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Boro Room -- For Boro-related tips, techniques, and questions.

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  #1  
Old 2006-11-19, 10:30pm
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ShepherdCreations ShepherdCreations is offline
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Location: Riverside, CA
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Unhappy Bubbles Explode?!?

Ok. First of all, I am deeply in love with boro. Second of all, I am mostly doing boro pendants and sculpture right now, and have made a few ornaments and a few cute bud vases out of my small and medium tubing. Well, tonight I was trying to practice blowing perfect bubbles so I can make ornaments for Christmas gifts.

Anyway, I blew a jelly-bean-snoopy-head shaped bubble and flame cut if off the tube and set it aside. After I had gotten a little satisfaction from getting one or two decent bubbles *I had a headache at this point, mind you,* I turned the torch off to reflect and take a break. Well I picked up the odd shaped one and looked at it, turned it in my hand, tapped it (*now here's probably where I went wrong*), and KAPOW!!! It exploded into a trillion little shards, covering my hands and lap with teeny-tiny little itty-bitty flecks of glass. Needless to say I was a bit stunned and had to strategize before moving a muscle. Stripped down in the garage/studio, washed hands in the kitchen, then got some more clothes and came here frustratedly. Why did this happen??? If all my bubbles are tapped will they explode too?? Is it just the odd shaped ones??? Please, any help or "yeah I've done that" would be very much appreciated. Thanks folks!

PS: No, luckily I didn't seem to get any in my eyes, must have snapped shut pretty damn fast.. Thank goodness!!
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  #2  
Old 2006-11-19, 10:46pm
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Feldt's Glass Feldt's Glass is offline
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Location: Pacific Northwest
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I had this happen with a soft glass bead that I had not annealed. I let it cool in vermiculite, then took it off the mandrel and set it down. I went to find something across the room when I heard the "ping". It just poped into about 6 bigger pieces and shards everywhere. Hasen't happend sence. Glad to here you are ok.
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  #3  
Old 2006-11-19, 11:29pm
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Leanne Leanne is offline
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Did you blow the glass way way too thin? like thin enough where you hear it tinkling as it starts to crack straight away? normally the bubbles I blow are quite solid sort of like I have tried to bang them on the table to intentionally smash them you would be suprised at how strong they are..... Sorry probably no help hey!
From Leanne
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Old 2006-11-20, 2:38am
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Wonker Wonker is offline
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If you blow a glass bubble and leave it totally sealed you get a vacuum tube. When you heat the air inside of the tube by melting the glass, then seal off all communication with the outside world the air inside cools and contracts. This leaves a strong vacuum inside the tube. It can collapse the tube with what appears to be a kind of "explosion" (although more of an implosion). Could this be what happened? If it is all you have to do is leave a tiny little hole somewhere in the bubble.
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Old 2006-11-20, 8:59am
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ShepherdCreations ShepherdCreations is offline
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Thanks LT!
Not thin enough that they sound like plastic crinkling, but not thick enough to waste too much glass, as i was just practicing and remelting the bubbles that came out too wonky.
Wonker, yes that's what happened. My husband explained that to me after I gave up for the night with a goodly headache. I need to leave a little opening and seal it after it cools if I like. Thanks guys, I'll be more careful next time...
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Old 2006-11-24, 7:55am
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Rose Leslie Rose Leslie is offline
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Geesh I'm learnign so much right now about this. Really great information.
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