Stupid Newbie Mistakes for Laughs - Page 8

lldesigns · #**211** 2007-11-09, 4:11pm

You have a true gift for visual writing. I was picturing the whole thing as I was reading this and laughed my a$$ off!

Quote:

Originally Posted by featherzz2u

I thought I would keep my cell phone handy in case I had a call...ummm, bad idea. I wear a half face respirator and a full face shield when torching.

I am merrily torching away when the phone rang so I transferred the rod to my left hand and flipped the phone to get my call and tried to stick it up under my face shield to my ear..

WHAT A FIASCO!! When I pushed the phone up to my ear I
knocked the face shield halfway off my head so I was trying to staighten it up as it was painfully crooked on my head with my only free hand which had the cell phone in it.

I then knocked my flip phone closed and lost the call so I then put it back on the counter and got my face shield back into place and when I returned my gaze back to my mandrel it was pointing southeast and my bead was drooping and twisted and all knarly!!!

NO more trying to answer the phone while torching.

Lorraine

~Nita~ · #**212** 2007-11-11, 12:19am

Well that was the most informational and damn entertaining 2 hours I think I've ever spent on the computer. I now have a nice, LONG word document of what NOT to do when I start torching! lol And my ribs hurt from all the laughing.

ellyloo · #**213** 2007-11-11, 6:45am

I keep thinking those big moths that fly into the garage are going to fly up into the flame, and THROUGH it, becoming little flaming missiles aimed at my face!

AnneC · #**214** 2007-11-14, 2:23pm

Ok - stupid newbie mistake after about 3 weeks seriously part time at the torch

Practicing my stripes the other night and I got as far as a disc with dots that was half wrapped with one round of clear (rod still attached) and I ran out of gas....yep....1 lb tank...empty...poof. So thinking I could cheat physics I jump up, throw the mandrel with bead AND clear rod still attached in my fiber blanket and snag a new tank....somehow manage to unscrew my HH (emphasis on HOT) from the empty tank without permanantly scarring myself and get it on the new tank....get everything attached to my table in record time with no burns (yet) and snag my half finished bead from the fiber blanket.

Now here's my reasoning (so you don't all think I'm completely nuts)....less than a minute had passed, literally, so I figured there was still SOME heat left in the bead and my logic said if I was to introduce it back into the flame VERY SLOWLY I may be able to save it....in the least I could pry the 3/4 rod of clear off it and save that...lol. Well here's where it got fun. I was gently waving the bead through the back of the flame and POP....a big ol' chunk of clear flies off......proof that there WAS still heat left in the bead because when it landed in my bra it burned a hole right through it. Yep...right down the front of my shirt.

Now most people I'm pretty sure would give up by now but I kept persevering and not once more but THREE more times flying shards of hot glass managed to find their way to my cleavage!!!

??? What exactly are the odds of it happening 4 times! LOL. Luckily I'm pretty quick and managed to lean forward every time so nothing actually touched my skin but DH was amused when I showed him my bra and proclaimed that not only would I never try to reheat a lost bead again but I would not torch in anything less than an asbestos crew neck!!

JenniferP · #**215** 2007-11-14, 6:21pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluejeangirlnc

... and touching the blob that was just in your tweezers HURTS.

OMG I did this Tuesday night! I don't know why, but my husband came to ask me a question and I lost my concentration...next thing I know I tried to adjust my glasses while holding the tweezers with the blob and stuck myself on the cheek by my ear, and it looks like a facelift scab/scar mark!

Then I tried to get that blob off of the tweezers and burned the crap out of my thumb and index fingers! It hurt so bad!

CelesteK · #**216** 2007-12-29, 5:57pm

If your glass shocks and shatters, leave it where it landed. It's hot! And the nice little labels on the glass rods catch fire if you touch them with a rod of hot glass...I couldn't figure out why I was seeing smoke.
Celeste

woozles · #**217** 2007-12-29, 6:09pm

Put the frit you are trying to pull into stringer in a PLASTIC cup!!!! I wondered why I was seeing curls of smoke as I was dipping my hot stringer/blob into the frit!!! LOL Melted only a little frit to the bottom of the cup.

Vicki

CelesteK · #**218** 2007-12-29, 7:54pm

Here's another one...That fibre blanket--if you pat your beads, it will leave little fibre bits in your hand--think insulation. Itchy and slivery!

Celeste

jhgenii · #**219** 2008-01-13, 11:36am

I couldnt figure out what was wrong with my flame. I adjusted, I shut down and cleaned it (twice). What was wrong with my new torch...? The flame didn't look like this the last time I used it.

Then doorbell rang and I took my READING GLASSES OFF and greeted my Mother at the door.

Doh x 2

lldesigns · #**220** 2008-01-13, 1:25pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhgenii

I couldnt figure out what was wrong with my flame. I adjusted, I shut down and cleaned it (twice). What was wrong with my new torch...? The flame didn't look like this the last time I used it.

Then doorbell rang and I took my READING GLASSES OFF and greeted my Mother at the door.

