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

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  #1  
Old 2008-05-16, 9:48pm
margiek19380 margiek19380 is offline
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Default Newbie here as well

I'm actually posting this under my wife's name...

I am David and I am a hobby glassblower (when I can afford it) and my wife is Margie and finds glassblowing intimidating. However, we saw glass beads being made.. and she was fascinated by it. soooo.. this mother's day the kids and I gave her a beadmaking kit. The one under the "Fireworks" brand name... I bought it from Delphiglass.com. They had the best price.

She LOVES it... of course.. we have many many questions, and I am trying my best to keep my hands off... but it's difficult.

1) Is cooling the beads in the fiber blanket really enough? Or will we always risk the stress fractures unless we properly anneal the beads? (If we keep on with this I will attempt to make the Mailbox Anneal made so popular by the all-knowing Mark Wilson.

2) We plan on using the Fireworks torch head for now.. is a HH torch really much better, especially considering we are only using MAPP canisters for now? Is it practical to switch to a propane tank (like we use on the BBQ)? (if we really get into this.. we actually use LP gas for heat, hotwater, cooking and the clothes dryer... so it wouldn't be out of the question... would it?)

and finally for now... glass...

3) has anyone ordered from Traceysworkshop.com? She has 5-6mm, 13" color rods, 104 coe for $.65 each. Seems like 104 is regularly used... although, my goal eventually is to make marbles, which boro is better suited for? (certainly would have to anneal them) One thing that frustrates me when looking at glass rods is either they list them by weight, but give you no idea of how many are in that weight, OR... they don't tell you how thick the rods are...

We'll have to post pictures as we get better... right now we are just practicing trying to get round beads.. and getting the glass on the release without messing up.

Thanks to everyone in advance for all the information that is already on this forum... VERY COOL...

david and margie
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  #2  
Old 2008-05-16, 11:18pm
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A fiber blanket is not enough. you can cool them in fiber blanket, but they need to be annealed after this in a kiln. you know stress stuff blah blah... you get it.

I am on a HH never had a fireworks, but I hear it is about the same type of torch.

as for the glass... I get mine from alot of places, i like LBS, FlameDame, and arrowsprings.com. There are many others! Whale apparatus is in PA (probably close enough to take a field trip and shop in person !!) and probably will get you glass fast! they get it to me FAST, almost next day. Glass can range from $7-100 bucks a pound. usually rods are 5-6mm (like a pencil) and 20-25 rods are in a lb. sample packs are great to get started and most glass suppliers sell them. there is alot of glass out there!! just start clicking some of the banners and advertisements you will get an idea of the overwhelming supplu of glass out there. I like 104. it is easy to melt on a HH/fireworks torch and the colors are endless! I also suggest buying some other bead release. I hear the blue sludge stuff is a nightmare! it is usually in with supplies. I use foster fire smooth and tuff, and love it. but there are many more, and you can use some kiln wash in a jam.
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  #3  
Old 2008-05-17, 7:11am
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Boy David, I feel your pain. I was amazed at how much there was to learn about glass. More than just melting it for sure.
I use a fiber blanket and then batch anneal. Even then you can loose a bead now and then.
Good luck and enjoy the journey............
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  #4  
Old 2008-05-17, 7:43am
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Hi David and Margie,

Welcome to the glass obccession, LOL. I'm warning ya, it's very addicting!

To answer your questions:

1. no. You'll need a kiln. Cooling beads in a fiber blanket does not relieve stress, only annealing in a kiln will do that.

2. Many people use bbq tanks, including me. The Fireworks torch is fine for beginners.

3. I have never ordered from there. COE 104 is very popular. Most rods are in the 5 to 6mm range, unless specified. Lauscha tends to run larger in diameter.

This site has a ton of information that you can access. If you take a look at the upper right of the page under the Page 1 of X, you will see "Search This Forum". Click on it and you will be able to search by keyword and pull up all the threads related to whatever subject you wish to learn more about. Above the listing of threads in this forum there are two subforums on Boro and Torches you will want to explore. There is also a Safety forum which is under the Library heading on the main menu. There is a lot of crucial safety information in there, including everything you want to know about fuel, ventilation, and eye safety. And I almost forgot to mention that under the Library heading there is also a Tutorial forum which explains techniques in detail.

