"Pull-it" / "Pull my stringer" - how does it work?

Bohemibeads · #1 2008-02-19, 3:36pm

Hi~

I have difficulty pulling stringers and twisties (yeah, I know, PPP), but.... I also suffer from fibro and osteoarthritis which also makes it difficult, especially when it comes to repeatatively spinning rods.

I saw in another thread (somewhere), someone mentioned a gizmo called the "pull-it/pull-my-stringer". I checked out BlueMoonGlassworks and I saw the "pull-it", but from the photo, I couldnt figure how it works, and sorta would like some idea before committing to buying one.

Is there anyone who currently uses this interesting gizmo, and can tell me how it works, and especially your thoughts on it?

Many thanks

Boopdidoop · #2 2008-02-19, 5:20pm

I would love to know too! I don't seem to be coordinated enough and my hands tend to swell if over worked. That counts me out of most wire work so lampworking is vital to me. Any info would be great.

theglasszone · #3 2008-02-19, 11:52pm

I recall last year that someone started a discussion on how to "convert" one of those small, "personal" fans you can find at the drug store - you know, the little ones about 6" that you use when it's boiling hot during summer? I'm hoping someone will revisit that "how to" - I didn't pay enough attention to it last year, but really wish I had!!!! Anybody?

Let's see what that turns up...

DeAnne in CA

bubblebabeuk · #4 2008-02-20, 12:56am

I would be interested in an answer as well, I have palendromic rheumatoid arthritis and various other problems and find twisties and stringer pulling to be a limiting factor in my lampworking unfortunately.

Sue in Maine · #5 2008-02-20, 5:55am

I am not familiar with the product you are asking about HOWEVER at our last Maine gathering, Anne Stanley did a demo on a stringer pulling gizmo that worked amazingly well. I'll describe it so you may be able to tell if it's the same thing.

It had a bracket that clamped to the edge of a table with a C-clamp. The gizmo was a holder. What it held was a stump-like thing that had a boro punty clamped in it. Anne made a large 3 layer gather to twist into a twistie. The 2nd end of the gather she attached to the boro punty in the stump-like thing. Then she fit the stump-like thing into the bracket (clamped to the table). That left her free to pull and twist the other end with BOTH of her hands. The large gather made about 3 feet of lovely twistie.

It worked wonderfully. I don't know what it was called, where she found it or what it cost but if it's what you're asking about, it worked fine.

Sue

Yellow Dog Girl · #6 2008-02-20, 3:10pm

Hi. The product is indeed called pull-my-stringer, and its creator is none other than Vickie Gail - the creator of Creation Station. Vicki lives here in Texas, so I get to see her occasionally at Blue Moon. I think she checks in here once in a while, so she'll probably see these posts. She had the PMS (LOL, don't you just love unintentional acronyms?!) at a Blue Moon class once. It worked well - you basically make your gather, put the punty thing in the puller, and walk away, twisting and pulling as you walk. I opted out because we have dogs, and I would be too afraid to walk away from my table pulling hot glass. They might think it's play time...

Anne Ricketts · #7 2008-02-20, 4:17pm

Jim has them for sale on the website! I love mine!

Alicemakesbeads · #8 2008-02-20, 4:36pm

Jim?? sorry to ask Jim Moore??

Anne Ricketts · #9 2008-02-20, 4:42pm

Opps! sorry! Jim at Blue Moon!

Emily · #10 2008-02-21, 11:20am

To clarify -- the product that Sue saw demonstrated sounds like it is the "Pull-It," which used to be called "Pull My Stringer." Jim from Blue Moon isn't the same as Jim Moore.

The "Pull-It" seems like it would be great if you make complicated cane that ends up being fat, and you want to pull it out thin enough to use in the torch. You can fasten one end to the table and walk across the room, pulling as you go. It doesn't do any twisting or anything for you, and the end in the Pull-It is held steady, so you'd need to do the twisting if you want twisted cane.

Nicker · #11 2008-02-21, 11:31am

I have one and love it! It works like described, two punties one sits into the holder clamped to a table, the other you walk away holding to pull your stringer. You do need to have something to hold up the middle of the stringer if you pull a long one. I do mine over the back of a old wooden chair so the center of my pull is supported.

Bohemibeads · #12 2008-02-21, 9:29pm

Wow! It sounds like you guys pull some pretty loooooooong stringers!

That sounds like the gizmo I was thinking about. The only down side is.... it doesnt twist itself, but it sounds like it would be good to make simple stringers.

Frankly, I have difficulty pulling ANY stringer, lol, so at this point anything that can help me would be better than nothing.

Anne Ricketts · #13 2008-02-21, 9:31pm

I have a long kitchen so I hook it up on my diningroom table and pull about 8-10ft of stringer at a time!

Bohemibeads · #14 2008-02-21, 9:34pm

I'll have to try and see if I can find that thread. Sounds like it would be something that would work well for me. Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by theglasszone

I recall last year that someone started a discussion on how to "convert" one of those small, "personal" fans you can find at the drug store - you know, the little ones about 6" that you use when it's boiling hot during summer? I'm hoping someone will revisit that "how to" - I didn't pay enough attention to it last year, but really wish I had!!!! Anybody?

