I get out a new rod of Vetro odd glass. I waft it gently in the vicinity of the flame. Ping! An inch flies off. I try warming it. Ping! I try holding as far out from the top of the flame as my arm will reach. Ping! I get fed up and stick it in the hot part. Ping, ping, ping! Eventually, I manage to find a bit of rod which melts and start winding it round the mandrel. Ping!!!!!! Now I have half a bead and 2 inches of rod on the mandrel! If I'm very, very lucky I can get this wound round without more pinging off.
I know Vetro odds are a bit shocky, but even with warm rods the amount of rather large frit I have is getting silly! What do you do to avoid this?!
I got a great tip from beverley Hicklin after half a rod of odd pinged everywhere. She pops it in the kiln at annealing temp for 10 mins, with lots hanging out so you can hold it after you have taken it out, worked without shocking
I had that with pale advocado, I never got to use any of it :( I do keep the odd rod on top of my kiln if i think i might use it, it helps a little :)
I know that some are worse than others - had to stop using Orange Dreamsicle before it took my eye out! As I don't have a kiln, I resort to warming rods between my thighs (!), so any more practical tips would be welcome! ;D
I keep mine upright in a jar on my workbench right under my spotlights and that seems to help quite a bit. It seems to be the only warm bit in a very cold garage/studio. ;D
Orange dreamsicle - orange nightmaresickle!
QuoteOrange dreamsicle - orange nightmaresickle!
:D :D :D :D ;D
Quote from: Spookyjewel on March 08, 2008, 09:25:42 PM
I know that some are worse than others - had to stop using Orange Dreamsicle before it took my eye out! As I don't have a kiln, I resort to warming rods between my thighs (!), so any more practical tips would be welcome! ;D
Like dusky maidens with cigars???
Kaz
I lie mine on the work bench under the torch which warms it up but a still get a surprise usually when getting complacent on say the third or fourth bead into a rod - a gentle crack and there's a partially wound bead with an inch of rod on the mandrel :)
yes i have this too and it SUCKS!!!
Rhubarb?? pudding only, rod form is hopeless, sanme for a rod of terra i had, the others have been ok...
it has put me off using them
Quote from: Spookyjewel on March 08, 2008, 09:25:42 PM
I resort to warming rods between my thighs (!), so any more practical tips would be welcome! ;D
Good heavens - just how hot are your thighs?? :o
Quote from: beads-on-toast on March 08, 2008, 10:35:23 PM
yes i have this too and it SUCKS!!!
Rhubarb?? pudding only, rod form is hopeless, sanme for a rod of terra i had, the others have been ok...
it has put me off using them
LOL Anna - I had the same with the rod of rhubarb in my mixed pack - there was rhubarb frit all over the floor. But I tried a rod from Hazel & it was fine. The odds vary so much from rod to rod. I think that's part of the reason I like then 'though I have picked up a few scars in interesting places.
As for rods between your thighs - I think we might be in the wrong section ;)
I have a rod of silver plum which explodes every half inch or so, am trying to turn it into stringers bit by bit but I have to build up courage first :(
My marbled avocado has made me very nervous this morning, I can tell you !!!! It is soooo temperamental :(
OoooOOOooooh Les has been torching....hooray ;D
Hi - this doesn't answer the problem of shocky glass but when warming your glass in the flame don't waft it in and out just hold the rod horizontally to the bench and introduce into the side of the flame gently. The was a tip given to us by Dora Schubert at a glass course last year and I find it works for me. You still have to be careful with the extra shockies ((EDP etc) but hope it helps.
Diane
Oooooh candy corn - ouch popping candy corn!!!!
Kaz
we have been speaking to mr moretti about seeing if there is a way to introduce the second and third colours into the rods in far finer strips - which should help tremendously with the "shockiness" of the new odd lots.. the latest batch of odd lemongrass actually looks like green bamboo - the second and third colours are really fine almost like really tiny murrini.. the trick for us is to get the cool effects without the shocks!.. there was one batch of odd pale avaocado that i literally have 120kilos of lying here because when tested we could not get ANYTHING to stay on the rods.. i turned about 20 rods into frit before giving it up and chucking it on the racks..
anyone think of a good use for too shocky glass - we think maybe we should try a pot melt of make a mix to pull our own canes?.. ;D ;D
Add a few extras and make a new glass!!
These colours get right on my tits, sometimes literally, I had some a while ago that no matter what I did, and Idid all of the above, I managed about one spacer bead from a rod, a right pain,,,,is life too short I wonder
Quote from: glassworks on March 09, 2008, 03:39:33 PM
there was one batch of odd pale avaocado that i literally have 120kilos of lying here because when tested we could not get ANYTHING to stay on the rods.. i turned about 20 rods into frit before giving it up and chucking it on the racks..
That must have been the same batch that I got, I managed to make 3 spacers out of 2 rods...I wasn't planning on making spacers, I was just trying to make it work ::)
You have to wonder if it's actually fit to sell if it can't be worked properly
I did say some words to that effect whilst i was using it shirley ;)
Bet they weren't quite that polite ;)
But I'd love to know how to get round it because I adore the colours! What causes this? Is it tiny, tiny bubbles in the glass because there are several colours in one cane? Sometimes, I end up "mopping up" all the pinged bits with my melted glass bobble, just so I don't waste too much...
Loads and loads of frit...I make sure I pick up every bit that pings off!
And Sal, compared to a cold garage, my thighs ARE pretty hot - it's either that or my armpits, which would be neither pleasant nor practical! ;D I do have to be careful of the pointed end when I pull the rod out to use, though - ouch! : :-[