|
| Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips |
2008-12-10, 3:04pm
|
 |
Yell Fire!!!
|
|
Join Date: Sep 22, 2008
Location: Bend,Oregon
Posts: 50
|
|
I need help!!!!
I am trying to help my fiance' get started with making soft glss beads and all the color keeps popping and blowing up. Do you have to warm them in the kiln first? And also, how long do the beads need to kiln at 950 for? And do you need one or two coats of bead release on the mandrel? Thanx for your help. I am a boro guy, so this is all new to me. Thanx!
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
.
|
2008-12-10, 3:17pm
|
 |
Critter Mom
|
|
Join Date: Dec 31, 2007
Location: Coquille, Oregon
Posts: 2,496
|
|
Hi Mark ... You want to flash your rods through the flame quickly several times to warm them up a little and during that same time you'll heat your mandrel till it has a little glow. I only put one coating of release on my mandrels. Anneal for at least an hour at 950...you might be able to soak at the annealing temp for less time but this is what I do.
Some soft glass is more "poppie" than others, so sometimes even if you try to heat your rods slowly they'll still do some popping. You get used to it.
__________________
Bonnie
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-10, 3:21pm
|
 |
Wait.....what?
|
|
Join Date: Oct 28, 2007
Location: Ypsilanti
Posts: 756
|
|
Yup - that's what I was gonna say.
I stick my mandrel in the flame closer to the torch head to heat up the bead release and with my other hand I flash the glass rod in and out of the flame higher up.
When the mandrel looks hot enough and the glass isn't popping I switch the two so the mandrel is just kept hot enough and I can start melting the glass so I can work with it.
__________________
Katie
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-10, 3:35pm
|
 |
Whooooo, me?
|
|
Join Date: Feb 22, 2008
Location: Western NC
Posts: 890
|
|
Mark,
Joe from Avenue Beads does live broadcasts while he is torching. She might want to tune in one evening and watch him. Can also ask questions in the chat room while watching.
http://www.justin.tv/avenuebeads
I heat the area of my mandrels in the flame to glowing before starting a bead and just bounce the end of the rod in the end of the flame to warm it before trying to melt. Stay away from opalino colors at first as they are terrible about being shocky and burning easily.
I garage at 960, then ramp down at 400 degrees per hour to 700 and then kiln goes off and cools naturally.
Beth
|
2008-12-10, 3:39pm
|
|
Yell Fire!!!
|
|
Join Date: Sep 22, 2008
Location: Bend,Oregon
Posts: 50
|
|
thank you.
My fiance' (Naomi) will be creating her own page on here later today. She really appreciates the help. I am sure she will have lots more questions. Thanx, Mark-
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
.
|
2008-12-10, 3:39pm
|
 |
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Sep 08, 2005
Location: Beautiful Colorado
Posts: 2,120
|
|
That's exactly why my husband won't touch soft glass 
Good advise so far.... make sure to warm the rod end gently and slowing at the end of the flame. Lots of searches available for annealing schedules.
With you as a teacher, she will be a quick study and moving onto boro!
__________________
Leslie
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-10, 4:30pm
|
 |
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jan 07, 2008
Location: Northern NY State
Posts: 1,618
|
|
Mark, I learned on boro. I haven't learned on anything else yet. Why not start her there? Just a thought.
I'm dying to learn soft glass and will someday.
__________________
Learning glass
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
, teaching kids
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
.
My Etsy
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
SRA
#H135
|
2008-12-10, 4:35pm
|
 |
Burning through glass
|
|
Join Date: Apr 19, 2007
Location: Tucson AZ
Posts: 1,689
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by markmccourt
My fiance' (Naomi) will be creating her own page on here later today. She really appreciates the help. I am sure she will have lots more questions. Thanx, Mark-
|
Welcome Naomi!!! Mark, tell her to take a good look at the tips and questions section. She'll find a whole mess of info to get the wheels spinning, and it's super easy to browse through the posts. She can also post questions of her own there. Can't wait to 'meet' her!
