Bullseye Marble Question

[KA]

I have searched the forums and I guess I don't have a lot of patience after reading 10 threads on Bullseye related stuff that didn't answer my question.

I did TRY to find an answer before posting this.

I just started flame working after fusing for the last 12 years and I have a ton of Bullseye sheet, frit, dichroic, etc. glass. I have been buying Boro for making marbles and have made some up to 40mm.

I would like to use up some of my BE glass since I have so much and such a wide variety. I don't have a vitrigraph kiln. I have heard tell of molds that you can put flat glass or frit into and then use the result for flame working. I would like to do 2" marbles but need rod about 10-14mm to do marbles that size. I haven't seen any BE rod bigger than 5mm.

I have tied to make gathers from 3/8" strips of flat BE but they turn out looking scummy. I haven't tried fusing 3 or four in the kiln figuring the scum is coming from over heating the edges anyway.

Is there any tricks to making a gather in the kiln for a 2" piece? Is it even possible with Bullseye?

What is the best method to prepare a gather in the kiln with a mold? What is the best method to get out all the bubbles and what temperature is best to attach the rod at.

What do you use for a mold, graphite? I don't see these types of molds for sale. Is it a two step process to fuse the gather and then reheat after cleaning all the kiln wash off or can you fuse directly into a graphite, or some other type of, mold?

I know you can attach a Boro punty to a 104coe gather, I assume BE would be the same, but I am not sure of the technique of removing all the incompatible glass when you change punties.

Any advice, techniques or referrals to Youtube, etc. would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave

[28676bhe]

BE crystal clear works lots better than their regular clear. Keep the oxy up and have patience. Boro is still going to be better for marbles, but the BE is great for beads.

Do kiln fire your cut strips first in a single layer. Or, you can do two strips, one on top of the other for more glass volumn w/o worrying about spread.

You would need a crucible kiln for a gather, and I'm not sure how BE would behave at those temps!

[LyndaJ]

Several thoughts
Bullseye sells 8-9 mm rod that gives a little more flexibility in size

Schott makes glass that is compatible, and if you're willing to order late quantities, you can get large diameter rods. >1"

Brazee st studio, near me, runs a hot shop with bullseye- so I know it's possible.

Boro handles make a huge difference in working stability.

[SuzyQ]

Greg Chase used to make amazing Bullseye marbles.

[Talonst]

Reading Drew Fritts book on soft glass marbles would be enlightening for you.

You could cut strips of the sheet glass and stack and bind them together with steel or nichrome wire (a wrap at each end). Place them in the kiln to preheat then heat the end of a boro punti to white hot. Open the kiln and grab the stack from the end. Fuse one end of the stack together in the flame and cut off the wire on that end and then slowly heat along the length chasing out the air. As you move to the other end remove the second wire wrap and attach another punti to the other end and now you have your gather or you can pull into a rod.

This process is explained in detail in Drew's book.

I wouldn't say boro is better for marbles. In many way soft glass marbles are easier to make and can be as or more beautiful.

Enjoy!

[castaway]

Just use the bullseye sheet cut into strips, it works very well for marbles and I use it for a whole range of "repo" style marbles you can use a boro rod to gather on but finish with a punty of Schott 91, anneal at 490˚ C, these are a set of players styled after Jabo marbles, and made from sheet.
cheers, Bernard

[KA]

Thanks for all the replies. I guess I need to change the setting that automagically subscribes me to my own postings here. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