up my sleeves!

-And finally, if you bring in a box full of items to take pictures of, don't leave them near the edge of the counter where the inquisitive 2 year old can reach up and grab the box, even "just for a minute". Luckily I was in sandals and was able to air lift the barefoot kiddo out of the area so I could clean up the mess before he stepped on any.
Reply With Quote
  #188  
Old 2007-09-10, 8:34pm
one-eared pig's Avatar
one-eared pig one-eared pig is offline
Eight Miles Wide
 
Join Date: Dec 18, 2005
Location: Kalamazoo
Posts: 4,424
Default

Not a newbie, but...

If you have a stringer with a very sharp end, DO NOT tap it on your thigh several times while thinking about what to make next.
__________________
melissa lynserra

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #189  
Old 2007-09-11, 4:52am
careergalley careergalley is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 05, 2007
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 18
Default

Things I have learned as a 3 month newbie:
Learn to tell the diff between the smell of burning vinyl tile and cotton...(hint:, one is your pants - MOVE!!!!!)
Don't use the back side of your aluminium groved marver in the kiln to heat anything, unless you have a need for a kiln with a metal bottom!
Don't try to torch beads with an inquisitive little girl in the room, the questions don't stop but your attention will, with painful results.....
And the HH torch stays HOTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!
But most of all, lampworkers are a wonderful group, I haven't had this much fun in years!
Linda
Reply With Quote
  #190  
Old 2007-09-11, 7:58am
Bluejeangirlnc's Avatar
Bluejeangirlnc Bluejeangirlnc is offline
Wendy
 
Join Date: Jun 19, 2007
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 1,143
Default

I took my beginner's class August 19th. Here are the things I've learned in the garage so far.

Pulled stringer is hot for more than 2 seconds and touching the blob that was just in your tweezers HURTS.

Encasing a bead changes the pattern of the bead when you push too hard.

Some glass rods are more "shocky" than others.. pay attention when you're warming that rod.

Don't be afraid to dip a tool you've been using in or near the flame in water.. glass WILL stick to a warmed tool.
Reply With Quote
  #191  
Old 2007-09-12, 8:30am
evvybuns's Avatar
evvybuns evvybuns is offline
Bigger, longer, and uncut
 
Join Date: Aug 01, 2007
Location: Fort Collins, CO
Posts: 447
Default

I took a bead-making class last spring and have been HOOKED ever since. My husband has set up a little area in our garage for me to work, and it has been great!

This, however, probably qualifies as a newbie mistake: Buying a pound of the Moretti/Effetre purple (254) on Ebay, thinking I was going to make a lot of beads in my favorite color or was going to embellish other beads with a great purple. WRONG!

I've done a lot of research since then and am reckoning with the error of my ways. Wow, this stuff stumps even the most experienced lampworker. The big thing I've learned is that the EDP cannot be subjected to the normal heating and cooling other glasses can handle during typical bead winding. Keep it hot until you've wound on the desire amount on the mandrel and bring it out of the flame more quickly than you would any other bead.

My small comfort is that I paid less than half of the going rate for it.
Reply With Quote
  #192  
Old 2007-09-13, 8:03am
Mopnglo Mopnglo is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 20, 2007
Posts: 768
Default

Hmm learned this one the hard way just yesterday. Do not set your route 44 styrofoam fountain drink next to your rods. If you accidentally lay a hot rod on the styrofoam, it will melt and you will have a big, and I do mean big, mess of syrupy coke gushing all over your work space, your self and the hot rod will shatter and hiss.
Reply With Quote
  #193  
Old 2007-09-16, 5:10am
ROC's Avatar
ROC ROC is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 01, 2007
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 1,749
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by one hot beader View Post
Don't lick your graphite paddle to make the silver foil stick to it when you have already used it to marver a bead.
ROFL!! Reminds me of touching tongue to metal in dead of winter as a kid. But it only takes once and you don't forget!

Also, although the hand may be quicker than the eye, it's always slower than the fire. By the time the brain gets it across to the hand to "MOVE, you idiot," it's still too late.

Started compiliing these in another thread. If you like, as this dies down (if it ever does) I'll be glad to update it. Thanks for side-splitting, tear inducing laughter, and for starting this great thread!

Rachel
Reply With Quote
  #194  
Old 2007-09-17, 5:17am
Karen Hardy's Avatar
Karen Hardy Karen Hardy is offline
Know-it-all Megalomaniac
 
Join Date: Oct 22, 2005
Location: Californication
Posts: 6,282
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by evvybuns View Post
I took a bead-making class last spring and have been HOOKED ever since. My husband has set up a little area in our garage for me to work, and it has been great!

