What's a Stump sucker?

Cracked Baubble · #1 2007-03-31, 9:37pm

I seen it on Frantz's site, it said it was the best thing for encasing but didn't give any explanation....

chayes · #2 2007-03-31, 10:17pm

with a stump sucker ya make an item ya want encased such as a flower. Place it in the bottom of the stump sucker. Heat up a blob of glass and drop it down into the stump sucker as you draw air through the hose. I found a shop vac works well for that.

bead crazy · #3 2007-03-31, 10:20pm

I can't picture this being done is there someplace that shows someone doing it or does someone have pics of them
Thanks

Dasi · #4 2007-04-01, 4:13am

A stump sucker is a tool made by Loren Stump. He is a wonderful teacher. I learned a ton in his class. I really recomend his class. Don't let the high price fool you. You get double the teaching from him. We work long hours in the studio. Here is a link to his class schedule.

http://www.stumpchuck.com/classes.htm

Now for the pictures. I did not take these, but I hope the person in class does not mind.... Two are of me working and one is of another student working with Loren.

Sharibeads · #5 2007-04-01, 7:57am

buy a small one unless you have a big torch.
i can use a 1inch pretty comfortably with a minor. but i was using Lauscha...so maybe something less stiff you could go bigger?

Hi Heather! Shari from that class with Loren, i see a little corner of my head in that pic next to...is his name Ed?

Dia-T · #6 2007-04-01, 8:31am

Quote:

Originally Posted by chayes

with a stump sucker ya make an item ya want encased such as a flower. Place it in the bottom of the stump sucker. Heat up a blob of glass and drop it down into the stump sucker as you draw air through the hose. I found a shop vac works well for that.

So is the item you want encased hot or cold at this point? I would assume hot for breakage reasons. But then I would also have to assume off mandrel work?

I've oftem wondered myself about this tool.

Dasi · #7 2007-04-01, 8:45am

Hi Sherri!! How are you ..... and the kiddies..... Destroying anything?

Great to hear from you. It was a great group in that class!

I think his name was Ed.

The item that is being encased is kept hot by your partner....Sherri didn't you keep mine hot for me?

You use a tiny torch in the stump sucker to keep the "set-up" hot. It really takes two people. I guess you could heat the sucker in a kiln, but I am not sure how well the suck part would do. LOL

SteveWright · #8 2007-04-01, 8:50am

As you heat your gather of clear, you need to start heating the object to be encased. I use a Little Torch to heat my inclusions. I use a #5 tip starting 6 inches above the inclusion and heat for at least 30 seconds, moving the torch down to 4 inches above the inclusion during tht time. You should get flashes of orange on the tips of the inclusion.

Steve

Sharibeads · #9 2007-04-01, 2:21pm

i am able to do this myself at home with the little torch in one hand and getting the gather ready in the other.

i can't wait to take more of Lorens classes!

-Heather, he he...yes the kids have thankfully stopped disassembling the fixtures and found jumping on the furniture! c'est la vie.

shari