Help with shards please

[Blue Box Studio]

I bought one of Martin's Slim Jim Blowpipe Mandrels to have a go at blowing shards.  I hate balloons (one blew up in my face as a kid) so makes perfect sense to try the same thing with hot glass.  I found some destructions on here and started with a malteser size amount of glass.  So far no success!  This is probably a silly question, but when I am blowing, do I need to keep the glass in the flame?  I'm sure it'll come with PPP but blow, twist, heat, stick thumb over end is not working for me.  Either my blobs don't expand (not enough air down the skinny hole despite  having good lung capacity otherwise) or blow out the side (too much air and not rotating even enough).  Is there a trick I am missing?

[helbels]

I start with a large marble size bit of glass wound from the end of the mandrel in coils as if you were making a hollow bead - so it's not a solid blob of glass on the end - it's hollow inside, and then rotate in the flame while blowing so that the glass is gently orange while you do it.  Before you start blowing, put your thumb over the end to let the air inside the glass warm up, then gradually and SLOWLY start blowing - little mouse breaths.  If you blow too hard you'll blow out the sides.

PS: I'm no expert on shards, but the method above seems to work ok for me.

[Calico Cat]

Not that I'm very good at it, they take a while to get going - just add a little air - I found I was blowing too hard so little puffs rather than blowing - warm and repeat - once it does start to expand - STOP BLOWING!

I got one of the slim Jim blowpipes a while back and found it much easier than the older, heavier one I had.

The thing I tend to forget is that, once I've broken it (inside an old metal can) the shards are still hot . . . . .

BTW, I also don't like balloons so if it's any comfort shards don't pop in quite the same way - more of a pffft than a bang  

[Redhotsal]

Like real balloons - what you will find is that you need a bit of pressure to get the ball of glass to start to inflate, but once it does start to get a little bubble in the gather it will blow out very quickly, which is usually when people end up with glass confetti (which is very dangerous if you breathe it in!) .

So, blow quite hard to get a little bubble forming but as soon as you see it STOP. Alternatively - you can form a hollow gather first, like Helsbels says. I usually let it all harden and add another layer of glass. Then heat it all round until it is glowing orange. The secret here is to heat evenly, because if one side is glowing more than the other then you will get an uneven blow.

Blow gently and you will see the ball inflate. Keep the blowing rod rotating or it will droop and be very difficult to blow and don't blow while the gather is in the flame. HTH.

[Blue Box Studio]

Yes ladies, that does help.  Out of the flame is obvious when I think about it, I had a problem with droop  when it got too hot.  Wellies back on (it's wet out there), off to have another go whilst the kiln cools down and dinner cooks. The hollow ball approach sounds good, that way I'm starting with a bit of a air sac. 

[jobead]

I'm going to put all this to the test tomorrow, I have blown some shards before but I nearly fainted with the effort.

[Blue Box Studio]

OK, apologies for the photos, but here are my first efforts - there were a lot of aborted efforts and at one stage I'd managed to get glass up the end of the blow tube  but think I'm getting there.  I think the hollow bulb is easier, and a second wrap of glass helped.

The brown one was the first one I tried (followed by a lot of failures)


First attempts! by Blue Box Studio, on Flickr

Quite pleased with this one - more of the bubble is useable - I've made a lot of confetti tonight! 


Celadon shards by Blue Box Studio, on Flickr

[flame n fuse]

the celadon one looks really pretty

[Madam Steph]

Looking good, Sue.

As you 'clean off' your blow mandrel...be careful though.

Heat up the remaining glass on the mandrel...then thumb over the blow hole, then mandrel tip into the water jar.

That way the hot water won't travel up the pipe and hit you wherever.


Linda x

[Blue Box Studio]

Looking good, Sue.

As you 'clean off' your blow mandrel...be careful though.

Heat up the remaining glass on the mandrel...then thumb over the blow hole, then mandrel tip into the water jar.

That way the hot water won't travel up the pipe and hit you wherever.


Linda x

Found that one out the hard way!

[Kaz]

Don't know if this will help - Shahlaa video'ed it at Flame Off
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HPP5UWwjMs
To get a bubble that large I used about 3/4 of a rod of Gaia. Forming a small hollow round on the end and then encasing another layer in the same glass to ensure that the glass was thick enough to withstand blowing.
Kazx

[Sarah]

Hi Sue

The celadon one is looking good.

I used Jennifer Geldard's free tutorial to get me going and found it helpful.

http://www.glassgirl.com/shards.html

Sarah
Xxx

[Blue Box Studio]

Don't know if this will help - Shahlaa video'ed it at Flame Off
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HPP5UWwjMs
To get a bubble that large I used about 3/4 of a rod of Gaia. Forming a small hollow round on the end and then encasing another layer in the same glass to ensure that the glass was thick enough to withstand blowing.
Kazx

Ooh thanks, now why didn't I think to look on You Tube?!  Will watch it again in a minute and have another go.

Hi Sue

The celadon one is looking good.

I used Jennifer Geldard's free tutorial to get me going and found it helpful.

http://www.glassgirl.com/shards.html

Sarah
Xxx

I was using rod ends so as not to waste anything precious - failure rate is about 3 in 4 and the water jug is quite full!  But striped ... now why didn't I think about that.  Thanks for this tut.

DH has just asked 'will you be wanting to spend time in the shedio today' what a silly question.

[Rascal]

That celadon one is beautiful. Em showed me how to do them at Tuffnells and I love them, not tried striped so that's going to be my next play. One of my favourites is dark ivory with silver foil, when it's blown it looks like a webbed pattern, really stunning. I tried it the other day with frit and that looked good. Thanks for the links everyone will have a look.

[Blue Box Studio]

Not managed to replicate the success of the celadon one today I had a pretty pink and yellow fritty one but it went bang, very loudly so only a few bits are usable and the vac will need to come out to clear up the mess.  Not tried silver and ivory yet.