Anyone here do lampworking? If so...wanna swap some glass? I have a tin full of those 2-3 inchers I'd be happy to swap with some of your 2-3 inchers. Cool colors, I am just tired of them. PM me or reply here if you are interested. Cre
Hey Cre!! i lampwork too! Are you using Boro or soft Glass? i work with boro. i'm not sure what your talking about with the 2-3 incher? i guess maybe that means you work soft glass? i've played around with soft glass alittle, i enjoyed it, but i had a hard time keep my torch turned down low enough. i kept melting everything into a blob of grape jelly, because i'm used to really cranking up the heat with the boro. i finally made a couple nice pendants using the soft glass and they exploded while i was finishing the loop. Any suggestions? thanks! ~tree
Tree~ I work with Moretti. I have some boro, not much. Some tubing and a few colors. For the time being, I prefer soft glass. I know exactly what you are talking about, losing your piece when trying to perfect the loop. Sometimes those loops take me forever! The thing about soft glass is that it CAN NOT cool down like the hard glass can. If it cools too much, it will crack or worse right in your hands. While making the loop, keep flicking the pendant in the flame to keep it nice and hot until you put it in the kiln. I never took any sort of classes and know no lampworkers so I figured all of this out through trial and error. And the flame doesn't need to be as big as it does when working with boro. I start with a 6 inch (or so) bushy flame, then start adding the oxygen. If I am making something the size of a pendant or a marble, I make the flame bigger than I would if I were just making a bead. What I ment by 2-3 inchers is those small pieces of rod that you end up with when you use most of it up. They are kinda hard to work with because they get so damn hot. I usually attach them to longer ones of the same color to keep it going. Hope that makes sense. Cre
I really like working with Moretti. I personally think the colors make for much more striking beads. Never had too much of a hard time with the heat control, though I learned using soft glass. Soft glass pendents are kinda tough...nothing like spending 30 minutes on one to have it crack while making the loop I would love to trade some 2-3 inchers, but I just moved my studio and finally ditched all the little pieces I was neglecting...gimme a few weeks... Tree...just use a small flame, and be very concious of the overall heat of the piece. I usually stop what Im doing every 10-20 seconds and reheat the entire thing....and remember to breathe Billy
I would love an explaination on how to do pendants with soft glass. I have got the bead thing down but I don't understand at all how to make a pendant. I am used to just twisting everything around the mandrel. You can't do that with a pendant. Is there a special tool I need or something? Thanks!! ericka
Hey Ericka! i use graphite paddles to make most of my round flat pendants. i heat the glass into a big glob, and then press it flat with the paddles. Then i can decorate the disk however i like, and use the attached rod to form a loop. That was a really super basic explanation, feel free to email me personally if you have other questions. i'm using boro, but i would guess the general process is the same. take it easy! ~tree
