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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips

View Poll Results: Is your favorite tool specifically made for Lampwork or have "MacGyvered" one?
Store Purchased 219 67.18%
Handmade, baby! 95 29.14%
Tools? I don't use no stinkin' tools! 7 2.15%
I'm not telling you! 5 1.53%
Voters: 326. You may not vote on this poll

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  #121  
Old 2012-02-24, 6:09am
Angie09 Angie09 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ArtcoInc View Post
Something like this?

http://retroglasstools.com/types.aspx

Malcolm
I use mine all the time!! Just sits quietly on my torch table til the dreaded "wobbley" bead comes along and with 2 short moves, it's back in line. LOVE that tool!!!
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  #122  
Old 2012-02-24, 6:14am
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catsarthouse catsarthouse is offline
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My favorite tool is actually a pointed non serrated plier used for jewelry making. I used it like a tweezer to get in and do detail work and it feels secure in my hand so I get good control with it. So far, I haven't killed it with the heat.
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  #123  
Old 2012-03-01, 3:47pm
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my brain.
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  #124  
Old 2012-10-12, 5:32am
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Anne Londez Anne Londez is offline
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I love Michael's answer. I was going to say my flame...
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  #125  
Old 2012-10-20, 7:29pm
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flaming_fools flaming_fools is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rubyglass View Post
Uncle Al's Rod Grabber- It has saved my fingers so many times...
I use my Stump Shaper all the time.
both of these!!!!
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  #126  
Old 2012-11-20, 4:11pm
dusty dusty is offline
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For me, it's stainless steel punties (just mandrels employed for off-mandrel work). My work would be entirely different without these.

Other than that, it's my 6-in-1 marble mold. It serves as a marver or a rounder, and when I work off mandrel, rounding is pretty much every other step, and half of the rest of them are marvering. I'd like to know how many thousands of steps it's been used in. Unlike infinite rim molds, which leave an orange-peel surface, the regular cup-style molds with sharp-cornered edges can leave a marble very smooth, ready for fire-polishing and then finishing. I do love my IR mold, though.

Last edited by dusty; 2012-11-21 at 10:48pm.
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  #127  
Old 2012-11-20, 4:27pm
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istandalone24/7 istandalone24/7 is offline
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hmmm, every infinite rim mold i've used hasn't left orange peel on the marble.
perhaps you got a poorly machined mold?
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  #128  
Old 2012-11-20, 4:36pm
dusty dusty is offline
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I don't think so - it's the best made graphite tool I've ever seen. It's just that there's more contact area, so it chills the marble more. It's not always terrible, but there's a noticable texture, whereas with the 6-in-1 I can easily get a marble so smooth it looks like it's already been fire-polished. Maybe I'm using the IR mold wrong, but I can't do that with it, or at least not near as easily.

Last edited by dusty; 2012-11-20 at 4:51pm.
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  #129  
Old 2012-11-21, 7:00am
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istandalone24/7 istandalone24/7 is offline
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yea if your getting a rough surface then you're definitely putting the marble in the mold too hot.
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  #130  
Old 2012-11-21, 7:43am
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I get more wrinkles from my 3 in one from trying to shape too hot. Remember you want to use the edge of the mold not the bottom.
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  #131  
Old 2012-11-21, 10:05pm
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Actually, with the Infinite Rim molds you use the bottom. That's what "infinite rim" refers to. The whole thing functions (somewhat) like the rim due to its geometry. Maybe for final step you're still supposed to use just the edge.

Maybe I am putting it in too hot. Whatever the case, with less effort, the 6 in 1 gives me a smoother marble with less effort. I use the Infinite Rim mold for quickly getting things into round that are way far away from round - it excels at that. I've probably turned out a thousand marbles using the pair and a lot more than that using the 6 in 1, so I'm not just blowing smoke.

edit to add:
Drew Fritts, the inventor of the IR molds and a person that's made a lot more marbles than myself, doesn't even use his graphite Infinite Rim molds for the final step, but switches to a cherrywood mold because of this very problem. I find I don't need the cherrywood mold, because the cup-style mold leaves the marble completely ready for flame-polishing. I might change my ways when I start making more large marbles, because the larger the marble, the harder it is to keep the edge of the cup-style from leaving lines.

I'm very glad to have both, and I use them both on almost every piece I make.

