|
Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips |
2008-10-07, 3:20pm
|
|
Ave
|
|
Join Date: Jan 20, 2007
Location: Maine
Posts: 425
|
|
Frit Tool Question
I am curious about a tool called a "Frit Maker" It is a tube container with a piston type plunger that is supposed to easily and safely make frit. Has anyone used this tool? I would love to play around with custom frit blends using all my assorted shorts. Is it worth the price(Around $80-$100 dollars) Is it easy to use? There are also Sifter accessories to separate the the frit into Powder, Fine, Medium and Coarse grinds. Worth while or not?
Thanks Avery
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2008-10-07, 3:29pm
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Nov 17, 2005
Location: Michigan
Posts: 409
|
|
i bought a small one on ebay for $30..it works but i don't like it because it breaks up the glass in all different sizes, some way too big and some way too powdery..i guess you could take the time to separate it..if your willing to separate it, it works pretty good..i would rather buy it..let me know if you want to try this one out, i'll sell it to ya for $15..hope that helps..
__________________
Renee
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.
|
2008-10-07, 3:35pm
|
|
Curmudgeon
|
|
Join Date: Apr 12, 2006
Location: Victoria BC Canada
Posts: 5,810
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by mamabunting
I am curious about a tool called a "Frit Maker" It is a tube container with a piston type plunger that is supposed to easily and safely make frit. Has anyone used this tool? I would love to play around with custom frit blends using all my assorted shorts. Is it worth the price(Around $80-$100 dollars) Is it easy to use? There are also Sifter accessories to separate the the frit into Powder, Fine, Medium and Coarse grinds. Worth while or not?
Thanks Avery
|
How good they are depends on the user and the amount they use them. I can tell you that we sell a LOT of both Frit Makers and Sifter/Sorters. It takes just minutes to smash up scrap glass and sort it into various size grits.
They're $75 each or $125 for the set.
http://www.vicartglass.com/products/masterartisan.htm
__________________
Dennis Brady
DeBrady Glassworks To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - - Glass Campus To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - Victorian Art Glass To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - Master Artisan
|
2008-10-07, 3:36pm
|
|
Lover of Life
|
|
Join Date: Dec 31, 2007
Location: Edmonton AB Canada
Posts: 1,671
|
|
I bought the same tool as Renee for the same price, and it definitely does the job - I always use a hammer, even though it says grinding by hand is an option. To me, that's just too labor intensive! Like Renee states, you get a lot of big chunks that require some more smashing, and lots of powder, and everything in between, so be prepared to sort. That would likely be the same with whatever technique you used, I'm guessing. I bought mine with the intention of making lots and lots of frit, but I've only made a bit. I'm thwarted by the sorting part! That being said, I don't have the sifters, but I might make more frit if I did... Hmmm, my b-day's coming up. Maybe I'll drop hints at my family. If you're curious though, Renee's fritmaker offer sounds like a good one!
Becky
__________________
Becky To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
"Your dreams are waiting for you to come true."
|
2008-10-07, 6:04pm
|
|
Certified Glassaholic!
|
|
Join Date: Jun 17, 2005
Location: In my own little world.....
Posts: 1,792
|
|
If you look around there are tons of cheap sifters to be found in housewares sections of stores...dollar store...etc.
I combined a bunch of sifters with different mesh sizes and just use those to sort. I have one hand held sifter with fine mesh, a couple of sink strainers with medium to larger mesh.
No need for specialized sifters You can find similar solutions all around you!!!
__________________
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.
|
2008-10-07, 6:09pm
|
|
ManBearPig
|
|
Join Date: Jun 28, 2005
Location: Roanoke, VA
Posts: 8,540
|
|
It works fine if you make a lot of frit. I use a lot of frit, I have a frit crusher, and I never use it. Too much work for me...
__________________
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.
|
2008-10-07, 6:14pm
|
|
geekitude on two wheels
|
|
Join Date: Aug 07, 2007
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Posts: 678
|
|
You can make one pretty easily for about 10$ if you want, there a tut somewhere I think. There is some messing around with sifting, getting metal out with a magnet etc. For little bits, it's easier to make a paddle, heat it & dunk it in water then drain & sit it on your kiln to dry.
__________________
-jen
|
2008-10-07, 6:50pm
|
|
Spell check please
|
|
Join Date: Aug 28, 2005
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 394
|
|
My Dh made this one for me. It's all steel, sorta heavy but dose the job. If you know someone that welds, i,m sure they could make one for you.
Elaine
|
2012-04-13, 1:10pm
|
|
Practicing perfect
|
|
Join Date: Oct 12, 2007
Location: Fullerton, CA
Posts: 2,050
|
|
Can you show the piston part that actually crushes the glass. I am trying to get my DH to make me one so I would like to see how your DH made the piston part.
thank you.
