quick set Milli chip

[Dwaine Scum]

CROSS POSTED FROM MY OTHER WEBSITE:


I want to thank Mattrick and Meesh for teaching me this 4 years ago, Used to be, if you wanted a milli on a pipe, you would use disk nippers, and nip a section approx, 2 to 4 MM in size and lay on a graphite pad. then you would heat up 12 MM clear rod a huge gather, and make sure it is VERY liquid and stage two, then you would tag onto the milli, and pray it doesn't stress and explode, or get any air bubbles. Then you would cold seal to the end, or back with cobalt, cut from cane, and make a marble, then set in kiln, waiting for use on a piece. Well with a little practice, you can quick set a milli, onto a piece, say a wrap and rake spoon, turning it from a $7 piece to a $10 to $12 piece. Here is the "secret", first take your milli cane, and pull it down to 4MM to 6 MM in diameter, DO NOT TWIST, if you do that your milli with distort. then cool gently, place in your kiln, and anneal slowly. when they are room temp you and can direct from the cane, or attach a punty handle for your convince and safety. Now to the tech,

Lets say you are going to put a yin/yang milli on a piece:

well what you do is heat the face of your pipe, and then JUST the face of the cane, to stage two, where they are both stage two hot, when they are both glowing orange, you quickly "tag" the milli to the pipe. Like superglue and flesh, if they are liquid, they will bond instantly. Set for a second to cool, ever so slightly, then like a metal coat hanger trying to break apart, you want to wiggle the cane back and forth, until a small piece less than .75 MM with break onto the pipe. the more you practice, the thinner you will get it, 5 grams of cane will last you YEARS. after the milli is on the pipe, you have two choices. you can heat the milli, until its even and set with the surface of the pipe, or you can create an optical illusion with a lens , to make the milli look 3 times larger than it is. Simply heat a section of 12 mm (or 10 MM what ever you have) to stage two, get a good gather slightly larger than the milli, then wrap around the milli, like a nipple on top. Take your centerfire and heat the clear nipple, until liquid, rotating, and hold upside down. it will make a semi circle, like a "lump" or speed bump, a convex lens, that will magnify the milli, without air bubbles, making a 3MM milli appear 6 to 8 MM in size, boosting a pipe to the $12 to $15 dollar range, depending on the quality of milly, and size of marble (lens). I hope this helps someone out....

[chrisdd]

Very cool! Thx so much for taking the time to post this.

[DreamMuse]

LMAO!

This is a very cool way to use milli cane!

Will this work on Moretti beads and moretti cane? (You don't say if you're using soft glass or boro...) And does it have to be 6mm or smaller? I just bought some cane that is around 11mm wide, and would like to do it this way, but don't want to wreck my cane!

[Dwaine Scum]

I am using boro, Im not use about the soft glass, but I don't see what it wouldnt

[Shadymilkman23]

I've found it helps to flame polish the milli. It really cuts down on the air bubbles