Renee Wiggins
__________________
Renee Wiggins
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Changeable Jewelry, Murrini & MORE!
Custom Supplies:
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
& Fine Art Beads & Jewelry:
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
&
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-10, 5:00pm
|
 |
Fancy Mammal
|
|
Join Date: Jan 07, 2006
Location: California
Posts: 986
|
|
Sometimes I also start my rods at the very edge or back of the flame and when I get a bit of glow, I push it into the flame. Just a different way of doing of getting the same result as the bounce.
If you find one color more poppy than the others (and I mean other soft glass, not boro) you might try annealing the rods. Particularly with "mixed" colors that can really help
__________________
~ Shelby ~
|
2008-12-10, 5:21pm
|
 |
I'm meeeeelting
|
|
Join Date: May 27, 2007
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 2,236
|
|
Just to the side of the flame (in the radiant heat but outside the flame) works well as a starting point, too.
__________________
Etsy:
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Foot Pedal Tutorial:
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Kevlar Fingerless Gloves:
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-10, 5:50pm
|
 |
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Oct 18, 2005
Location: Manchester, CT 06040
Posts: 2,267
|
|
try Peace from CiM if you're using white. I flippin' hate Effetre white, it's a poppy shocky nightmare.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-10, 5:56pm
|
 |
Pyro Tyro
|
|
Join Date: Dec 26, 2007
Location: Replanted to Silver Spring, MD
Posts: 1,812
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by artsyuno
Just to the side of the flame (in the radiant heat but outside the flame) works well as a starting point, too.
|
This is what I do while heating the mandrel.
I hate popping glass! 
__________________
May the work of your hands be a sign of gratitude and reverence to the human condition. - Mahatma Gandhi
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-10, 6:19pm
|
|
Burning through glass
|
|
Join Date: Apr 19, 2007
Location: Tucson AZ
Posts: 1,689
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amethyst_briolette
try Peace from CiM if you're using white. I flippin' hate Effetre white, it's a poppy shocky nightmare.
|
No problems here with Eff white, or most colors for that matter....I've made a habit of bouncing all rods, no matter what color, high in the flame several passes first to warm them in one hand while heating the mandrel in the other (multi-tasking here), then bring the glass rod down to the warmed mandrel. If it's still popping, give em a little more heat-love, and take it a little slower. BTW Mark, I never pre-heat my rods, but that's just my habit. I'm an 'on-the-fly' kinda gal  Gimme the torch heat, that's all I need
Renee
__________________
Renee Wiggins
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Changeable Jewelry, Murrini & MORE!
Custom Supplies:
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
& Fine Art Beads & Jewelry:
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
&
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-10, 6:25pm
|
 |
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jun 27, 2005
Location: Yarmouth, Maine...home of the Clamfest
Posts: 7,693
|
|
Yep! I "bounce" the glass too...bounce, bounce, bounce....on the back of the hothead flame...same on the mini cc....if it's something awful like a fat rod with airbubbles, I'll do the "no oxy, get it all sooty" trick of Tink's, but 99% of the time just the "bounce, bounce, bounce" takes care of prewarming the glass enough!
__________________
And if I laugh at any mortal thing, ‘Tis that I may not weep...” ~Lord Byron
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
new purple cricket @ home! minicc @ playing with fire in rockland! Sue & Nikki fighting over who gets to anneal the wonkies
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-10, 6:29pm
|
|
Burning through glass
|
|
Join Date: Apr 19, 2007
Location: Tucson AZ
Posts: 1,689
|
|
Luna, that's totally interesting! I hadn't heard of Tink's trick before! Thanks for sharing that one!  What does turning down the oxy do? Is it a heat temp thing?
__________________
Renee Wiggins
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Changeable Jewelry, Murrini & MORE!
