Lampwork Etc.
 
AKDesign

LE Live Chat

Enter Live Chat

No users in chat


Donate via PayPal to donate@lampworketc.com

Caber Light


 

Go Back   Lampwork Etc. > Library > Tips, Techniques, and Questions

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

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 2013-12-03, 9:59am
KFraley51's Avatar
KFraley51 KFraley51 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 12, 2007
Location: Ohio
Posts: 164
Default Graphite or Brass?

With all the different tools out there, I am interested in knowing your preferences. Do you prefer brass bead rollers or graphite bead rollers and why? Wondering if the material the roller is made of makes it easier to roll the glass. Maybe because one material will hold heat longer than the other. A poll would have been great for this but I am not sure how you guys do that.
Karen
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 2013-12-03, 11:08am
Hayley's Avatar
Hayley Hayley is offline
da General
 
Join Date: Oct 05, 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 13,002
Default

Brass "grabs" the glass so I prefer graphite for beadrollers (I only have two however and almost never use them) and marble mold (the Infinite Marble Mold that I use all the time).

Some people do prefer brass and many wax their brass tools.

It's really a personal preference.
__________________
Hayley


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.
|
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.

Last edited by Hayley; 2013-12-03 at 1:43pm.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 2013-12-03, 12:23pm
Pickledkitty's Avatar
Pickledkitty Pickledkitty is offline
CatTickler Extraordinaire
 
Join Date: Nov 12, 2008
Location: Warner Robins, Georgia
Posts: 146
Default

I have read here that brass is preferred to strike 104 rainbow glasses (double helix, etc) Personally I use brass and graphite tools and beeswax them both;p
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 2013-12-03, 12:25pm
ROC's Avatar
ROC ROC is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 01, 2007
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 1,749
Default

For glass that devitrifies, brass all the way. The cooler the better.
__________________
~Rachel

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.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 2013-12-03, 5:25pm
bbisker's Avatar
bbisker bbisker is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 29, 2009
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 165
Default

I prefer graphite bead rollers for the same reason as Haley.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 2013-12-03, 9:21pm
rnmcginnis rnmcginnis is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 20, 2008
Location: Port Angeles, WA
Posts: 77
Default

What is the purpose of waxing the tools? How is the wax applied and how often?

Thanks,
Roger
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 2013-12-03, 11:29pm
TJ's Avatar
TJ TJ is offline
TJ
 
Join Date: Nov 27, 2011
Location: Calgary, Alberta Canada
Posts: 129
Default

I second that question... what does the wax provide?
__________________
My Mission and metier: to mindfully and meticulously master the movement of marvelous molten, both mentally and manually, in order to metamorphosis a melting mass into meretricious, memorable makings.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 2013-12-04, 12:26am
artsyuno's Avatar
artsyuno artsyuno is offline
I'm meeeeelting
 
Join Date: May 27, 2007
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 2,236
Default

Brass is good for getting colors to strike, such as iris orange, because it sucks the heat out of the glass more rapidly. I think brass and graphite both have their place. Wax on a tool will allow the glass to slide more. Kind of like waxing skis.
__________________
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.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 2013-12-04, 7:47am
cgbeads's Avatar
cgbeads cgbeads is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 28, 2005
Location: Sanger, Tx
Posts: 3,552
Default

When I first started using raku frit, I had some graphite and brass tools I experimented with.
I couldn't get the raku to strike on brass but I could on graphite, the trick is to turn slowly.

(Disclaimer: This isn't meant as a plug, just and explanation of one of the reasons I went the route of making graphite tools and not brass.)
-Donna
__________________


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Donna Felkner -
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.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 2013-12-04, 9:18am
Pickledkitty's Avatar
Pickledkitty Pickledkitty is offline
CatTickler Extraordinaire
 
Join Date: Nov 12, 2008
Location: Warner Robins, Georgia
Posts: 146
Default

Like Artsyuno said, waxing helps the glass to slide. I apply right before and during use of the tool. Once the tool is hot, i just poke it into my beeswax puck. Don't wax tweezers though, it kind of defeats the purpose. I keep doing it on accident! ;p
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 2013-12-04, 9:32am
Hayley's Avatar
Hayley Hayley is offline
da General
 
Join Date: Oct 05, 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 13,002
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pickledkitty View Post
I have read here that brass is preferred to strike 104 rainbow glasses (double helix, etc) Personally I use brass and graphite tools and beeswax them both;p
I never have trouble striking silver glass and I don't use brass... I don't use raku however.
__________________
Hayley


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.
|
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.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 2013-12-04, 9:44pm
tammydownunder's Avatar
tammydownunder tammydownunder is offline
offically down under
 
Join Date: Dec 22, 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 3,131
Default

A certain bead maker swears that graphite is dirty. But, I have had WAY more problems with brass causing tiny little bubbles -especially on clear encasing.

