How to handle off mandrel work

Started by Irene, September 16, 2014, 05:24:09 PM

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Irene

Those of you who make off mandrel Objects in soft glass (104), what do you use to hold the Object With while you work, and how do you anneal in the kiln? Do you Place it on a rack, use kiln Wash? I really want to try to make something without the mandrel hole, but don't know how to handle the piece. I know about punties, but at some point you have to cut the thing loose, and then what?

Glyn Burton

A tin of cooling bubbles to catch it from the punty, if you have used a cold punty you will have a small scar so use hot grip fingers, tweezers,tongs while fire polishing the scar.
I have a pad of fibre blanket on the base of the kiln and just put the piece on that, a pair of Kevlar gloves is handy for picking up hot things too.

Pat from Canvey

Quote from: Glyn Burton on September 16, 2014, 07:38:01 PM
I have a pad of fibre blanket on the base of the kiln and just put the piece on that, a pair of Kevlar gloves is handy for picking up hot things too.
I use fibre blanket too (especially if I'm making a marble -to stop it rolling) and use hemostats to hold hot things.

Dietmar

"off mandrel Objects" is a large field.

If the object fits into long tweezers preheat the tool and grab it before burning away the last connention to the punty. For marbles use one cup smaller on your marble mold than the last one to shape it as a rest. Tap away the punty and move the scar to the top before firepolishing it. Use tweezers with two loops on the ends to put it into the annealer.

As long the object does not roll just put it on the kilnwashed floor of the annealer. If it can roll put it into a dish with fine sand or popcorn salt.

Finally you'll have to find a way to put the object into the kiln while making it if you didn't do it before. Locate the spot of the last punty and the way how to separate from it. A horse tail is the optimal point for the last punty to burn off, because it ends in a point and is the natural end of the statue. For more compact objects without protruding parts the cold sealed break away punty might be better. Place the last connection on a (mostly) hidden spot or on a spot that can easily firepolished with a "last kiss".