Boro Tutorials for Boro Newbies! - Page 4

Moth · #91 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/ar...rosilicate.PDF

Hope it is ok to post that here.

~~Mary

Lizabeads · #92 2008-03-11, 9:10pm

Bumpity Bump cause I'm Lovin it !!

Meow Meow Beads · #93 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 · #94 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/supp...anual-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 · #95 2008-03-17, 5:11pm

Great info.
Thanks all,
G.

jknappcampbell · #96 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 · #97 2008-06-16, 9:28am

Jill - so glad you joined us the other night - it was great to see you! Post pics of your results for us!

Kare TX · #98 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 · #99 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 · #**100** 2008-08-17, 4:56pm

Bump

Blair · #**101** 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 · #**102** 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.

Joanna's encased rainbow swirl.

amealer · #**103** 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 · #**104** 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 · #**105** 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 · #**106** 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 · #**107** 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/show...19#post7078119

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

Kare TX · #**108** 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 · #**109** 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 · #**110** 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 · #**111** 2009-02-21, 8:29am

It's great for new directions for "Mediumbies" like me too =)

steph1214 · #**112** 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?

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

? ha!
steph

steph1214 · #**113** 2009-02-21, 1:26pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kare TX

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 · #**114** 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 · #**115** 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 · #**116** 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 · #**117** 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 · #**118** 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 · #**119** 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 · #**120** 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.