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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips |
2015-02-28, 5:43am
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Junior Member
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Join Date: Jul 10, 2005
Posts: 21
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Old lampworking stuff
About 6 or 7 years ago, I tried my hand at lampworking. I took a class, bought a ton of glass some basic tools and a bunch of mandrels. My interest in actually making beads lasted about 3 or 4 months.
All these years I'm still buying beads, sometimes making myself jewelry, but most of the time I buy them just to look at them. I'm a true addict. My heart beats nearly out of my chest when I see beads I want but could never afford. I got really sick of that, which brings us to now. I'm going to do this again, and this time I will succeed.
I bought a new, hotter torch than the little hothead they gave me during that class I took many years ago. I pulled out all of my glass and tools, my husband set my torch up for me and it's literally downstairs, ready to go. My problem and questions have to do with my tools. Everything is rather filthy. I rinsed off all the glass, most still bundled like I bought them, with their little tags on them. My tolls just needed wiping off, but all these mandrels. I have dozens of them but they look like I need to clean them with a brillo pad. Seriously. They're not all rusted, they're just gross and I need to know if I should scrub them with steel wool or will that screw them up.
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2015-02-28, 7:20am
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Aug 31, 2006
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 2,210
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Scrub them with steel wool - I do that to all of mine when they are new just to rough them up a bit so that the bead release will hold better.
And good luck on trying again! Be patient with yourself.
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Kathy
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2015-02-28, 7:25am
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hyperT
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Join Date: Jan 31, 2013
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 582
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If they are metal don't worry about them or go ahead and scrub them, but they probably won't be shiny long. Most of the grunge will wear off with use. If they are carbon or graphite wash them gently. Distilled vinegar works well to clean glass.
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2015-02-28, 10:06am
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Junior Member
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Join Date: Jul 10, 2005
Posts: 21
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OK, thanks for the responses. I will try to be easy on myself, but I've seen some beads that nearly make me cry, I want them so bad, but can't afford. I know, I'm a big baby. I just need to start slowly, watch the millions of tutorials on youtube, and maybe someday my beads will make someone else cry. LOL!
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2015-02-28, 6:02pm
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Junior Member
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Join Date: Jan 23, 2012
Location: Virginia
Posts: 28
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You're so cute! Just enjoy. Be patient with yourself and take pleasure in the process of learning. Here is something I heard on National Public Radio, "This American Life", by Ira Glass. It is about being a beginner in the creative arts:
https://vimeo.com/24715531
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2015-02-28, 6:13pm
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I'm meeeeelting
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Join Date: May 27, 2007
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 2,236
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You could also just toss them all of your mandrels in your hot kiln for 10-15 minutes and probably burn off the gunk.
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2015-02-28, 7:55pm
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Junior Member
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Join Date: Jul 10, 2005
Posts: 21
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I got them cleaned up and everything is ready to go. I can't just throw them in the kiln. I use a friends kiln and she doesn't have it running much lately. I'm going to have to break down and buy my own soon. Any ideas on where i can get a good one for a fair price? It can be used too. That wouldn't matter to me.
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2015-02-28, 8:16pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Sep 27, 2014
Location: Walla Walla, Washington
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2015-03-01, 2:46am
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Artist
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Join Date: Jan 18, 2015
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada USA
Posts: 171
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If you are coming to the Glass Craft Expo in Las Vegas in April, they sell the brand new kilns they use for their classes at a discount. They bring all sizes depending on the classes. The discount varies with the cost of the kilns. check out their website and download the class catalog for more info. The seller always post a listing for contacting them in the catalog.
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2015-03-01, 11:28am
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 08, 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 1,687
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Craig's list - but you have to be patient.
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Barbara
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2015-03-01, 1:14pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: May 27, 2008
Location: Albion NY
Posts: 517
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They show up hear in the garage sale are.
Shipping can be an issue.
Batch annealing works well and should be fine.
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2015-03-02, 2:39am
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Phill
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Join Date: Mar 21, 2009
Location: Winnebago, MN
Posts: 2,489
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I built one for the cost of a large mailbox, a controller with a temperature sensor, some two inch kaolin wool (which I bought from ebay) and an old 1000 watt space heater with the quartz rods.
I think I spent $250 on it but I am a retired electronics technician so it was more of a hobby thing for me.
There is a really good thread here some where with instructions but you do need to be cursed with the technical bent.
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