Custom Supplies:
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
& Fine Art Beads & Jewelry:
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
&
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-10, 6:34pm
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jun 27, 2005
Location: Yarmouth, Maine...home of the Clamfest
Posts: 7,693
|
|
I don't have a clue! I just know she shared it somewhere on here  --to just use a pure propane flame, let the glass get all sooty (ick!) to pre-warm it, then "clean it up" by adding the oxy back in & putting it up in the top of the flame (like if you were un-reducing it) & it actually works really well! I've done it several times @ Playing With Fire when I've been down there using the mini cc torches & it's a really neat trick!
__________________
And if I laugh at any mortal thing, ‘Tis that I may not weep...” ~Lord Byron
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
new purple cricket @ home! minicc @ playing with fire in rockland! Sue & Nikki fighting over who gets to anneal the wonkies
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-11, 11:14am
|
 |
Dildo Kween!
|
|
Join Date: Jun 22, 2005
Location: oui oui! W.I WI.
Posts: 1,860
|
|
I always put "Poppie" glass in the peep hole of my kiln to keep hot. I also preheated my mandrels in the kiln to make the core of glass bubble free.
Sounds like you could use a good beginner class or two.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
My Tutorials have been FREE since 2001
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-11, 1:04pm
|
 |
Peerless Thread Killer
|
|
Join Date: Jul 20, 2007
Location: Mt. Chokula
Posts: 1,148
|
|
Doesn't anyone warm their glass on a hotplate? This totally does the trick for me.
__________________
Check out my Etsy shop:
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-12, 7:00am
|
 |
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jun 14, 2005
Location: The Rocky Coast State!
Posts: 6,620
|
|
Shocky colors to avoid using first:
anise white
opalinos
alabasters
???
What colors would you avoid at first? Oh, PINKS (especially rubino) until you get a handle on the heat cuz you can burn them up-- exception to the rule: Gelly's sty pink is great. Corals can turn to ashy colors with too much heat too.
Add to the list, ladies and gents.
Sue
__________________
Sue Walsh
The past is history,
The future is a mystery
and the present is a gift.
|
2008-12-12, 7:19am
|
 |
Gimme that silver glass!
|
|
Join Date: Oct 12, 2007
Location: The Netherlands
Posts: 3,988
|
|
Vetro odds pop, esp. the marbled avocado. Terrible! And the lauscha rods are pretty fat, so a good warming up is important as well.
__________________
Anouk
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
MY NEW E-TUTORIAL:
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-12, 7:52am
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jun 14, 2005
Location: The Rocky Coast State!
Posts: 6,620
|
|
Just had one more thought! Since you're mostly a boro worker, you're used to HEAT. Try working with a little less "hot" and see if that makes a difference. Turn the torch down a bit.
I just took a Kimberly Logan class and asked for help with what I call "painting the glass on the mandrel" and Kimberly watched me work. She said I was good at working hot but I needed to work cooler for better control. I will be practicing what she showed me but, wow, it was an eye opener to think I was good at working hot. I didn't realize I was working hot!
Sue
__________________
Sue Walsh
The past is history,
The future is a mystery
and the present is a gift.
|
2008-12-12, 9:52am
|
|
Burning through glass
|
|
Join Date: Apr 19, 2007
Location: Tucson AZ
Posts: 1,689
|
|
That's a really good point Sue! Working too hot would do it, causing glass to shock immediately.
Also, a point you reminded me of...I couldn't figure out why I was getting so much scuz on my clear when I was making beads recently, checked my gauge, and discovered my Propane PSI was set WAY to high.....turned it back down to 4, things are much better now....guess I bumped the knob....or hubby did! 
So Mark, check your heat, and check your Propane PSI and your Oxy output...it's gonna be different from working boro, I'm sure.
Renee
__________________
Renee Wiggins
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Changeable Jewelry, Murrini & MORE!
Custom Supplies:
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
& Fine Art Beads & Jewelry:
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
&
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-12, 9:56am
|
 |
Born on date: 11/3/09!
|
|
Join Date: Aug 31, 2005
Location: NW Indiana
Posts: 908
|
|
I've given up on my Vetro odds! They are horrible with the popping, and such awesome colors that I'm always tempted to play with them. They seduce me only to go into explosion mode when I give in! I lay them on top of my kiln to get them nice and warm, and then slooowwwllly introduce them to the flame, bouncing them while cooing to them, telling them how wonderful and special they are and...