__________________
Inez
In the hopes of reaching the moon men fail to see the flowers that blossom at their feet - Albert Schweitzer
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2012-04-13, 1:31pm
|
|
Loving learning
|
|
Join Date: Oct 11, 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 11,654
|
|
Since this is an old thread, I can take a picture of the one my hubby made me if you want. He just screwed on a cap on a piece of threaded pipe I think.
|
2012-04-13, 3:03pm
|
|
ScrapSurfGlassPaddleSew
|
|
Join Date: Jan 22, 2012
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 3,223
|
|
I bought the Aanraku Frit piston and sorter set from Delphi glass - I think they were around $45 each. I love them - I DID use dollar store strainers for awhile, and ended up buying the sorter set. Partially because I'm planning on offering frit for sale, and wanted to have recognizable sizes, but also just for the ease of use. INCREDIBLY therapeutic pounding frit with it - and in the quantities I make it, a tremendous upper body workout, too. LOL
__________________
Pat The journey is the reward 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. L-111
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.
|
2012-04-13, 8:46pm
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jul 04, 2010
Location: Missouri
Posts: 417
|
|
My frit maker was a gift from my DH. He mounted a garbage disposal in the lid of an unused 5 gallon bucket. I put the bucket in the laundry type deep sink and run water through the disposal unit as I feed it chunks of glass. It makes mostly size 1 and some size 2 frit with a bit of powder at the bottom. I let it sit in the water for a little while so that the powder can settle. I run a magnet through it, but I've gotten almost no metal debris since the disposal blades are pretty tough. After pouring off the water I spread the frit in a pan and let it finish drying in a dedicated toaster oven in my studio. The last step is sifting it, but since most of it is pretty close in size it's a matter of dividing it into frit or powder. It makes just enough noise to wake the cats from a nap, but a LOT less than it would without the water...LOL
Andrea
Pat, how goes the retirement?
|
2012-04-14, 11:31pm
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Feb 13, 2011
Location: Oregon
Posts: 626
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dreamsincolor
My frit maker was a gift from my DH. He mounted a garbage disposal in the lid of an unused 5 gallon bucket. I put the bucket in the laundry type deep sink and run water through the disposal unit as I feed it chunks of glass. It makes mostly size 1 and some size 2 frit with a bit of powder at the bottom. I let it sit in the water for a little while so that the powder can settle. I run a magnet through it, but I've gotten almost no metal debris since the disposal blades are pretty tough. After pouring off the water I spread the frit in a pan and let it finish drying in a dedicated toaster oven in my studio. The last step is sifting it, but since most of it is pretty close in size it's a matter of dividing it into frit or powder. It makes just enough noise to wake the cats from a nap, but a LOT less than it would without the water...LOL
|
So does the disposal eject the water into something in the sink or eject into the 5 gallon bucket. This sounds really cool. Would you post a pic?
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
All my children have paws To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Proud Member of "YOU PEOPLE" 9.13.11 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2012-04-15, 12:33am
|
|
Ad astra per aspera
|
|
Join Date: Jun 15, 2005
Location: Apache Junction AZ
Posts: 7,324
|
|
DH made me a cheapie from a few pieces of threaded pipe and cap ends. One piece fits inside the other and you just pound it a few times....or insert it and use a hammer for a few good whacks. I use rod shorts, heat them in the kiln then drop them in water so they crackle. A whack or two with the pipe pieces and they're well and truly fritted.
__________________
Karen Sherwood
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2012-04-15, 12:11pm
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jul 04, 2010
Location: Missouri
Posts: 417
|
|
Serendipity, the disposal is mounted in the lid and the water passes through to the bucket. It sits in the sink so that water can feed into the disposal, because it's a good working height and it makes it easy to pour off the water. You can pour water from a pitcher to process. It cost about $30 for the disposal and a few bucks for the bucket at a hardware place. It plugs into a regular outlet at the sink. I've been using it for 6 years and it's just as sharp as ever. If you want to do big chunks they process better if you heat them in a kiln and drop them into ice water first. However you make frit from the pieces they break up a lot more evenly if they are heated and chilled that way. The biggest reason DH made it for me is that he felt this method would minimize the risk of dust since it was all done with water.
Andrea
|
2012-04-27, 1:34am
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Feb 13, 2011
Location: Oregon
Posts: 626
|
|
I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for a garbage disposal. I have plenty of 5 gal paint buckets with lids. Thank you.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
All my children have paws To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Proud Member of "YOU PEOPLE" 9.13.11 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2012-04-27, 4:07am
|
|
Who me?
|
|
Join Date: Jun 15, 2005
Location: Hagerstown, Indiana
Posts: 2,284
|
|
When I want a little bit of frit, I use the coffee bean grinder that I bought just for this purpose...be warned, if you grind too long, you will have powder.....$10
__________________
From the Perimeter of the Great Dismal Swamp
|
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 5:42pm.
|