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

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  #1  
Old 2006-12-06, 11:28am
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Default Ok... I made do-it-yourself frit... but how do I sort it?

It's all mixed up. How do I screen it to separate the different sizes?

Someone suggested using Tulle fabric... but I've never been a ballerina...I mean, c'mon I can't see myself buying a tu-tu - even in a good cause. What can I get at the hardware (or grocery) store that will do the same trick? I was looking at the hardware cloth and that seems like it's too big, and the screens look too small for sorting out all but the very smallest sizes...

Thanks in advance...

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  #2  
Old 2006-12-06, 11:33am
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window screen will work, if you can find small amounts and don't have to buy a whole roll. They sell it in different screen sizes too.
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  #3  
Old 2006-12-06, 11:38am
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You can find packs of different size mesh at the craft stores. I bought a pack that had three different sized holes. If you get desperate enough to poke your own holes in some stiff paper (like cardstock) you can make your own larger mesh, then screen the little stuff with your kitchen strainers.
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  #4  
Old 2006-12-06, 11:47am
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For sizes 0 and 2, I got some sifters at Wal-Mart. Real cheap, and they work great! For a size one I use a very small Colander that my sister gave me, which she received as part of a set as a wedding gift. I've never seen one like at a regular store. It's only 3.5 inches wide -- so small as to be impractical. Works great for sifting a size 1 frit though! You could probably find one that would work at a cooking/kitchen store. I would physically GO to the store though and check out the hole sizes on them because they can vary quite a bit!

I've never used material mesh to sift frit. That would probably work too! They sell mesh type material at Wal-Mart if you don't have any handy.

Candy
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  #5  
Old 2006-12-06, 12:18pm
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I made a whole bunch of frit out of wonkie/reject beads and some recycled glass. I got about a #00 or powder (on the right), a #1 (in the jar) and about a #2 (on the left).


I found a couple of 3 packs of hand held strainers at the dollar store with different sized meshes and also used an extra sand sifter my son had in his sand box for the larger sized frit. The holes in the sand sifter are about 1/8 inch square.


I'm betting that plastic canvas would work okay too for the larger sizes if you could find a way to geri-rig a way to sift with it. It comes in a couple sizes and is inexpensive at the craft stores.
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  #6  
Old 2006-12-06, 12:41pm
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We make sorters using Jif peanut butter jars and the plastic mesh thats shown above. The jif jars can be cut off a couple of inches below the lid and will then fit inside each other - you cut a round circle of each size of the mesh and can sort your frit into three or four sizes depending on what size mesh you use. Works great - is inexpensive and easy to make.
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  #7  
Old 2006-12-06, 4:20pm
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I'd posted previously about the makeshift sifters I got. Basically one is the small sifter that someone previously mentioned. This is good for size 1 and can be found in just about any kitchenwares section. For size 2 I'm using a sink strainer Out of these two I get size 0, 1, and 2.

-Yee
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  #8  
Old 2006-12-06, 8:57pm
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Thanks for all the inspiration! I was simply appalled at the cost of frit compared to just buying the rod. Of course now I'm going to be buying strainers everywhere I go. I wonder if people are going to look at me funny.
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  #9  
Old 2006-12-08, 11:43am
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I had this same question today. My husband just made me the most awesome frit smasher. It's a big steel pipe with a solid pipe inside to smash. I named it Monster Mash. I've been gathering up all my shortie rods and dump 5-6 at a time into the smasher. It's really fun, and i put different colored shorts in and get a quick frit blend. I will be going to the dollar store today to buy some strainers. I have some serious frit to separate.
Elaine
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  #10  
Old 2006-12-08, 9:17pm
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Nobody here said it - so I'm going to be the voice of safety.
If you're going to be shaking frit about - make sure you have good ventilation
and you wear a mask. Breathing glass dust and bits is a no-no if you want
to be lampworking in your old age.
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  #11  
Old 2006-12-08, 9:56pm
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My ventilation system is called "outdoors" and yes I'll be wearing a good small particle rated respirator. Thanks for the reminder!
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