Last edited by dusty; 2012-11-21 at 10:36pm.
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  #132  
Old 2012-11-22, 12:15am
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I love the rod holder I got from Graceful Customs. I have several containers of shorts, and now I can use them!
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  #133  
Old 2012-11-22, 9:56pm
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Simply Lampwork Simply Lampwork is offline
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The torch is my favorite tool. Can't live with out it! hee her her

now that I got the smart ass out.... I love a marver that I've had from day one. I bought it and have no idea who designed it. Its chipped, burnt and shop worn. When I teach a private lesson in my studio I put away. (selfish me, I would be sad if it was dropped and broken the rest of the way) I really should post a photo maybe someone knows where I can get a replacement.
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Cheers from Nancy Gant
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  #134  
Old 2013-05-21, 8:44pm
Max Hardcastle Max Hardcastle is offline
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tweezers.
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  #135  
Old 2015-01-02, 11:53am
Capsalty Capsalty is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dusty View Post
Actually, with the Infinite Rim molds you use the bottom. That's what "infinite rim" refers to. The whole thing functions (somewhat) like the rim due to its geometry. Maybe for final step you're still supposed to use just the edge.

Maybe I am putting it in too hot. Whatever the case, with less effort, the 6 in 1 gives me a smoother marble with less effort. I use the Infinite Rim mold for quickly getting things into round that are way far away from round - it excels at that. I've probably turned out a thousand marbles using the pair and a lot more than that using the 6 in 1, so I'm not just blowing smoke.

edit to add:
Drew Fritts, the inventor of the IR molds and a person that's made a lot more marbles than myself, doesn't even use his graphite Infinite Rim molds for the final step, but switches to a cherrywood mold because of this very problem. I find I don't need the cherrywood mold, because the cup-style mold leaves the marble completely ready for flame-polishing. I might change my ways when I start making more large marbles, because the larger the marble, the harder it is to keep the edge of the cup-style from leaving lines.

I'm very glad to have both, and I use them both on almost every piece I make.
According to the illustrations in his book you don't use the bottom of the infinite rim mold. It's called an infinite rim mold because it's like you have an infinite number of rims along the side, so the marble fits the mold better. If you use the bottom, you're defeating the purpose, and need to either make bigger marbles or use a smaller mold. You're using it like a really big cup mold.

I agree with what someone else posted, you're putting the marble into the mold too hot.

I believe he switches to a cherrywood mold because he's a perfectionist and wants the end result as smooth as it can possibly be. No matter how smooth you can get it with a graphite mold, cherrywood can get it smoother. (cherrywood doesn't steal heat like graphite does)

With all that said; if what you're doing is working for you then none of what I just said really matters, but you might be able to get better use of your mold with this info.
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Last edited by Capsalty; 2015-01-02 at 12:00pm.
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  #136  
Old 2015-01-02, 1:28pm
LarryC LarryC is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Capsalty View Post
According to the illustrations in his book you don't use the bottom of the infinite rim mold. It's called an infinite rim mold because it's like you have an infinite number of rims along the side, so the marble fits the mold better. If you use the bottom, you're defeating the purpose, and need to either make bigger marbles or use a smaller mold. You're using it like a really big cup mold.

I agree with what someone else posted, you're putting the marble into the mold too hot.

I believe he switches to a cherrywood mold because he's a perfectionist and wants the end result as smooth as it can possibly be. No matter how smooth you can get it with a graphite mold, cherrywood can get it smoother. (cherrywood doesn't steal heat like graphite does)

With all that said; if what you're doing is working for you then none of what I just said really matters, but you might be able to get better use of your mold with this info.
I think you have both missed the point. As long as the cherrywood mold is used and kept wet, it never fully touches the surface. A layer of steam forms between the glass and mold protecting it. Last step for me is similar to what drew is doing but I fire polish. I do use infinite rims but only for shaping and not for the final step. So many different ways to do this. No single method is "correct" so do what is working.
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  #137  
Old 2015-02-10, 9:24am
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Brass butter knife ($0.50 @ Salvation Army) & Needle-knosed pliers ($1.99 @ Harbor Freight.) Those are the tools that I use in every single torch session.
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  #138  
Old 2015-02-22, 4:57pm
Nighthawk Nighthawk is offline
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this is the best store bought tool!


this is best hand made tool!
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  #139  
Old 2015-06-11, 8:28pm
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My electric mandrel spinner.
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  #140  
Old 2015-06-12, 9:19pm
tassiebeads tassiebeads is offline
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Tungsten pick.
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  #141  
Old 2015-06-16, 8:37am
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I have a round bead roller that I got from Howaco Glass a few years ago. It's graphite and I use the smooth side all the time. I have many bead rollers , but the back of this one is my absolute fave tool that I use all the time. Go figure, I'm using it the wrong way and its my favorite! Lol!

I also use a tool all the time that I got from Graceful Customs, which is a rod holder for short rods. It's really invaluable. Fits perfectly in my hand and allows me to use the last bits of my rods up without putting them in a bucket labeled "SHORTS".
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