Feel free to ask questions, there's always someone around who will help you. Good luck!
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BHB/PANDORA EXCHANGE IN THE PATIO

Last edited by alexm; 2008-05-17 at 7:49am.
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  #5  
Old 2008-05-18, 8:42am
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VitreousTyro VitreousTyro is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by margiek19380 View Post
2) We plan on using the Fireworks torch head for now.. is a HH torch really much better, especially considering we are only using MAPP canisters for now?
Howdy David & Margie,

I am a newbie too and started w/ the same kit you bought (in Nov). I stumbled upon it while looking around at Pearl Arts & Crafts and was thrilled to death to find something like that! For me, a real HH makes a BIG difference. I found the Fireworks torch head very frustrating and barely made any progress. Eventually there seemed to be some build up (carbon?) which made it even less effective and I couldn't clean it out. I switched to the HH a few months later and felt a huge difference.

I wish I could switch to bulk tanks, but I'm in a tiny apt w/ no place outside to put it (sure my landlord would be thrilled to see a tank of gas hanging around! ).

I've bought glass from lots of people - The Mandrel, FlameDame, Frantz, Delphi. Hang around here and you'll have more info than you could ever use!

Good luck!

- Jill
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  #6  
Old 2008-05-18, 11:34am
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A hothead will do fine on propane & propane cylinders (even the 1# kind) are less expensive by far than MAPP ones. The "sweet spot" in the flame is in a different spot with propane, so you do need to figure that out, or you'll soot up your glass.
I've pretty much only heard bad things about the fireworks torch, never used one--started out with a hothead, a couple years ago. Still works just fine & it's 2nd hand.
(I don't think I've ever even seen a 2nd hand fireworks torch for sale--seems they just clog up or break or something--they're not cleanable!)

You need to get your beads annealed if you plan to use them for anything--you can likely find someone to batch anneal them for you until you get a kiln. Don't sell them or give them away until they're annealed. They will break--not today, not tomorrow, maybe not for a year, but at some point they'll just spontaneously fall apart. I've got some that are a few years old--every once in a while I look in the box & a few more have just randomly just fallen into pieces. It's rather entertaining.

Howaco Glass is another great place to buy glass--JameyLynn is a real sweetheart. All the other places mentioned in this thread are great too. Unless it's a really expensive color (like the $100 a pound silver-glass stuff, that you're going to use as dots & stringer really sparingly anyway), there's not much point in buying single rods of anything--1/4 pound is usually going to give you between 4 rods & 8 rods (depending on thickness--it varies, because some glass is handpulled & some is machine pulled), and it just makes sense to order a minimum of that much. After all, even if it's not your "favorite" color, 5 or 6 rods is not a huge amount .
Really fat glass (usually an odd lot of Lauscha) will sometimes be 2 rods in a quarter pound, but that's rare & will almost always be well labled on whatever website is selling it--some people like really fat rods of clear for encasing, & will pay extra for it that way!

~luna
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new purple cricket @ home! minicc @ playing with fire in rockland! Sue & Nikki fighting over who gets to anneal the wonkies
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  #7  
Old 2008-05-18, 8:09pm
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Also, remember ventilation!
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  #8  
Old 2008-05-19, 11:42am
Diane (clarus) Diane (clarus) is offline
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Hi David and Margie,

Welcome! I have ordered stuff from Tracey's Glass Workshop and have received things quickly and at good prices.

I have never used a Fireworks torch, but did start on a Hot Head. I moved up to a Bobcat after about 6 months because I knew this was something I wanted to pursue and had found a way to finance the investment, but there are many folks here who make absolutely stunning beads on their Hot Heads.

If you have a kiln for glassblowing, you could use it to batch anneal the beads, but a smaller kiln is more appropriate. There are lots of brands - I have one from Arrow Springs, but many are happy with the Glass Hive kilns, Jen Ken, Skutt and Paragon, among others. Get one with a bead door and digital controller. Mark Wilson also has an excellent tutorial on WC for building one of those.

And as Carolyn said, make sure you have proper ventilation. There's lots of info in the Safety section here on LE.

Good luck and most of all - have fun!

-Diane
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