Doh x 2

OMG I love this!!! I had just recently purchased a bench mounted shield and wasn't completely used to it yet. I was trying to work on a bead and couldn't figure out why I couldn't see the bead through the flame like I usually could. Well you guessed it...I had moved the shield down at one point and forgot to reposition it so I was looking directly into the flame.

Doh indeed!

lldesigns · #**221** 2008-01-13, 1:28pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by menty666

- If your major isn't lighting right way for some reason or another, don't keep turning up the gas while using the striker. After the fireball dissipated I honestly had to sit there for a moment staring at the ceiling just to make sure it wasn't on fire.

LOL!!! My son did this with out Mini CC with me standing nearby. It took a couple of months for my eyebrows to grow back...

Bubbyanne · #**222** 2008-01-13, 1:51pm

I have a few.
When cleaning up your torch area don't set your stringer storage (plastic water bottle ice cube tray) on top of your kiln and then forget to remove it before you ramp up your kiln! I managed to get the cube tray off but it took a bunch of kiln brick with it!

Crushing clear glass shorts into frit for sugar beads takes a lot of time and if you see little metal flecks from your pipe style frit maker be sure your frit is not sitting on something metal when you wave a magnet over it! All your hard work disappears quickly! I never got to make my sugar beads. Lol!

Don't buy "vintage silver foil" off ebay unless you are positive it's REAL silver. I have 10 books of stuff I don't know what to do with, unless you like grey webs on your beads that is.

jhgenii · #**223** 2008-01-13, 3:06pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bubbyanne

I have a few.

Crushing clear glass shorts into frit for sugar beads takes a lot of time and if you see little metal flecks from your pipe style frit maker be sure your frit is not sitting on something metal when you wave a magnet over it! All your hard work disappears quickly! I never got to make my sugar beads. Lol!
:

I love this! It's one of those brilliant ideas that is crushed by a major Doh moment...

Bubbyanne · #**224** 2008-01-13, 3:27pm

I know! I was so happy with my frit. I crushed the rods, sifted them, re-crushed the larger bits, sifted and re-crushed again until I had a nice little pile of lovely consistant sized frit. I put it on my metal tray (frozen orange juice lids) and set out to make beads when I saw a couple little metal flecks in the frit. That won't do! Out comes the magnet then bye bye goes all my frit and hard work. I wanted to cry but was laughing too hard!

steph1214 · #**225** 2008-01-13, 4:20pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by caspertorch

Similiar to the pink/ivory thing.

I had no idea what a striking color was. I had a rod I thought was a light light amber and I thought I was going insane when Red beads came out of the kiln. I swore up and down that they werent mine... that I didn't own any red, never bought red, how could they be red?

It took me a week to figure out what the deal was... not to mention bright red and dark amber look really weird together.... i'll see if I can find the beads and post them... I'm sure they are in my daughters "play bead" box.

So this and then also that no matter how sexy a low cut shirt may be, it is NEVER a good idea to wear one while torching cause then it's a sure thing that your light amber will get all shocky and explode into many molten shards of flying debris which will land snuggly between your boobs making it impossible for you to wear said low cut sexy shirt for the next three weeks until the blisters and red swelling go away -- not to mention the scars that even vitamin E cream won't lighten.

Yup -- being a newbie is a wonderful thing.
~Becky

YUP, YUP!! i had the v neck shirt on in a kim fields class, lots of flying glass hit my neck and chest and EVEN went down my shirt into my bra. Needless to say, i flipped that shirt up, pulled that bra outward and jumped up and down!!! At least i turned around and it was an all girl class!!!

steph

jjpenguin · #**226** 2008-01-14, 3:59am

and it doesn't stop at v-necks, I had an ordinary sweatshirt on and the stuff still went into my bra!

steph1214 · #**227** 2008-01-14, 4:35am

Oh, i know, i could be covered from head to toe and one little area of my arm that is exposed is exactly where my shocking glass will land!! this is a great thread, glad to know i am not the only one thinking the things i think!! lol

Kym · #**228** 2008-01-15, 1:28am

Well, if that glob of glass does burn through the middle of the bra, you can do what I did. Embroider around it with seed beads into a 'widdle heart'. I keep meaning to buy an apron that comes up to the neck.....................

Kym

stephaniemaddalena · #**229** 2008-01-15, 7:23pm

Laurie, put your dot on the bead outside the flame, breathe, then slowly pull the rod away ONLY 1/2" and leave it that way until it's completely hardened. Then disconnect. Voila...no Jackson Pollak beads! I teach and have had one newbie scratch a tit with the hot end of a rod, burning through the bra.....another hypnotized herself with the hot end of the glass and fell asleep into the torch!!!

spring_a_leak_in_art · #**230** 2008-01-15, 11:14pm

I was rudely reminded one night that polyester melts when I was making a pendent, broke it and part of it attached itself to my fuzzy pj bottoms and didn't go away. I was jumping, trying to untie my drawstring while each movement burned due to the hot glass being part of the inside of my pj bottoms. My DH came running over in my growling as I finally got them off! So... 100% cotton - we check before torching! The scare on my hip reminds me! ~Spring~

jwherbold · #**231** 2008-01-16, 11:49am

As someone who is very new to this, these are great. And makes me feel better. Now I will continue to look for a newbie thread that will give pointers for the FAQs.