Let's see what that turns up...

DeAnne in CA

Bohemibeads · #15 2008-02-21, 9:36pm

No way! Holy cow, Anne! That is some stringer!

Im lucky if I can get mine to be more than 4 inches long, LOL

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anne Ricketts

I have a long kitchen so I hook it up on my diningroom table and pull about 8-10ft of stringer at a time!

Anne Ricketts · #16 2008-02-21, 9:39pm

I get one that long with a huge cane that is made! LOL!

Bohemibeads · #17 2008-02-21, 9:43pm

I guess it would have to be, huh. <g> Im not sure what my problem is. In the beginning I was pulling too soon and got hair-thin stringers, then I read I needed to let the orange glow cool and then pull, but I dont seem to get more than 4-5 inches. Im definitely in the PPP phase, but I sure wish I could get better at this quicker, LOL.

artwhim · #18 2008-02-21, 10:50pm

Nikki, if you are getting a 4-5 inch stringer in the diameter you want then it sounds like you just need to heat more glass to begin with so you have more to pull. As you heat, tip the end that isn't in the heat down toward the table so glass will gather onto itself. The gather helps to retain heat so as you pull there is still hot glass to pull out. Hope that makes sense.

Also as you are getting about ready to pull, direct your heat further down the gather instead of on the very end. That way the end will set up faster to get the diameter you want, but there is still lots of heat in the back end of the gather to keep it fluid. Then it is just a matter of how fast you pull to keep the stringer even.

I really don't let the orange glow cool. I attach the punty (stainless steel chopstick) to the end and with very small motions, wiggle it forward and backward ever so slightly. This serves two purposes. I allows me to check that the punty is securely attached and it also checks how fluid the glass is to see if it is ready to pull. Depending on how thick I want the stringer to be determines when I think it is ready to pull. Thicker needs to be firmer, and thinner soupy.

Just thought of something, when you pull a 4-5" stringer, what is the remainder of the rod like? If the entire gather was used up so the rod is straight with the stringer coming out of it, then you aren't heating up enough glass to begin with. If on the other hand, the rod has a glob on the end and then the stringer coming out of the glob, then it is a problem with how much heat you have in the gather as you pull.

Good luck!

Bohemibeads · #19 2008-02-21, 11:23pm

Makes perfect sense! I hadnt thought about heating more of the rod or tipping it so I can get a longer and thicker stringer. Im going to try out your suggestions (especially watching when the glob starts being less soupy) and see if I can get a better stringer pulled..... and PPP.

Thanks for the suggestions.

RawhideArtist · #20 2008-02-22, 1:45am

Having read the above posts, I am happy to say that the very first thing I teach in a lampwork class is how to pull stringers. There must be at least 10 different techniques people use. They all work and there are possibly 10 more that could work as well.

The first trick is wait after you come up out of the flame, about 5 seconds for transparent and 10 seconds for opaque colors. The second trick is to pull vertically and let gravity do the work.

Bohemibeads · #21 2008-02-22, 10:42am

I was thinking about the gravity issue, and did try it (again, I didnt wait long enough before pulling), but I think I will be more successful if I apply the other suggestions to it as well.

Im one of those people who would rather make it myself than buy it (lol), so learning to make my own stringers was high on my list when I started lampworking.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RawhideArtist

Having read the above posts, I am happy to say that the very first thing I teach in a lampwork class is how to pull stringers. There must be at least 10 different techniques people use. They all work and there are possibly 10 more that could work as well.

The first trick is wait after you come up out of the flame, about 5 seconds for transparent and 10 seconds for opaque colors. The second trick is to pull vertically and let gravity do the work.

menty666 · #22 2008-02-22, 11:04am

I haven't been able to do it myself yet, but I've heard tell of some people chocking the glass into a drill to turn it while they pull.

seems like it could work if you're fast enough

Tillie · #23 2008-02-24, 7:50pm

I'm still at the thread-thin (sometimes hair-thin) and 2" long stage of pulling stringers. I'm in awe of anyone who can pull those beautiful all-the-same-size stringers and twisties. Heck, I haven't even tried a twistie yet...I am soooo impaired and scared! Sometimes I manage to get a 7-8" stringer that is actually bigger around than a hair, but it's not too often. ~sigh~ I know...PPP and then PPP some more...

