A different way to blow hollow beads

Keewin · #1 2012-09-08, 10:16am

I've never seen it done this way before. Is it just me?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnT1B...eature=related

flamingobeth · #2 2012-09-08, 11:01am

I don't know which fascinated me more, the technique, or the tool! Found them for sale here: http://www.nwartglass.com/Online+Cat...04&ItemId=5231

This is sooooo going on my Christmas list!

Lizzydee · #3 2012-09-08, 11:09am

whoa...very cool. anyone used? love that doesnt need O2... am looking at trying to move from hotheads for students but having 02 issue...this may just fix it!

Denielle · #4 2012-09-08, 11:33am

That is sooooo cool! How much is it? I can't see the prices.

glassymom · #5 2012-09-08, 11:33am

cool video, anyone know how much?

PittsGlass · #6 2012-09-08, 4:10pm

That is cool. That is the smallest glory hole I have seen. Great way to get more out of a propane torch.

2tumblingdragonz · #7 2012-09-08, 4:38pm

Wow, I'd love one of those, I'd have melted glass all over the inside of it though where my shaky hands hit the side or my glass got too hot.

I love the little rod rest.

Too cool, thanks for posting that and does anyone know what it costs or how hard would it be to make one?

namaste
Rowyn

Alaska · #8 2012-09-08, 5:46pm

One could use a 6 inch OD or so pipe and use a castable refractory such as Kast-O-Lite 26 LI for temps in the range of 2600 F or Versaflow 60 Plus for 3100 F. For the holes, depending on the cure temperature of the refractory a candle could be used and then melted out.

Looks like an interesting project that would be suitable for use with soft glass.

della · #9 2012-09-08, 8:48pm

Um, whaaa? I am very impressed by your knowledge and even more impressed with your vocabulary...

PerfectDeb · #10 2012-09-08, 8:56pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2tumblingdragonz

Wow, I'd love one of those, I'd have melted glass all over the inside of it though where my shaky hands hit the side or my glass got too hot.

I love the little rod rest.

Too cool, thanks for posting that and does anyone know what it costs or how hard would it be to make one?

namaste
Rowyn

I dunno, did you notice he left the rod of glass sitting in the crucible while he marvered the bead, it mustn't stick

Keewin · #11 2012-09-09, 7:59am

If you haven't clicked through his other videos, this one you can actually hear him talk.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O954n...hannel&list=UL

And this is his website. He created the Volcano. This page explains it but I'm not finding anything about where or how to buy it. You'd probably have to contact him.
http://www.designsinglass.de/volcano.htm

Oh, duh. Northwest Art Glass. Has anybody bought from them before? You need an account to log in and get the price.

flamingobeth · #12 2012-09-09, 8:01am

You can buy it from Northwest Art Glass, but you have to have a wholesale account. Somebody needs to start selling these things!

Keewin · #13 2012-09-09, 8:14am

I like his little upright stands from his webpage!

cheng076 · #14 2012-09-09, 11:49am

This came up somewhere about a year or so ago IIRC and I seem to recall finding some/enough info that would have made it very easy to reproduce (make) one. A bit impractical for most bead making styles though. It would be fun to play with. My idea was to make it slightly differently and hold a crucible of clear and use it 'hot shop' style and for encasing.

Ravenesque · #15 2012-09-09, 6:24pm

Oh man, now that is an idea! The crucible for clear I mean.

The volcano is cool, but I also see a lot of limitations, decorating etc

RSimmons · #16 2012-09-12, 7:47am

One problem I see is that you are sitting almost on top of the exhaust plume and there is virtually no ventilation. It's an interesting idea but I wouldn't want to be breathing all of that stuff.

Robert

PerfectDeb · #17 2012-09-12, 4:01pm

good point

houptdavid · #18 2012-09-12, 4:22pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheng076

My idea was to make it slightly differently and hold a crucible of clear and use it 'hot shop' style and for encasing.

And where is this said idea?????

Quicksilverart · #19 2012-09-13, 7:17am

I love the hollow method! The torch would make me buggers. You can't see what you are doing, it limits your movement and it sounds like a blast furnace. Besides the fumes issue as well.

swamper · #20 2012-09-13, 7:38am

Whoa, that would be a neat tool for encasing....

cheng076 · #21 2012-09-13, 10:14am

I'll get around to it one of these days.... maybe!

LarryC · #22 2012-09-13, 10:27am

Quote:

Originally Posted by RSimmons

One problem I see is that you are sitting almost on top of the exhaust plume and there is virtually no ventilation. It's an interesting idea but I wouldn't want to be breathing all of that stuff.

Robert

Yes. also, the insides of these are un coated loose frax fiber which is quite carcinogenic. Make your own out of refractory cement and then ventilate it VERY well.

Ed_Slawson · #23 2012-09-13, 12:21pm

Dudley Giberson re-invented the ancient bead-making volcano furnace in the early 90's, using modern materials. We actually worked with one at Haystack in a workshop he gave there around 1992.

Dudley has drawings for building this type of burner in the book. "A Glassblower's Companion" by Dudley Giberson.
http://www.joppaglass.com/book/Lit_page.html#Dream)

He also has a video for sale of the "Volcano" being used at the bottom of that page.

Ed_Slawson · #24 2012-09-13, 1:04pm

The insides of Dudley's volcano were made of tamped fiberfrax that were chopped up in a food processor along with colodial silica for a binder, these wet fibers were packed on top of a form to shape the cone (almost like applying paper mache).

After initial burnout of the binder, the entire cone, inside and out was coated with a very heavy paste made from colloidal silica and finely milled zircon power. This created a very ridged surface that completely binds up the frax, and is a refractory surface which is flame friendly.

He fired the original one with wood, dung, grasses, etc. just like the ancient ones. The final version used a simple burner head on a venturi, and was fired with propane for fuel. Much hotter than using a plumbing torch... but much more to build. We experimented by making small cones by the same technique, and then suspending them over a very large bunsen burner.

Mike H · #25 2012-09-13, 2:45pm

You could make your own volcano out of some carved out 2800F firebrick cemented together with a hole for the torch/burner and put it on your bench under your exhaust fan. Probably take a half hour to make...
I would probably turn it on its side and raise it up so you work through the front.
There is a Bazillion ways to melt glass!

istandalone24/7 · #26 2012-09-13, 3:39pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheng076

This came up somewhere about a year or so ago IIRC and I seem to recall finding some/enough info that would have made it very easy to reproduce (make) one. A bit impractical for most bead making styles though. It would be fun to play with. My idea was to make it slightly differently and hold a crucible of clear and use it 'hot shop' style and for encasing.

the first time i saw that i thought the same thing....mini crucible kiln for furnace style marble encasement.

patienthand · #27 2012-09-14, 3:53am

you can make a great little table top glory hole with a stainless steel pot and either fiber frax or castable

cheng076 · #28 2012-09-16, 12:20pm

Mike H,
Good to see you here. I haven't seen anything from you here in ages. You, I know, have a fair bit of experience with home made 'crucible' kilns and such so your input is valuable.
PJH

Now where can I get some castable refractory and a stainless steel can? A 6" piece of SS tube and weld a bottom on it and.....