This, however, probably qualifies as a newbie mistake: Buying a pound of the Moretti/Effetre purple (254) on Ebay, thinking I was going to make a lot of beads in my favorite color or was going to embellish other beads with a great purple. WRONG!

I've done a lot of research since then and am reckoning with the error of my ways. Wow, this stuff stumps even the most experienced lampworker. The big thing I've learned is that the EDP cannot be subjected to the normal heating and cooling other glasses can handle during typical bead winding. Keep it hot until you've wound on the desire amount on the mandrel and bring it out of the flame more quickly than you would any other bead.

My small comfort is that I paid less than half of the going rate for it.
Here's a non-newbie hint that may help you get more mileage out of the EDP.
Rather than concentrating on it - just IGNORE it and make your bead.
When your bead is DONE, give the whole thing a nice heating till it's glowing
and then kiln it.

Learned that from Andrea G in her class, and I've been making dreamy purples
ever since....
__________________
Copyright holder on round beads

Get your copy of the new Lampwork Etc. Tutorials and Tips Book

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #195  
Old 2007-09-17, 7:01pm
evvybuns's Avatar
evvybuns evvybuns is offline
Bigger, longer, and uncut
 
Join Date: Aug 01, 2007
Location: Fort Collins, CO
Posts: 447
Default Ignore? I LIKE that!

I think I understand about "ignoring" the EDP. I just made a bunch of beads with small dots which I allowed to sink into the bead body. I didn't worry about the EDP knowing that I would be giving it a hot bath while the dots melted into it, but I did't allow the conditions where I knew it would devitrify. If I moved the bead out of the flame rather quickly to cool it, the purple held its color and smooth finish. They're sitting in the blanket now. Fingers crossed for a nice "set."
Reply With Quote
  #196  
Old 2007-11-07, 7:48am
lldesigns's Avatar
lldesigns lldesigns is offline
Crazy Snake Lady
 
Join Date: Jul 31, 2006
Posts: 5,583
Default

I'm bumping this thread up since we seem to have a lot more newbies lately.

C'mon and join in the fun...um, pain, ah, well, c'mon and laugh!!!
__________________
Mrs. C
Reply With Quote
  #197  
Old 2007-11-07, 8:33am
glassactcc's Avatar
glassactcc glassactcc is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 23, 2006
Posts: 5,540
Default

Don't snap your bare legs closed to catch a marble.
__________________
Cynthia

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #198  
Old 2007-11-07, 8:35am
TheGlassFlame's Avatar
TheGlassFlame TheGlassFlame is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 10, 2007
Location: PDX
Posts: 356
Default

OMG! OUCH!

Quote:
Originally Posted by glassactcc View Post
Don't snap your bare legs closed to catch a marble.
__________________
formally known as... Litsayn
Reply With Quote
  #199  
Old 2007-11-07, 8:43am
lldesigns's Avatar
lldesigns lldesigns is offline
Crazy Snake Lady
 
Join Date: Jul 31, 2006
Posts: 5,583
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by glassactcc View Post
Don't snap your bare legs closed to catch a marble.
Now that's what I call dedication!

So, did you save the marble?
__________________
Mrs. C
Reply With Quote
  #200  
Old 2007-11-07, 9:12am
glassactcc's Avatar
glassactcc glassactcc is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 23, 2006
Posts: 5,540
Default

Why I sure did!!! Do you know how long I was workin' on that? And The scar only lasted about two years
__________________
Cynthia

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Last edited by glassactcc; 2007-11-07 at 11:27am.
Reply With Quote
  #201  
Old 2007-11-07, 4:22pm
Alison D Alison D is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 23, 2007
Posts: 475
Default

Warning to all ex-pastry chefs:


Yes the melted glass does look like icing and gum paste.

BUTTTT!

You can not I repeat NOT shape it with your fingers.

Duh!
Reply With Quote
  #202  
Old 2007-11-08, 9:19am
lunamoonshadow's Avatar
lunamoonshadow lunamoonshadow is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 27, 2005
Location: Yarmouth, Maine...home of the Clamfest
Posts: 7,693
Default

I can't remember if I posted this further up in the thread....

