Implosion flowers

[eej713]

I tried my first implosion flower this week. First try went totally wonky and I turned it into a fan pull, second one turned out semi-good (I'll try to remember to take a photo of it when I get home tomorrow), third one I imploded it too much and it's a blurry mess. Okay, now to the question:

How thick should the stringer be? Mine were fairly thin and I really didn't feel like I had any control of it....it melted into a blob before I could lay it down. Maybe my torch was too hot?

[Karen Hardy]

You're gonna hate to hear this, but you're gonna hear this a lot.

Practice, practice, practice.

I prefer stringers to be about 2-3mm.
If it melted into a blob as you were laying it down,
then it's not so much a matter of your torch being too
hot, but of you misdirecting the flame (although, there is
a possibility the torch was too hot - hard to know without seeing
you work). Try to keep the stringer OUT of the flame, and either
use an indirect heat to melt it, or try a pinpoint flame.

I use all of those - sometimes one works better, sometimes
the other way. You just need to experiment.

[sableglass]

you need to take a class with john kobuki!

[nagibeads]

Josh--when are you going to be teaching in LA?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(I know you live in SD--it's not too far from here!!pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease???)

[Kim V]

Definitely!!! I took his class in Maine this summer and it was absolutely fantastic!!!!! I'd take it again too!

Originally Posted by sableglass

you need to take a class with john kobuki!

[DesertDreamer]

Is there a tut for stringer flowers anywhere? I've only done frit implosions in soft glass, but I'd love to try some boro implosions.

[Karen Hardy]

I watched a demo by someone who had taken Kobuki's class,
and MY florals improved 100%. I would kill to take a John Kobuki
class. Everyone who comes out of it just starts making the
most AMAZING florals I've ever seen. Definitely a good
"payoff" class.

[nagibeads]

he is soooo nice too--one of the best if not the best class I have ever taken!
Really so giving and kind!!!

and he let me play on his Mirage and I got hooked and had to get one......

[eej713]

Thank you, everyone for your comments.

No Karen, I don't hate the phrase.......practice, practice, practice
I know full well that is what I have to do. I've had four months of lessons, but I really need to concentrate and practice on the various things in order to get good at them, not just do one or two in a lesson situation, then forget about it for months, while we cover other things. My friends like my efforts, I just need to get better at them.

Do I then keep my stringer just under the flame to gently melt it? My stringers were awfully thin (when I did them right).

I have my set up, most of the tools, a used Mid-range torch, gauges, hoses and a supply of glass but minus the oxygen and propane. My son is going to build me a box for my propane tanks and I need to make a couple of sandbags for transporting the Oxygen. I hesitate to get the Oxygen and Propane because I'm afraid my son will start messing around with it, without any instruction and not bleed off the lines or do something that may result in a fire. Sooner or later, I'm going to hope that he won't and take the final steps.......in the meantime, I gather for my instructor when she is preparing for a show and get torch time in exchange. Great for me, since I'm getting fairly good at gathering a ball and having it be a ball. LOLs I got 12 hours practice this week, which is more than the 2 hour a week lessons I was getting before I retired 3 months ago. I'll help her a few more days next week and then I'll be able to have quite a few days to work in her studio......helps me to keep in practice.

I would love to take a class by John Kobuki one of these days. How do you get his class schedule? I'd even like to see a demonstration by someone who has taken a class from him.

Are there any major "glass shows" or conferences in the PA area? or East Coast that I might be able to travel to?

I'm trying to sell my house here in PA, but with the market the way it is, I may have to be here for another year or more. Once I sell it, I plan to move to Arizona, but until I do, I'm going to get as much practice as I can.

[sableglass]

Nagi - not sure about the classes. I can do 1 on 1's possibly, or if there is a studio that can hold a decent size class, im game. Im not familiar with any of the flameworking studios in LA thou.

