implosion.

[J-Jo]

So i have started to try to make my first implosion today. When I try to melt by glob of clear to mash it flat for some reason it will not form into a ball it just keeps folding on its self. Does anyone have any ideas what i could be doing wrong? Thanks in advance

[Sue in Maine]

I have 2 guesses and a link to a tutorial to offer you.

Guess 1 is you are working with 104? Guess 2 is that you are not quite hitting the glass properly with your flame BUT if I'm right and you are working 104, the heat would explain why it's going round so fast.

Take a look at this tutorial (which I hunted up) and see if it helps you.

http://lampworketc.com/forums/showth...n+instructions

Good luck.

Sue

[J-Jo]

thank you so much for the tutorial!!!! It was very informative. I am also using 104 coe. Is this a bad thing?

[Sue in Maine]

No, no, using 104 isn't bad but this soft glass melts and moves so much faster than boro. After you flatten your gather, place a few dots in the middle. Heat the surface and press so you flatten the dots in. NOW is where you need to heat the side of your flattened surface- as in the "TIRE" face of the gather. Tilt your rod to angle the tip DOWN so the glass moves TO the side where your dots are and will run DOWN the tilted angle of glass.

Let it implode a little and gently press the glass flat again. Repeat until you finally have it.

Not sure if you're making a marble or what but the tutorial will help. It's hard for me to type directions! Go with the tutorial.

Sue

[J-Jo]

is there maybe a way to hold the rod to keep it from going crazy where i can actually get a ball to form?

[jjglass]

Elbow down and keep spinning it. If you start to lose control, take it out of the flame for a moment, let a skin form, then start heating again.