How Much?

[Bluebird]

How much do you sell you pipes for? Or pipes like these:puzzled: They are around 3-5" long.

[Ben 'Spice' Crowley]

not to be a dick but now a days I sell pipes like that for $5, if it's also getting filled on pick up, $10 otherwise.

When I started and I made ONLY pipes like those I sold them for $30 but didn;t sell very many and damaged my glasses reputation with a couple of customers

[MPGB]

^^^ wow! What a dick! J/k

I didn't sell any of my work until I was satisfied with it. I still have every spoon I made until I started to sell to local shops (which was last weekend I sold my first batch).

I would keep them or give to friends and family. This way you can see how you progress. As stated above showing glass that cannot compare can damage your rep.

Everything looks great so far! Keep flaming! Do you work on other items too(like marbles and pendants)?

When I started I had the mentality that I will only make pipes but that was a horrible fail! It wasn't until I perfcted pendants and marbles that my spoons came out great. Plus I sell pendants to my moms cowokers and they eat that shit up like a fat kid at holloween!

[Bluebird]

Yeah I make allot of pendants and stuff but it's hard to figure out who to sell em to. Marbles I'm not a big fan on but I make a couple here and there. But hell yeah you guys. Tell it like it is so I can figure some other stuff out. Maybe I need training or something I don't know. But all in all let me know what I should do. I live in Pasadena Cali by the way.

[Ben 'Spice' Crowley]

you need 100 clear spoons, following 100 clear chillums, followed by 100 clear hammers, after that you just need to keep on truckin it lol

you can definetley do it without training, but it'll take longer and maybe cost more, if you can get some classes under your belt, do it...wish I had, but it's all good

[MPGB]

The reason why I say to make marbles and pndants first is so you can better understand how the glass moves.

Also use clear with silver fume so you don't waste color. You can make some nice glass using only clear and a good fume job.

[MPGB]

Ahhhh you beat me ^^ but good advice about classes. You WILL learn more in a shorter amount of time. I couldn't find anyone local until recent. So I am self taught and I wasted a shit load of glass learning what could have been done in a weekend.

[Bluebird]

Thanks you guys this really helps me allot.

[Ben 'Spice' Crowley]

btw, try every method you can read for making spoons, do em ont he point all the way through, point and blowtube half and half, blowtube solo, try em all and see wha is most comfortable for you, and try pulling your mid section before you blow your bowl, it looks as though you aren;t, and that is affecting your overall 'flow' in the piece.

[Bluebird]

Hell yeah for sure thank you. On the silver fume part do you fume the inside or outside?

[byron3]

Both, do some in some out..................

[hashmasta-kut]

damn, its fun wasting color, if you can afford it. i could never make a 100 clear spoon. i gotta jazz it up a tiny bit at least.

[n3rd]

it's worth what someone is willing to pay for it :)

[Icarus]

Yeah I make allot of pendants and stuff but it's hard to figure out who to sell em to.

Anyone with a vagina will do (funny how many times I've thought that to myself in my life).

No but seriously, I have very few male pendant buyers, and usually when I do they're buying for their wife, girlfriend or mistress. But the fairer sex is my best customers when it comes to pendants.

Here's why I specialize in pendants.

There are a lot more middle aged women who like jewelry than their are tobacco smokers.

Those middle aged women generally have more money.

They also like to have many pieces of jewelry. I've known tobacco smokers (myself included) who have used the same piece for years, so sure, I might sell something to them once, but as a repeat customer, that's an iffy proposition. A pendant buyer on the other hand may pick up something every time they see me, and at christmas may also buy gifts for their friends.

I can retail my pendants for what most basic to intermediate spoons retail for, and they cost me much less time and consumables to make.

I don't have to deal with head shops or sketchy tobacco smokers (not saying they're all sketchy, but I think you're more likely to find a sketchy hippie kid than you are a sketchy career woman or housewife.)

And last but not least, no one has ever gotten chased by the cops and arrested for carrying around a case of pendants.

I'm not saying it's for everyone, and I know their are a lot of pipers who will laugh at this, but it's my thoughts on it. Pipes are fun to make, and I occasionally will bust one out for a friend, but pendants allow me to hone my skills, try new techniques without a huge time or material investment, and allow me to keep blowing glass without having to break into my paycheck too much to pay for more glass, gas and .... (no one rides for free).

[Bluebird]

Anyone with a vagina will do (funny how many times I've thought that to myself in my life).

No but seriously, I have very few male pendant buyers, and usually when I do they're buying for their wife, girlfriend or mistress. But the fairer sex is my best customers when it comes to pendants.

Here's why I specialize in pendants.

There are a lot more middle aged women who like jewelry than their are tobacco smokers.

Those middle aged women generally have more money.

They also like to have many pieces of jewelry. I've known tobacco smokers (myself included) who have used the same piece for years, so sure, I might sell something to them once, but as a repeat customer, that's an iffy proposition. A pendant buyer on the other hand may pick up something every time they see me, and at christmas may also buy gifts for their friends.

I can retail my pendants for what most basic to intermediate spoons retail for, and they cost me much less time and consumables to make.