-j

[gmkcpa]

eej713 - I started making 'implosion flowers' about 2 1/2 years ago, from a Chris Rice tut in the Oct-Nov 2003 issue of Glass Line (Volume 17, No.3). It took about 20 tries before I wasn't embarrased with the outcome. Now, after about 150, they usually come out pretty good - the main problem is that the artist's eye always goes to the part that didn't quite come out like he was trying for! I just got back from John Kobuki's workshop at Revere Glass in Berkeley in September and have been practicing his methods alot. His workshop was really good and I have methods to work on now that will keep me very happily busy for months. What really amazed me, aside from John and his work (John makes a flower marble like a brain surgeon doing a delicate operation-it's really something to see) was that one attendee had never made marbles before and was working from a 1/2" rod and I was very very impressed with the way her flowers came out (way better than mine); she listened and took notes as John worked and her results were super.
Now, my advice to you - you think your stringers are too thin? Then make your next flower using thicker stringers! Try 2mm, 3mm and 4 mm. If you don't want to make 3 flowers to try this, than make one petal with 2mm, next petal with 3 mm, etc. If you think that you are pressing down too hard or too many times when compressing (imploding) then on the next marble only press down twice, gently, and see how it comes out. Practice, practice, practice but don't keep doing the same thing each time-try a little change in the method each time until you find what works best. (definition of insanity-doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result). Good luck. Post some pictures.

[nagibeads]

Originally Posted by sableglass

Nagi - not sure about the classes. I can do 1 on 1's possibly, or if there is a studio that can hold a decent size class, im game. Im not familiar with any of the flameworking studios in LA thou.

-j

YAY!
ok I will ask Donna at the Mandrel....
if getting a class in a studio in LA is not possible, then I will PM you about 1 on 1....my schedule right now is kooky--I have been meaning to ask you for a long time and I hope to make it sooner than later!
thanks!!!

[nagibeads]

eej-- some East Coast places that come to mind....of places I want to go to one day ....
the obvious ones:
Corning: http://www.cmog.org/dynamic.aspx?id=174
Penland(N.C.) a bit far, but East Coast:
http://www.penland.org/about/glass_studio.html

and some of themarble greats:
Chris Rice is out of NY....
http://www.cnyglass.com/
the king of Universe marbles--Gateson Recko is out of NJ!!
http://www.universemarbles.com/Universe.html

Philly Glassworks
http://www.phillyglassworks.com/
PA Glass Trail
http://www.goggleworks.org/paglasstrail/index.html
Carlisle school:
http://carlisleschoolofglassart.com/Instructors.htm

[nagibeads]

The Works Gallery...I think...Steve Sizelove pieces there I think....


and Robert Mickelson! in Pittsburg
http://www.mickelsenstudios.com/contents.htm

FIG!
http://www.figstudios.com/insects/insects.html

sigh...I wanna go to the East Coast...

[AuntD]

Originally Posted by nagibeads

The Works Gallery...I think...Steve Sizelove pieces there I think....


and Robert Mickelson! in Pittsburg
http://www.mickelsenstudios.com/contents.htm

FIG!
http://www.figstudios.com/insects/insects.html

sigh...I wanna go to the East Coast...

Yeah, and everyone on the East Coast wants to get to the West Coast, where the glass is born.... we all need to set up house trades.

[BorosilliBeader]

I would recommend a smaller torch like a GTT Bobcat, Lynx or a Nortel Minor instead of the Midrange for flower implosions, unless you're making huge ones. The square torch head makes a very awkward small flame thats still very large which makes laying perfect stringers a funky task. PS gravity and centrifugal force are your friend.

[ginkgoglass]

Originally Posted by AuntD

Yeah, and everyone on the East Coast wants to get to the West Coast, where the glass is born.... we all need to set up house trades.

What a great idea!!

[Cosmo]

Originally Posted by BorosilliBeader

I would recommend a smaller torch like a GTT Bobcat, Lynx or a Nortel Minor instead of the Midrange for flower implosions, unless you're making huge ones. The square torch head makes a very awkward small flame thats still very large which makes laying perfect stringers a funky task. PS gravity and centrifugal force are your friend.

The Midrange isn't square, it's round. The Major is square. The Midrange is a great marble-making torch. It's what I learned on. I would, however, recommend the one with the Minor (or pre-mix) on top.

[Cosmo]

Originally Posted by eej713

Thank you, everyone for your comments.