DON'T slide your thumb down "further" on the Tapley tongs to try & use them right ontop of the bowl to press the bowl tighter together when the glass is a little too cool/stiff for pressing...it's still way HOT (and those tongs conduct heat right through the bowl )...and you'll burn your thumbprint off! (and yes, I did it THREE different times before I got it into my head it wasn't a good idea )
__________________
And if I laugh at any mortal thing, ‘Tis that I may not weep...” ~Lord Byron

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

new purple cricket @ home! minicc @ playing with fire in rockland! Sue & Nikki fighting over who gets to anneal the wonkies
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #203  
Old 2007-11-08, 1:32pm
Jenfire's Avatar
Jenfire Jenfire is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 22, 2006
Location: Grand Junction, CO
Posts: 1,250
Default

Note to self -- Take ice pack out to every torch session and keep in EASY TO OPEN COOLER. Hold burn area on ice for 20 min -- NO EXCEPTIONS. Cover burn area with aloe vera gel. Let it dry then go back to torching.
Jen
Reply With Quote
  #204  
Old 2007-11-08, 1:33pm
Jenfire's Avatar
Jenfire Jenfire is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 22, 2006
Location: Grand Junction, CO
Posts: 1,250
Default

Luna BTW your etsy shop looks great!
Jen
Reply With Quote
  #205  
Old 2007-11-08, 2:01pm
otldzign's Avatar
otldzign otldzign is offline
appleton girl.
 
Join Date: Sep 16, 2005
Location: Red Wing, MN
Posts: 51
Wink

This just cracked me up! I was going to say the same thing....which, incidentally, just happened to me the other day....and I'm not a newbie! The lid of my bead release wasn't on very securely before I went to dip more mandrels....I picked up the bottle and started shaking away (you know....you have to shake well before using!)....bead release flew EVERYWHERE!!! I'm still finding places that I missed cleaning! DOH!

Angie

Quote:
Originally Posted by LauraT View Post
I *always* remember to hold the lid of the bead release while shaking...unless I need a shower or need to thoroughly clean my studio.
__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #206  
Old 2007-11-08, 2:16pm
lldesigns's Avatar
lldesigns lldesigns is offline
Crazy Snake Lady
 
Join Date: Jul 31, 2006
Posts: 5,583
Default

Don't admire the pretty 'balloon' of glass you just blew or you'll have the shards you were hoping to make explode all over your studio! Can you say, "Startled?!"

Glad I was wearing glasses!
__________________
Mrs. C
Reply With Quote
  #207  
Old 2007-11-08, 2:25pm
ROC's Avatar
ROC ROC is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 01, 2007
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 1,749
Default

And, although brass is supposed to be a "cool" tool doesn't mean it is -- especially after you just used it to press HOT GLASS! (but how else am I supposed to get those bits of bead release broken off in the press since I don't really know how to use it yet? Take a deep breath . . .)

Rachel
Reply With Quote
  #208  
Old 2007-11-08, 2:55pm
Emily's Avatar
Emily Emily is offline
Missing presumed fed
 
Join Date: Nov 15, 2005
Location: Wherever
Posts: 3,158
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jenfire View Post
Note to self -- Take ice pack out to every torch session and keep in EASY TO OPEN COOLER. Hold burn area on ice for 20 min -- NO EXCEPTIONS. Cover burn area with aloe vera gel. Let it dry then go back to torching.
Jen

Nope! Don't put ice directly on a burn. Ice can cause even more tissue damage. Put the burn in cold water IMMEDIATELY.

Aloe gel is great stuff, though. Lavender oil is great, too. Aloe gel with a drop or two of lavender oil is excellent!

(Keep the aloe within grabbing distance of the torch -- in a container you can open one-handed.)
__________________
To those who question the real value of the Web: Sea slugs. Now, please fall into a respectful silence, and don't speak again until you understand why you were wrong.
Scorpion and one Intensity 10 lpm 20 psi concentrator
Reply With Quote
  #209  
Old 2007-11-08, 11:26pm
SilverDragoness SilverDragoness is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 30, 2007
Posts: 25
Default

Right after you press a bead into millefiori if it doesn't stick and falls off to the side don't try to pick it up and move it right away. Those 2 seconds to try to get it to stick will cause it to head up quite amazingly. I dropped it fast enough that I didn't even have the skin swell up but it gave me a new respect for how fast glass can heat up.
Reply With Quote
  #210  
Old 2007-11-09, 5:07am
onebizebee's Avatar
onebizebee onebizebee is offline
onebizebee
 
Join Date: Aug 08, 2007
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 904
Default

Glass stays hot for a lot longer than expected! Especially when you have pulled a stringer! That skinny little Glass should cool off much faster than that. Don't know why but when a bead or other glass object shatters or cracks in half or even drops on the bench why am I possessed to try and rescue it with my bare fingers! Brain Fart! It registers in my brain that was red hot a few seconds ago do don't touch it!!! Fingers on the other hand retarded and try anyway.

Another good one no matter how annoying you can not coax the stupid fly in to the flame. You will only get yourself burned! You must remain patient that the fly will eventually kill itself in the flame! Never mind that it managed to get under your diddy glasses twice!!! Dang bugs.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump




All times are GMT -7. The time now is 11:55pm.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Your IP: 3.219.233.54