Glaskolben

[Shiny]

So glaskolben are pre pulled points. I can only find them in 89 COE. Is there anywhere that sells glaskolben in 33? It would be really great to forget about pulling points AND not have to use blowtubes.

http://www.tracysworkshop.com/p-2676-glaskolben-30x1mm.aspx

[Glacier_Arts_Studio]

man, i'll pull your points 4 ya... i'm shot on tube at the moment but,
depending on what you want and how much you are willing to pay,
something could be worked out...

[Mr. Wonka]

The only problem I see with pre-pulled points is what you will be getting… we all have different styles. For instance, Rex would always bust on me because my points are too short (for him), and I would bust on him because his points are too thin (for me). We both get our work done, but can’t use each other’s prep work for those reasons.

Have you thought about taking on an apprentice to pull them for you? I’m sure there are a lot of people that would be willing to learn… even if it’s just the basics.

BTW- Glasskolben loosely translates to: “Lazy glass blower unwilling to pull points” in German. Just kidding bro :bouncy:

[Shiny]

Hey im willing. Im doing it. Just think... allow yourself to imagine.... how wondrous it would be. production sped up 10 fold.

wish I had the space for an apprentice. Right now im sharing a tiny shop and its 30 mins away. bugger

Id like to switch from melting down the 26mm, puffing out, flaring... to buying points of 50mm and do nothing but open them and draw lines. I dont do that now because attaching a blowtube is sketchy and points on 50 is kinda overkill

Everyone search the internet. maybe im only excited because the ones I found were only like a buck fifty. Im sure 33COE points in 50mm xh will be a lot more

[Racer X]

What's neat about this is what the shit is it for? There has to be a specific product, or need that would prompt that particular COE of glass be offered. I can't even guess what it might be.

[Mac Maestro]

^^^^The link says they are for ORNAMENTS.


attaching a blowtube is sketchy

?????? attaching a blowtube is easy and strong. Maybe Im just sketchy.

[Shiny]

it makes me feel sketchy because its a connection rather than one piece. I did it a couple times when i was first starting and developed a bad opinion because i wasnt good enough to not crack stuff. Really ive just never gotten that good feeling you get when youre spinning glass on a perfect axis from a blow tube.

you know what... fuck it. im going to do everything on blow tubes tomorrow because i havnt tried it enough to say anything. this may be me converting.

and what the shit is it for? its for anything you use a point for.

[boxfan willy]

Pulling points is was pointed out to me as one of the basic skills that u should never give up or pass on to an apprentice or helper. Simple(but difficult) exercise that forces u to maintain axis. I have never nor would I not pull my own points. This said, I use blowtubes on a lot of my production for the same reason Maestro laid down. Pulling points is like wax on, wax offf or paint the fence.
IMHO

boxfan

[Cosmo]

I've got a whole box of pre-pulled points here. Me and Frank got the bright idea to sell pre-pulled points and would be good for teaching purposes. They are, but it's a lot of trouble for not a lot of return.

The glaskolben ones are used a lot for making christmas ornaments. Roll them in frit, blow them out into a ball, and call it a day. I think I have a couple around here somewhere if you want to mess with them when you come back down this way...

[Shiny]

well shit caleb and I are planning on coming to the shop tonight so I guess Ill see you then.

[Smoke]

fuck it. im going to do everything on blow tubes tomorrow because i havnt tried it enough to say anything. this may be me converting.

That's the spirit! I never used to use a blow tube, but one day I decided to try them for awhile and I haven't went back. The cracking only happens to me when I get too much glass piled up on the seal. I got past that problem by slightly pulling out the seal to thin out the gob of glass I end up with. Then as long as you can get it straight so it spins evenly, you can make stuff. And eventually your seal will get cleaner.

I always felt like my points were too weak, it made it hard for me to melt the colors in nice. Nothin' like some thick blow tube for support. :)

[menty666]

I gotta wonder, if the glaskolben are 89 COE, what the heck would you roll them in? BE's 100, Effetre's 104, I guess System 96 is close, but not really. Boro frit might rip 'em apart. What would you use?

I guess maybe the 5% rule might apply and you could get away with it, but I'd hate to find out the hard way.

I saw a posting on LE where someone was in a class in Lauscha and the folks there were using BE frit on the Lauscha cores.

[Racer X]

Bullseye is a 90 Coe.

[menty666]

Ohh, glad to be wrong for a change ;)

[Greymatter Glass]

My understanding was that they're usually just blown clear then silvered or lustered (or painted) and decorated with glue and glitter after they're cool. No colored glass required.

...but what about Satake or Kanari?

-Doug

[Mac Maestro]

I like your willingness to do something that may be hard right now. Believe me, NOTHING is hard with a good amount of practice.


it makes me feel sketchy because its a connection rather than one piece

If you get the flow right, it becomes one piece.

If you are heating two matching sized holes, the optimal way is to heat them both just liquidy, stick them together smoothly, fire around the seal ONCE, balance them -out of the flame, and pull slightly toward the end of the cool down.
The two should have flowed evenly together, strong as if it was just one piece.

(side note: yes, the first thing i learned was points, Im glad I learned, but I dont use them anymore. wheather im using 26mm tube or 70mm)

[Micah Evans]

hey now, I think one piece is always going to be stronger than two....unless you anneal your blanks with blowtubes, then use them:D


point pullers unite!

[Mac Maestro]

We should all send someone a Glaskolben and have them test them for us. See whos shatters last. lol.

[HOSS]

hey now, I think one piece is always going to be stronger than two....unless you anneal your blanks with blowtubes, then use them

I've been blowing full time for a year and change, and haven't yet seen the need to start pulling points. They make some sense to me on 32mm and up, especially I/O work, but almost everything I do is 25mm or less and it just makes more sense to work right off the tube and weld the scraps together.

Very rarely have any cracking issues anymore, plus I think doing hundreds and hundreds of tube welds has really helped me learn to make nice clean seals on sectional stuff. When I do go over 32mm for making bubblers etc. I can weld a 12mm handle on and cut a section as fast as I've ever seen anyone pull a point, and its just as straight and centered... but I think its really just a matter of what you're used to. Like Maestro said, nothing is hard with enough practice!

[Shiny]

just kidding. I didnt do anything on a tube today because I didnt have blowtube and was scrounging for scraps all day because I forgot my damn everything-but-one-inch-tube. I was pulling 4 inch scraps of 9m out of the trash for handles.

[Breed]

when i was first starting i ended up with a pile of 4 inch sections of 9.5. i basically taught myself how to attach blowtubes/seal sections by making workable handles out of four inch sections.