No Karen, I don't hate the phrase.......practice, practice, practice
I know full well that is what I have to do. I've had four months of lessons, but I really need to concentrate and practice on the various things in order to get good at them, not just do one or two in a lesson situation, then forget about it for months, while we cover other things. My friends like my efforts, I just need to get better at them.

Do I then keep my stringer just under the flame to gently melt it? My stringers were awfully thin (when I did them right).

I have my set up, most of the tools, a used Mid-range torch, gauges, hoses and a supply of glass but minus the oxygen and propane. My son is going to build me a box for my propane tanks and I need to make a couple of sandbags for transporting the Oxygen. I hesitate to get the Oxygen and Propane because I'm afraid my son will start messing around with it, without any instruction and not bleed off the lines or do something that may result in a fire. Sooner or later, I'm going to hope that he won't and take the final steps.......in the meantime, I gather for my instructor when she is preparing for a show and get torch time in exchange. Great for me, since I'm getting fairly good at gathering a ball and having it be a ball. LOLs I got 12 hours practice this week, which is more than the 2 hour a week lessons I was getting before I retired 3 months ago. I'll help her a few more days next week and then I'll be able to have quite a few days to work in her studio......helps me to keep in practice.

I would love to take a class by John Kobuki one of these days. How do you get his class schedule? I'd even like to see a demonstration by someone who has taken a class from him.

Are there any major "glass shows" or conferences in the PA area? or East Coast that I might be able to travel to?

I'm trying to sell my house here in PA, but with the market the way it is, I may have to be here for another year or more. Once I sell it, I plan to move to Arizona, but until I do, I'm going to get as much practice as I can.

BeadFest is in PA. Not specifically a "glass show", but a lot of lampworkers are there, and there are quite a few lampworking classes there. I taught a pendant class and a blown bead class there this past August.

[DesertDreamer]

Originally Posted by Cosmo

The Midrange isn't square, it's round. The Major is round. The Midrange is a great marble-making torch. It's what I learned on. I would, however, recommend the one with the Minor (or pre-mix) on top.

Yup, the Midrange body is square, but the face is a lovely round flame. Thanks for the thumbs up, I've been having torch envy lately. I'll behave now. AND go try to do some boro marbles!

[BorosilliBeader]

My bad, ur right it was the major that is Square.

[Toni L.]

Hey Denise!!
Mike Close and I had been trying to get a Josh class together earlier this year at GO, but it never happened. If you guys work something out please let me know - I'm definitely interested!!

*Hi Josh!*

t

[nagibeads]

ok
!!

[jjglass]

Here is a tutorial I started with:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=170943

but nothing can substitute a class from Kobuki. If you get the opportunity, do it, beyond learning a ton you will enjoy being around him, he's a good guy. He is teaching in November at Momka's which is where I went to take his class. On top of an awesome instructor, you get to be in the wonkaland of glass. Momka is a great host and her crew are fantastic. As a bonus, we learned how to pull cane from a batch they were running. I also got to pick through all of Momka's experimentals (came home with about 20 lbs. of glass that I got to hand pick.) It was an awesome experience.

Anyway, hope this info helps!

[sableglass]

Hi toni!

Well, i have a friend slowly building a studio for possible classes here in San Diego. Located out in Santee right off the Fwy 52 east. I anticipate him opening sometime next month.

Im game for doing 1on1's or even a small group at somebodys private studio. If interested email me sableglass@hotmail.com or leave a PM via lampworketc.

-josh

[menty666]

Originally Posted by BorosilliBeader

I would recommend a smaller torch like a GTT Bobcat, Lynx or a Nortel Minor instead of the Midrange for flower implosions, unless you're making huge ones. The square torch head makes a very awkward small flame thats still very large which makes laying perfect stringers a funky task. PS gravity and centrifugal force are your friend.

I brought my redmax up to ME when I took the Kobuki class and aside from the minor scaring the crap out of everyone nearly every time it shut off () it held it's own at a table mostly full of Delta's, Mirages, and a Delta Mag (and a couple of smaller ones). I made three lovely marbles about 2" in diameter. If you're working a smaller torch, just make smaller marbles