How to cut murrini!?

ElizabethCreations · #1 2012-03-01, 12:34pm

Maybe it's a dumb question but I am asking anyway!

I just made some murrini for the first time today.

I was wondering how to cut them into little pieces without having them flying all over the place. I am using a glass cutter. This is not working well as I have to try to find any pieces that flies away in the room...
And sometimes, it just crushes the murrini.
Am I doing something wrong or my glass cutter is crap?!

Mitosis Glass · #2 2012-03-01, 12:49pm

I always put my finger on the very tip of the part that is being cut, then once it's cut I lift my finger and let it drop into a container.

Some other people aim the end into a container and cut so the murrini fall directly into the container.

ElizabethCreations · #3 2012-03-01, 1:09pm

I will try that! Thanks!

ElizabethCreations · #4 2012-03-01, 1:18pm

it's working perfectly! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

rosemarie23 · #5 2012-03-01, 2:06pm

Just be careful to not pinch your finger with the nippers. This seems like an obvious observation, but someone may have forgotten this little tip.

Margrieten · #6 2012-03-01, 2:47pm

I have bought a special tool to cut the murrini. It is the best I have ever bought. It works very quick, just cut it into little peaces and the murrini fels into the bag.

It is this one: http://www.bohle-group.com/shop/glas...L:::19560.html

Mitosis Glass · #7 2012-03-01, 6:35pm

You're welcome Liz! Glad I could help. And yes, just keep an eye on your finger and make sure you don't get it with the nippers. That hurts like you wouldn't believe.

rainygrrl · #8 2012-03-03, 10:50am

Just wanted to note that if you search for "cut murrini" in titles of threads you'll find several threads where people offer various approaches. Very helpful.

betsymn · #9 2012-03-03, 6:22pm

I've got that too, and it's snip, snip, snip. Really easy and quick.

Quote:

Originally Posted by margriet@stainedglass.nl

I have bought a special tool to cut the murrini. It is the best I have ever bought. It works very quick, just cut it into little peaces and the murrini fels into the bag.

It is this one: http://www.bohle-group.com/shop/glas...L:::19560.html

Eileen · #10 2012-03-03, 7:41pm

Or make your own catcher:
http://fusedglass.org/tools/mosaic_catch-o-matic

I have to say I normally use the finger to the bottom, cut & drop method even though I did get the clamps to make the catcher. I don't make a ton of murrini though.

Pat · #11 2012-03-03, 7:45pm

I made that glass catcher and it works great.

betsymn · #12 2012-03-04, 6:40am

That's a nifty idea! Better than using a towel to catch all of the slices.

Margrieten · #13 2012-08-18, 7:35am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eileen

Or make your own catcher:
http://fusedglass.org/tools/mosaic_catch-o-matic

I have to say I normally use the finger to the bottom, cut & drop method even though I did get the clamps to make the catcher. I don't make a ton of murrini though.

Thanks!

theglasszone · #14 2012-08-18, 9:30pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by betsymn

That's a nifty idea! Better than using a towel to catch all of the slices.

Hum, I'm a towel catcher...maybe I should try this!

betsymn · #15 2012-08-19, 2:30pm

I made one using a baby food jar, and too many slices popped right back out. It might work better with a deeper jar, but I just went back to the towel.

28676bhe · #16 2012-08-19, 4:45pm

I don't see two screws in that rod nipper with the bag, but if you have the one with the screws, it's really easy to get consistent slices by.................

Hold your rod straight up and down on a table.
Hold your nippers with the screw side resting on the table.
Slide your nippers to your rod and squeeze/snip.

Each and every piece will be the height of the nipper blades from the table determined by how thick the screws are.

Move the rod after each snip, and square up the nippers again for your next cut.

Barbara

betsymn · #17 2012-08-20, 5:26am

Duh! I need to have my eyes checked! I thought it showed a jar! OK, now I'm going to try making a proper murrini catcher.

purpledragonfly · #18 2012-08-20, 5:31am

the link in a previous post that has the instructions shows a jar.

Eileen · #19 2012-08-20, 5:33am

I think the instructions for the make your own call for a jar that is about the size of a peanut butter jar. (They say Bullseye frit jar or other similar container)

Dasi · #20 2012-08-20, 9:34am

Just for dreams... these are at Corning. I chopped up some butterfly cane one trip. The blue murinni cutter is to die for. That one is made by Carlo Dona. A couple grand but a girl can dream!!!

cheng076 · #21 2012-08-20, 10:13am

I don't have any pics of it but I made one a couple years ago that uses a spring loaded lever with opposing carbide cutter blades. I have been able to get slices as thin as 2mm from a 6mm dia rod. They also tend to fly a long ways so I set a small box lined with cotton waste in front of the blade to catch them.

Dasi · #22 2012-08-20, 10:16am

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheng076

I don't have any pics of it but I made one a couple years ago that uses a spring loaded lever with opposing carbide cutter blades. I have been able to get slices as thin as 2mm from a 6mm dia rod. They also tend to fly a long ways so I set a small box lined with cotton waste in front of the blade to catch them.

Would love to see a picture. If you made it, I am sure it is great. You made my favorite lampworking tool!!!! I don't remember meeting you at the gathering and I asked around about you.....

FosterFire · #23 2012-08-20, 4:03pm

I don't remember who, but someone suggested just putting your hands and nippers inside a plastic bag. No lost murrini that way.

cheng076 · #24 2012-08-21, 10:57am

Went out and took a couple pics of my cutter this morning.

Dasi · #25 2012-08-21, 12:05pm

wow!! awesome. thanks for the picture!!

volkanokaren · #26 2012-08-21, 1:37pm

cheng076,look at that beautiful tool,very clever.

Karen
Volkano Exotik

ripzz

jconsidine11 · #27 2012-08-21, 7:57pm

Barbara,
Thanks for the tip on cutting the murrini by having the cutter screws on the table. It worked great! All my new fire lotus murrini are perfectly sized (at least vertically

).
Joan

susanlambert · #28 2012-08-24, 12:15pm

This is great to see all these tips! Thank you. Now to check if my cutter has screws or if the jar would work. Up to this point, I hold the cutters in a giant ziplock bag when cutting and the cut murrini drops into the bag. thanks everyone who posted what they do!