Newbie Boro Question.

FlameFilly · #1 2006-11-10, 12:02pm

If your working on a boro bead can you put it down and let it cool then come back to finish it later?

I've worked with soft glass in the past for making beads and I know you can't do it with soft.

I've seen boro demos with people doing blown boro work and they didn't worry about the glass cooling as long as they annealed it at some point but I'm wondering because of the thickness of the beads if it is possible to walk away to attend to a child in need of pretzels --then come back to it?

TIA

ShepherdCreations · #2 2006-11-10, 12:48pm

Yeah, the cooling down part is not a problem, but warm it back in slowly, the thicker it is the more likely it is to crack when heated too fast. Up to a half inch will tolerate a relatively fast heat-up, but just use the back of the flame first before bringing it into the front of the flame. Have fun!

FlameFilly · #3 2006-11-10, 1:05pm

Yay

Hopefully I won't have to but at least if I do have to I won't lose the work.

Yeah bring it up slow so it doesn't shock since its not annealed.

Thank You!

evolvingBeau · #4 2006-11-10, 1:12pm

It's not an easy thing to do in practice with boro beads made on a mandrel. There is alot of stress built up and I certainly wouldn't say that it's worth the risk if it's something that you spent any time on. Not something I ever do with mandrel beads boro or not, but that's just my 2 cents..
If you can bring it back up to at least 1000F in the kiln first that would be the way to go.

pipyr · #5 2006-11-10, 1:23pm

I'd be careful with it...I tend to have problems with round boro beads cracking when they aren't put in a kiln. The metal mandrel sucks a lot of heat out of the glass and sets up a lot of stress in there. If you can, throw it in the kiln and then heat up carefully to get it back to working temp

Now, with off-mandrel stuff, I generally have no problem

FlameFilly · #6 2006-11-10, 1:28pm

O.k. so its not such a great thing with mandrel bound beads...I guess if I have my kiln up I can pop it in there and then return it to the flame to finish.

What about rod/punty sculpture without a mandrel through it? Does it have more to do with the thickness of the glass or the fact there's a mandrel through it?

I'm looking for things I can do on the torch while me and my youngest are home that I'll be able to put down and come back to if need be. Maybe a pipe dream....

Sorry for all the questions just trying to figure out what is possible with hard glass, I know how soft glass works but never dealt with boro before.

pipyr · #7 2006-11-10, 1:42pm

I work on solid sculptures step by step...often I'll do the bottom half and then some back and do the top half later. Keep in mind, my stuff is small, so Ido think that makes a difference

I think the main problem with madrel beads is the metal. It cools faster than the glass and sucks heat out of the core, causing stress

Hope that helps!!

FlameFilly · #8 2006-11-10, 1:47pm

Quote:

It cools faster than the glass and sucks heat out of the core

Thanks pipyr!

Thats what I was thinking it was a heat sink kinda thangy.
Cool good to know I can play around with things. I'm actually interested in doing doll faces, small maybe even hollow...lol.. my torch isn't even here yet!

Man I need to get back to making objects again crayons and elmers glue isn't doing it for me anymore!!

pipyr · #9 2006-11-10, 1:51pm

LOL...good luck!! And please remember to share pics with us!!