Quote:
Originally Posted by jhamilton117
So when you guys blow out your tubing, when your heating the tube do you just heat the gather to blow out the gather only? Or should I close up the tube, then move so the flame so it starts to condense next to the gather?
When I try to blow out tubing I only heat and gather the very end, is this where I'm screwing up?
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If you want to blow a bubble larger than the tube diameter start by first closing the end and evening up it's thickness to be consistent with the rest of the tube. Usually this involves peeling away some of the glass to get a centered end then melting it back in and blowing out slightly. At that point heat a few inches of the tubing using quick rotations and a wide bushy flame. Bring it up to an even dull glow using even rotations (small gentle and consistent finger movements) and then take it out of the flame and pause for a few seconds to let the heat even out and sink in - this is critical. Then blow, slow at first then faster as the glass sets up. The angle you hold the glass determines the shape of the bubble - heat and gravity - assuming the heat is even. Hold up for a squat bubble, down for and elongated one
Here's a link to a more thorough explanation
http://www.mickelsenstudios.com/articles/TUBEWORK.HTM