I also have Fibromyalgia and arthritis and I refuse to let it get the best of me! I have made up my mind that I will learn to make really good beads, stringers and twisties, if it kills me!!

murf · #24 2008-02-24, 8:23pm

so i went to the web site and looked at the device. is this how it works? you are at the torch, one hand collecting the gather to be pulled the other hand has the hand tool with inserted punt. once you get the gather to the volume you wish to pull, you then apply it to the punt held in the hand tool. place hand tool down in holder and pull as you walk away?
the site says see it in action, i was hoping for a video, it just shows a picture.

murf · #25 2008-02-24, 8:27pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by menty666

I haven't been able to do it myself yet, but I've heard tell of some people chocking the glass into a drill to turn it while they pull.

seems like it could work if you're fast enough

I was down at Bob Snodgrass place and he used a very slow powered drill. worked great, even better for mixing colors that tend to have a lot of air bubbles. my problem is all my drills cordless or plug in move way to fast. i am searching for a drill with a low rpm top speed. I know its something that I would certainly use a lot

LoriGreenberg · #26 2008-02-26, 11:09pm

Here are some youtube demos of pulling stringer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCatd0hSr_I&NR=1

trickypixies_jewelry · #27 2008-02-27, 12:13am

Tillie & Bohemibeads,

Remember this advice...Longer stringer IS NOT BETTER!! Think about it, wouldn't you rather have a nice, even and/or thicker stringer that's a little shorter than a several footer that's uneven or too thin that you have to cut into pieces later anyway?! I think it's amazing what people like Ann Ricketts can do, but again, they've been at this for years and have had the practice, practice, practice.

Us beginners really need to focus on quality not quantity. Heat your gather (note: if you want a thicker stringer, make a bigger gather!), take out of the flame, (practice with white if you're having issues with timing and when to pull), wait until the skin forms on the gather (when hot, white turns transparent, so wait until it turns back to white (or the skin forms) before pulling), and grab the tip with some tweezers. Gently wiggle back and forth a couple of times, and slowly pull out.

For people that use punties to pull out stringer: Heat your gather and heat the tip of the end of your punty, take out of the flame and attach, balancing the molten ball of glass until the 'skin' forms. Then gently and slowly pull out.

Most people have problems with not knowing when it is okay to start to pulling and they usually pull to soon. The glass needs time to "set up" before you can do anything with it, otherwise you get a superfine and unusable stringer. Just think, when making Jello, you have to let it set up first before you can eat it or you end up slurping a thin liquid like a bowl of soup. Same goes with glass.

Some people use gravity to help them pull out a stringer, but I haven't really noticed much of a difference with this; just do what works for you. However, I will say that when pulling out a stringer, you really need to pull it in a 'straight' line. Be it horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, as long as you keep it STRAIGHT! This cuts down on lumps and bends.

I love pulling twisties (in fact, I'm addicted), but I have fibromyalgia too, and some days it can be painful to do them. I'm really interested and curious about that modified fan contraption, so I really hope someone sees this thread and remembers how to do it. That'd be awesome!

~Alyssa

Emily · #28 2008-02-27, 12:02pm

Here is another method that you might want to try. You can use this to make twisties/cane, but you might want to practice it first with a single color. Take a mandrel with no bead release on it. (Yes, this is going to sound weird.) Warm an inch (not more, maybe less to start with) on the end of it, and start wrapping glass onto it. Have the glass that you're wrapping nice and melty as you're putting it on, so you don't trap air. You'll want to cover the end of the mandrel, but you're not building out from the mandrel. You're just building a nice blob of hot glass on the part of the mandrel that you heated. When you've got a nice blob built up (remember that you're being careful not to trap air), get it hot, keeping it on center. You can use a paddle or mashers to shape it so that the blob stays more balanced, but of course that will cool the surface a little when you touch it with the tool. When you've got it hot, attach a punty to the side opposite the mandrel. Your punty can be another mandrel (again, with no bead release), or a glass rod with a slightly pointed and rounded tip. Continue heating until blob (OK, gather) is evenly glowing the whole way through, then take out of flame, CONTINUE ROTATING AND WAIT FOR A FEW SECONDS WHILE GLASS COOLS A LITTLE, then begin to pull. The glass will pull gradually off the mandrel. If it stiffens up, you can melt off or cut off the stringer, reheat the gather remaining on the mandrel (reintroduce it to the flame carefully, in case it's gotten cold enough to shock), and keep pulling. When there's only a little bit of glass remaining on the mandrel, stick the mandrel in water. The glass will shock off, leaving your mandrel clean. (If if doesn't shock off right away, you can leave it in the water until it does, or crunch the glass a little with pliers, or stick it back in the flame and re-dunk it.)

To make twisties/cane, make a solid color gather on the mandrel, then put stripes of a different color on it lengthwise (parallel to the mandrel), and twist when you're pulling.

trickypixies_jewelry · #29 2008-02-27, 12:32pm

Emily, that is one of my fave ways to do my twisties. Kim Affleck's tutorial is awesome and really helped me out a lot. Manipulating the mandrel is a lot easier on my joints and muscles than trying to twist a longer glass rod. Thanks for posting that, I'm sure a lot of people will find that as useful as I do!

~Alyssa

opportunity-shop · #30 2008-02-27, 7:45pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by trickypixies_jewelry

Emily, that is one of my fave ways to do my twisties. Kim Affleck's tutorial is awesome and really helped me out a lot. Manipulating the mandrel is a lot easier on my joints and muscles than trying to twist a longer glass rod. Thanks for posting that, I'm sure a lot of people will find that as useful as I do!

~Alyssa

Go girl!! Keep twisting and posting and making beads. You can go to the gallery and post some of those pretties I saw on the coffee table this morning. Love ya, Barb