For me, I only use brass to shift glass or in presses. To get a good clean shape, I use graphite.
__________________
Tammy

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.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 2013-12-04, 10:08pm
glass butterfly glass butterfly is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 17, 2011
Location: Virginia
Posts: 484
Default

What is the "Infinite Marble Mold" and why do you use it? Lydia
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 2013-12-04, 10:19pm
Hayley's Avatar
Hayley Hayley is offline
da General
 
Join Date: Oct 05, 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 13,002
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by glass butterfly View Post
What is the "Infinite Marble Mold" and why do you use it? Lydia
Best marble mold ever made - I use it to shape all my spherical beads:

http://frittsartglass.com/marbles/molds/
__________________
Hayley


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.
|
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.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 2013-12-05, 1:09am
Baywinger's Avatar
Baywinger Baywinger is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 06, 2011
Location: SF bay area
Posts: 1,470
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hayley View Post
Best marble mold ever made - I use it to shape all my spherical beads:

http://frittsartglass.com/marbles/molds/
I second this they are the best marble molds around, I have two for different sizes and bought a third so my wife would stop taking mine
here is a good description of them http://www.artcoinc.com/infinite_rim.php
__________________
Morgan
Bethlehem Champion
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.
#C-151
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 2013-12-05, 4:47am
Lisi's Avatar
Lisi Lisi is offline
one day at a time
 
Join Date: Jun 27, 2005
Location: We are MOVING!!!
Posts: 8,319
Default

Where do you buy the beeswax? I've never used it for anything so I was wondering if it is all the same or if some brands are better for this purpose.
__________________
You live in a world of money. Money means choices. No money, no choices. Welcome to reality.
Melody (Marlee Matlin) from Switched at Birth
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 2013-12-05, 10:26am
Speedslug's Avatar
Speedslug Speedslug is offline
Phill
 
Join Date: Mar 21, 2009
Location: Winnebago, MN
Posts: 2,489
Default

From what I have read here on LE, graphite can cause some glass to go muddy. I forget which ones or which thread I found that in.

My little bit of research on graphite turned up various qualities of it from right out of the ground to super high quality stuff that is made by vapor deposition. I take it the range covers uses from making homemade smelting pots to carbon arc electrodes to science equipment. I have read that new graphite should be washed with soap and water and towel dried. If it will leave a mark on your hands it will leave traces on your work.

I read that brass can be a little more "graby" and this lends it to moving the molten glass around. Also brass sucks the heat out of the glass and this can kick start crystal formation in some of the silver glasses like raku and such that leads to the wonderful color changes.

Glass that goes muddy with graphite can be worked with brass instead.

I think the bees wax runs a spectrum as well from food quality down to stuff that has twigs in it. For glass work I would go with the least expensive I could find. I would even look up local bee keepers as a source.
__________________
The Zombie Apocalypse is Upon Us.

Last edited by Speedslug; 2013-12-05 at 10:29am.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 2013-12-05, 10:50am
Hayley's Avatar
Hayley Hayley is offline
da General
 
Join Date: Oct 05, 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 13,002
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by tammydownunder View Post
A certain bead maker swears that graphite is dirty.
There are various quality of graphite. The Infinite Rim Marble Mold utilizes the highest quality. Trust me, John Kobuki's marbles did not suffer from dirty graphite because of the graphite IRMM he uses.
__________________
Hayley


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.
|
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.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 2013-12-05, 4:18pm
Pickledkitty's Avatar
Pickledkitty Pickledkitty is offline
CatTickler Extraordinaire
 
Join Date: Nov 12, 2008
Location: Warner Robins, Georgia
Posts: 146
Default

I got the cuts of beeswax mixed with honey from when it is harvested, and cleaned and strained it myself to get a block of pure beeswax. It smells lovely when melted and burned. I just found this other thread doing a search for something completely different, but it has good information on brass/graphite:
http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=152246

Last edited by Pickledkitty; 2013-12-05 at 4:59pm.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 2013-12-05, 7:31pm
Speedslug's Avatar
Speedslug Speedslug is offline
Phill
 
Join Date: Mar 21, 2009
Location: Winnebago, MN
Posts: 2,489
Default

Don't they use bees wax for toilet ring seals? Good lord, how cheap can I get eh?
__________________
The Zombie Apocalypse is Upon Us.
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 2013-12-06, 1:53am
Ravenesque Ravenesque is offline
Naysayer
 
Join Date: Sep 22, 2009
Posts: 1,203
Default

I make lip balm so I always have bees wax on hand. So I'm thinking some hobby place like micheals or hobby lobby would even have bees wax for candles.

I just drop a little sliver in, roll hot glass on it to melt it, then it's good to go for a very long time. I've done my rollers from perlenpresse once ever.

For raku or other striking, I say brass, it's colder, and imo that's what kicks in the striking (fast temp. change). If I have a trouble bead I lay it or roll it on a brass marver and bam, colors start lol.

I like both, I'm not partial. I tend to look more at price tbh.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump




All times are GMT -7. The time now is 1:40am.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Your IP: 54.174.85.205