Flat disk/saucer?? Help!
 

I have been asked to make some little saucer/dish shapes, around 2 to 2 1/2 inches/5cm size diameter. They will need to be flat in the centre with a slight lip arouind the edge, to hold a very small amount of liquid.
Freeform, not symmetrical is OK ( thank goodness!)
I am working on a 4 stud Scorpion, and currently making a largish maria, turning up the edges, punty up to the back and smooth the centre.

I am sure there are clever members out there who do this sort of thing all the time, and would welcome any helpful hints you may have to share.

Thank you,
KMD.

It's far from my specialty, but if it were me, I'd try making a goblet foot from tubing first. Here's an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LweUhQmvjM Some of the details differ from how I'd do it but the core concept of opening a point and spinning are there.

Depending on how much of the point you heat up and when you stop you can end up with anything from a cone with a flared rim to a flat disc. I'd spin it somewhat close to a flat disc, grab with claws, remove the punty and flatten the center on graphite. The size of your final product will depend on the diameter and thickness of the tubing you use and how fast you spin.

Hope that helps.

chris has the right approach..flair out a peice of tubing.
mike

if your making what i think, all you need do is start out like your making an implosion or something. add your design to the end of a bubble melt down until its like a pendant but with a flat face. pull off extra tube and leave the rim not melted in..

I am lazy. I would just slump that pig in the kiln. :)

I have had some interesting forms draping over an upside stainless steel piece like a tart tin or shot glass . fire paper between the glass and form. If you slightly have the form angled you get some neat off kilter non symetrical design. Found this out by accident when my kiln was on a slight unnoticeable incline. I prefer draping over slumping, more creative and less predictable.
On the glass blowing side you can get some great ribbed tubing. Pull a point, blow a slight bubble, flatten the the end away from the point. Punty up to the bottom (part you just flattened), blow a kidney, pull off the point and flare the opening. Punty off the bottom and heal the bruise.

thanks gurus!
 

Thank you clever glassy gurus. I kept thinking if I was doing it tough I was probably doing it wrong. Work smarter, not harder. I shall try all your suggestions, and learn a whole lot as well.

KMD

I made some little 2cm dishes for work a few weeks ago.
They wanted them to run thru the soldering machine to make sure the melt temp was right.
I melted a large gather at the end of a clear rod, flattened it on my marver then pulled it away from the rod a bit.
Then I heated it and pressed it into my large lentil press base using the end of a large ring mandrel. That curved the glass up and formed a lip.
I flattened the base, put on a punty, removed the rod then the punty used tweezers and put them in the kiln.
It took me a few goes to get them even but seeing as it was my first time with boro they turned out ok.
The engineer was thought I'd bought them and was very surprised when I told him I'd made them.
Probably not the most elegant way but it worked for me.
Cheers
Helen

iwould blow a bubble, flatten it, punty to the back, remove the blowtube, and melt in the rim

So, How did you decide to do it?

What grateful glass said \m/