lines of colour

[mumbojumbo]

hello,sorry i know this must have been covered somewhere but i cant find it.im ok at making clear spoons,ive just spent all morning trying to add lines of color and before i waste any more color thought i'd risk looking stupid and ask for some help.my torch is a lynx and the tubing i am using is26mmx2.8mm wall. thanks for any help

[The Lorax]

fire + color + clear = lines.

[The Lorax]

oh yea, are you trying to get them on the outside or the inside? tell me quick and i will draw a small diagram in ms paint before i go start pullin some stringers myself.

[mumbojumbo]

trying to do them on the outsude.p,bly just need more practice

[Hefe]

make sure the clear glass is hot before you try to attach any color to it...doesnt have to be glowing..just hot enough so the color can stick well. Now, your color rod should probably be pulled into a stringer..heat up a small section and pull it out thin. Then using a small flame..heat the tip of the stringer and the part of the clear where you want it to go...start drawing..feeding more stringer to the flame as you go..

[Greymatter Glass]

yes.

More practice.

You'll figure it out.

-Doug

[mumbojumbo]

a bit better today,use stringers,more practice,more patience.thanks

[Greymatter Glass]

yeah, stringers... don't try to lay in a whole 7-8mm diameter stick of color. Unless you need to.

The best thing anyone told me when I was first starting was "Don't be afraid of the heat". Some times it felt like the glass wasn't going where I wanted it, or doing what I felt it should, 9 out of 10 times it was because I was afraid to turn my torch a little bit.

It's not hard to get things TOO hot either, but going to both extremes will help you find the right mid point for you. I've seen some people work their glass in a nearly drop-off-the-rod liquid state, and some people who prefer to let things go a bit slower and controlled. It's up to you.

You'll also find that one flame doesn't suit every need, i.e. the flame you'll pull stringers with will probably be smaller than the flame you use to pull points or gather a rod up.

Keep burning the glass, none of can give you the physical experience to shape glass in the flame, the sense of touch required will come naturally somewhat if you have an idea of what should be happening.

If you have anyone in your area willing to teach or just let you watch over their shoulder for a few hours that would be a huge step. Beer is usually welcome.

Where you at?

-Doug

[mumbojumbo]

i,m in the uk,so nobody to really look over my shoulder to help with pipes but i have learnt a bit from lurking here.you're right not been fraid of the heat and to work hotter run out of propane and oxy shall get some more tomorrow & improve on todays efforts.

[Hefe]

watch youtube vids..they might help!

[jethro]

stringers= prepwork, bleh.

Only use them when you need/want to for the desired effect.

If your doing w&r or something like it just trail on the color or learn to lay it on a lil thinner...more heat like Doug said.