BAM- glass everywhere!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Troll Lover
Vetro odds pop, esp. the marbled avocado. Terrible! And the lauscha rods are pretty fat, so a good warming up is important as well.
|
__________________
My 52 Week Project: I Am A Mommy
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
The little love of my life...
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-12, 10:00am
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jun 27, 2005
Location: Yarmouth, Maine...home of the Clamfest
Posts: 7,693
|
|
THAT'S why learning on a hothead is so GREAT! It's just not an overheated little torch--so it's possible to "work cool" & NOT overcook your glass--you learn patience, you learn to find the sweet-spot in the flame & you can actually LEARN some control over the glass *BEFORE* you go off frying things & exploding them all over the place
I have no trouble @ all with fat rods of Lauscha on my hothead (actually, I  lauscha on the hothead!) & find I shock much fewer rods on it than I do on the mini down @ the studio! 
__________________
And if I laugh at any mortal thing, ‘Tis that I may not weep...” ~Lord Byron
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
new purple cricket @ home! minicc @ playing with fire in rockland! Sue & Nikki fighting over who gets to anneal the wonkies
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-12, 10:08am
|
 |
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jun 11, 2005
Location: Oak Park, Il.
Posts: 1,483
|
|
Cool information with Tinks heating trick. Thanks, you learn something new everyday here
__________________
Cathie
Artist in Corporate America
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
R-118
|
2008-12-12, 12:47pm
|
 |
are we there yet?
|
|
Join Date: Aug 29, 2005
Location: Circle City, USA
Posts: 574
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by neagle
Doesn't anyone warm their glass on a hotplate? This totally does the trick for me.
|
I do, only I use a candle warmer/coffee cup warmer thingy.
__________________
Janet
Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well make beads. jazz
|
2008-12-12, 1:40pm
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Oct 30, 2005
Location: Montville, NJ. About 35 miles from Manhattan
Posts: 765
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by neagle
Doesn't anyone warm their glass on a hotplate? This totally does the trick for me.
|
Yes I preheat. I use this:
http://usabeautysupplies.stores.yahoo.net/3052.html
Liz
__________________
"If you don't have the time to do it right, When will you find the time to do it over"
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-13, 9:13am
|
|
Peerless Thread Killer
|
|
Join Date: Jul 20, 2007
Location: Mt. Chokula
Posts: 1,148
|
|
Hi Janet-good to use mug warmers, too!
Liz-If I didn't already have a hot-plate I would have bought one of those! They are really cool.
I find that whatever method used to warm the rods first takes care of all but the most shocky glass! I am even able to use anice white without worrying. LOL!
__________________
Check out my Etsy shop:
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-12-13, 10:32am
|
 |
runs with pruning shears
|
|
Join Date: Sep 15, 2005
Location: Windward O'ahu
Posts: 1,110
|
|
You've had a ton of info thrown at you
so I will add: some of it may be the bead release.
I had a lot of problems with my old release (because it never dried properly in the high humidity here, and would cause bubbles...) then I switched to fosterfire and it solved my problems (there was a long thread recently on bead releases).
* Point her over here:
http://www.cauldroncreations.com/
Melinda Melanson has put together a fabulous collection of tutorials- It's a terrific resource for beginners
Aloha,
Elise
__________________
Quote:
"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."
Albert Einstein
|
|
2008-12-14, 2:07pm
|
 |
Karved Kati
|
|
Join Date: Nov 17, 2006
Location: Sitka, Alaska & Merlin, Oregon
Posts: 331
|
|
You've got our number have Naiomi call anytime she has a question or needs some help I'd be glad to give her tips and tricks. ~Kati
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
............
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
..........
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
GlassHive Kiln/Barracuda Torch/EX2000
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 4:39am.
|