Mommawoodsy · #**232** 2008-01-17, 10:07am

Don't look away when on a new torch for too long. I did and didn't realize how hot the flame was until I thought I was warming the bead and looked back just in time to see the top of the mandrel fall off with my bead on it. Luckly it landed on the table and not in my lap. I had heat the mandrel and burnt right through it.

Mommawoodsy · #**233** 2008-01-17, 10:09am

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephaniemaddalena

Laurie, put your dot on the bead outside the flame, breathe, then slowly pull the rod away ONLY 1/2" and leave it that way until it's completely hardened. Then disconnect. Voila...no Jackson Pollak beads! I teach and have had one newbie scratch a tit with the hot end of a rod, burning through the bra.....another hypnotized herself with the hot end of the glass and fell asleep into the torch!!!

Oh my that would hurt. Did the individual that fell a sleep at the torch get serious burns?

stephaniemaddalena · #**234** 2008-01-17, 10:06pm

no, but she trashed my torch. When all was recovered she said "well, you never told us not to......(fall asleep)"

ROC · #**235** 2008-01-18, 6:13am

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephaniemaddalena

no, but she trashed my torch. When all was recovered she said "well, you never told us not to......(fall asleep)"

Wouldn't it be obvious????? You'll have to add that to your teaching pointers now, huh?

stephaniemaddalena · #**236** 2008-01-20, 7:10pm

yes, sadly, I do!!! As in " contents of coffee cup may be hot"

Islandgirl · #**237** 2008-01-21, 6:42am

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephaniemaddalena

yes, sadly, I do!!! As in " contents of coffee cup may be hot"

I think my all time favorite one of those is "remove baby before folding stroller".... I've been flameworking since sometime in the early 90's .... I've got scares on every part of my body.... Twice in the last month I've got glass shards up my nose.... Never happened once in the first 13 years... I also got a half inch chunk of glass stuck to my lip this summer which I proceeded to knock off with my tongue... so I burned that too!

The point of this post is I don't think it matters how long you've been playing with fire crap happens!

Lynne

slcuniques · #**238** 2008-01-21, 1:53pm

OMG, I totally disagree with getting a chair with rollers to be able to get up fast.

I have a really nice office chair with rollers... I was making a marble and it popped off the rod and straight between my legs. I separated my legs in plenty of time but the marble rolled toward my crotch and I was doing the back bend in my chair trying to keep my ass up in the air " ALL OVER THE STUDIO" because the chair had rollers. My feet were steady walking with my crotch in the air and my head against the back of the chair. This was all to keep from siting back in the chair and ON the marble ( which was fastly burning a hole right through my seat and on to the floor). I was screaming and my DH came running. He finally got the chair STOPPED so I could STAND UP... I made several laps around the studio before it all ended.. Also, NEVER EVER assume your torch has cooled 2 minutes after you turn it off.. I reached across my torch which was OFF to retrieve something and laid my under arm right on the torch. My under arm actually STUCK to the torch head. I got serious 3rd degree burns. It burned through the muscle.. The ER literally packed my arm in ice because the skin was still cooking inside.. OUCH!! is an understatement.. Here's a pic 7 weeks later after it began to heal. This was taken between dressings.

Moral is, Stay away from chairs with ROLLERS.. LOL

Quote:

Originally Posted by rosiescreations

Remember to wear a leather apron when you work.
Get a chair with wheels so you can jump up fast.
Remove all dog toys under your chair.
Silvadine is your friend

Before I learned these little tips I had a big blob of glass and it blew off the rod and landed in my lap and got stuck between thigh and belly flab. I tried to stand up and the chair had dog toys under it and would not move.
third degree burn. Did the very same thing 15 minutes later. Doc was talking skin graft.
Don't put your hand in the flame(4 times, different days) the burn is intense. Good thing is it doesn't hurt because you have burnt the nerves up. It does start to hurt when it starts to heal.
And after all these times of stupidity
I saved the bead every time..

ROC · #**239** 2008-01-21, 4:34pm

Youch, Sandy! This is supposed to be for laughs, and that burn is no laughing matter!! Now, the several laps around the studio? Another story all together. I can just picture it!

Emily · #**240** 2008-01-21, 6:04pm

But if she'd had the leather apron, the apron would have caught the marble. When she started to stand up, the marble would have rolled onto the floor -- and it would be a funny story about chasing a hot marble around the floor (those little buggers can ROLL!).

I'm sticking with the rollers on my chair, but I'm also sticking with my apron.

Yow, that's a doozy of a burn. I learned the lesson about reaching past a hot torch, too, but I was much luckier -- had a spot only about the size of a dime, and no emergency room visit. Hurt plenty, though. Yours must have been horrible.