Boro scrap dichro for soft glass peeps!!!

jaci · #1 2012-01-03, 6:00pm

hi

I have a new tutorial for all of you!

These are not fused.

These are boro. They were made on a minor with only a 5lpm oxy con. Yep that's it! So. That means all you who have been reading like me and thinking you can't do boro... Think again! (well you can't do it all, but you can do this!

Turn this:

Into this:

This is made for a soft glass worker with no boro experience. The most experiance I had with boro before this... Uhh well I had a punty piece once...

certainly everyone can do this.

I don't think it can be done on a HH though with boro. However you could get a similar effect with scrap dichro in coe90 on a HH. I think it would be very similar. Just pre-heat the scrap dichro pieces in the kiln and remember to keep it all warm.

Please feel free to post links for supplies, pictures of what you have tried and ask any questions. I am here to help

http://fgbtut.blogspot.com/2012/01/b...glass.html?m=1
If the video is loading funny for you here is the YouTube link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhHBedk1vmE&sns=em

Karen Hardy · #2 2012-01-03, 6:09pm

What a cute idea! I have a bunch of boro dichro scrap that
I use on and off - I may try this out! Thanks!!!

jaci · #3 2012-01-03, 7:19pm

In the video I show you how to make a hole in the glass but I mention how to make the slide like piece shown above. To make it I made my design then treated the scrap like a rod of glass and wrapped it on to a mandrel just like I would start a bead. Hold it until the glass is stiff and pop into the kiln. Easy peasy

the two above were my first two tries as well.

jaci · #4 2012-01-05, 7:47am

It seems there may be a glitch in my blog that google is fixing.. Well maybe...

so I double checked the link, and if the video does not play here is the you tube link. I have had issues switching pages when the pages are clicked (the main issue they are fixing)so bare with me.

I have updated the links in my siggy to go straight to the tutorials but you can't get to my blog from there somehow... Well maybe it will work for you, it won't for me. Anyways.... Here is the link to the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhHBedk1vmE&sns=em

And more pics!

stamped with jim Moore spiral tongs, sculpted into a heart (top only- bottom of heart was the corner of the glass scrap piece, no re shaping)

stamped with a curved leaf press

Teri.p · #5 2012-01-11, 4:10am

Jaci - thanks! I love this so much that I ordered a bag of boro dichro from here. Hoping to light up the torch this morning to give your tutorial a go.

Teri

jaci · #6 2012-01-11, 9:29pm

Sooooo..did you try it yet? I had a total "did I make that??" when I took my first piece out of the kiln.

I can not wait to see what you did with it!

Teri that is a great source! I still have a bunch in the studio, but I'm SO addicted to making these that I was pricing out more, and found out that this supplier has bags of dichro scrap on e-bay for a few bucks less than their sight. I am 99% sure it's the same supplier. I just searched eBay for boro scrap dichro.

I think it was the only thing that came up. Anyways... Let us know how you like the dichro, how the color/size is and how well it stands up to the heat. I'm sure (especially with scrap) not all dichro is created equal!

Teri.p · #7 2012-01-12, 7:09am

Yes, I did! Other than one small bead years ago, this was my first time working with boro. I learned several things:

Either my Tapley Spiral Tongs don't have the strength to make much of an impression on boro, or I'm too impatient. I need to dig out my leaf mashers that are like yours for the next time.

I'm accustomed to working with 104 dichro that has already been slumped, and is nice and sparkly. I was underwhelmed with the coating on the boro scraps until they hit the flame.
Oo-la-la, are they ever pretty!

One pound of scraps is a lot of glass! I only picked through the top of the bag, but from what I can tell, much of it is in good-sized pieces.
There are small bits, too, that I plan on melting onto larger ones.

I need to find my Bail Biters. I thought they were on the workbench, but discovered mid-pendant that they're not.

The best thing is that I was finally motivated to fix the hose attachment to my concentrator. I've suspected that it was leaking a little bit, and sure enough, now my Cricket is hot!

Thanks again, Jaci, for the video tutorial. Can't wait to do it again today!

Teri

jaci · #8 2012-01-12, 8:38pm

I think you are impatient... Lol.
I had the same problem a few times. It is amazing how the color just all the sudden pops!
Some of the lighter colors or the ones that seem to turn white, are great when stacked sandwiching the dichro in the middle. It layers and multiplies the effect. It's really neat of you add texture before you sandwich them.

Yay motivation!! I hope you find your bail bitters! If not you can lay it on a coated mandrel (use a larger one) and make it a slide. Or just stab it from both sides.