I don't have to deal with head shops or sketchy tobacco smokers (not saying they're all sketchy, but I think you're more likely to find a sketchy hippie kid than you are a sketchy career woman or housewife.)

And last but not least, no one has ever gotten chased by the cops and arrested for carrying around a case of pendants.

I'm not saying it's for everyone, and I know their are a lot of pipers who will laugh at this, but it's my thoughts on it. Pipes are fun to make, and I occasionally will bust one out for a friend, but pendants allow me to hone my skills, try new techniques without a huge time or material investment, and allow me to keep blowing glass without having to break into my paycheck too much to pay for more glass, gas and .... (no one rides for free).

Right on. Yeah I've made hundreds of pendants and got kinda burnt out on it so I switch over to making bottles, sculptures and pipes. I made 3 clear ones just a minute ago with some silver fume and will be posted up for some comments. I hate my redmax by the way lol! Wish I wouldve bought a Lynx. And I know it's not the torch it's me.

[RamblezMarblez]

Pipes like that cost a bowl pack a piece. If that's too much, then just give them away to someone whom will remember you. Then when you get really good, and your friends want some kind of hommie discount, you can say "I already ready gave you a free pipe! Now cough up that cash!"

[Bluebird]

By the way guys I made 3 pipes and silver fumed the outside, annealed them at 1500 and the silver is disappearing. WTF?

[MPGB]

1500!?!

[Bluebird]

Fuck! I meant 1050.

[RamblezMarblez]

Cook it on with a soft reducing flame. Not too much. Keep on torching!

[Bluebird]

Cool cool.

[coloringdan]

I hate my redmax too, but i'd rather be using it than doing anything else. whenever a friend wants to try to make a pipe i just fume it real quick for them then set a super reducing flame on the premix and let 'em do all the shaping with that. it doesn't get to hot and out of control that way. even a first day beginner can go home with a nice fumed pipe that way.

[Bluebird]

Well here are some that I made yesterday. The shapes were a little weird so I made these clear ones. Let me know what you think I need to change.

[Bluebird]

Forgot this one.

[chayes]

your pipes look fine to me, don't let people tell ya your work is worthless. 5$ is a insult.

[Lucius Emanuel]

Well here are some that I made yesterday. The shapes were a little weird so I made these clear ones. Let me know what you think I need to change.

you don't need to change a thing... just stay behind that torch and you'll be fine!!!

[Bluebird]

Thanks you guys. Down for some pep talk.

[Bluebird]

Is the silver fume on these o.k? I did the outside with silver fume and it seems a little gritty:puzzled: Whats that about?

[CripSkillz]

once you put the silver on ,, put some clear lines over it then shape.. get more colors n lines lol

[The Madhatter]

I find that less is more, especially on outside work. And I started on a Red Max, it's an awesome torch if you're using it right. I have a whole thread of stuff on here I made with only the pre-mix on top. 6 inch pipes, to some nice bub's with snorkel carbs, you can do it.

But back to the fuming. Put one light coat on - so the piece looks yellow. Then quickly bake it in with an oxy flame, hit it with a very reducing flame, then fume again lightly and bake once more. After that work slowly in a reducing flame and you'll get some amazing blues. Try coating some color in a thick coat of clear and lay some lines down. The clear will trap the fume and give it an extra blue streak next to your color that'll change a lot when used. Then practice your basic spiral. It's harder than you think to get a perfect spiral going up a piece, and I like the look better than the WAY over done Wig-Wag.

You'll get there, but like it's been said, make a hundred *or a thousand* and you'll have it down.

[Bluebird]

Well what about sculpture work? How much does this kind of thing go for? Its the size my hand. Let me know what you thing of this spider.

[sevin dummerville]

That spider is badass! My only advice on the spoons is to pop the bowl hole a bit closer to the mouth piece and push the bowl down and away from the mouthpiece instead of straight down. Other than that they look like they are coming along swimmingly. That spider though WOW, super cool and different. Keep being adventurous, it will pay off.

[Dom]

Nice spidey, I like it.

About the fume, you are fuking too heavy that will get that gritty look, also your fuming flame is too aggressive.

Try heating up your clear blank a bit more and set a smaller flame for the fume and just do it a little bit at a time.

[Ben 'Spice' Crowley]

Indeed that spider is PIMP

[hashmasta-kut]

say 25 or more? looks pretty rad.

[Bluebird]

Thanks you guys. Really appreciate the comments on that spider. Took some time but got it done.

[wieseatron]

Just a suggestion try making the bowl section more distinct then the rest of the piece.

Also try condensing the middle or strecthing it out. Those fume pipes are coming along nicely and the spider is dope!

[Ben 'Spice' Crowley]

make a shit load of them spiders in all different color combos, about 2-4" and start sticking them on pipes, call em Tokin critters or some ish

Then charge $45 and bladow supply streak

to stick it on a pipe add two clear or color posts on the bottom of it (head and ass for stability) and then punty up to the center of the two on the other side, now heat up a large enough section on your pipe, while heating up the posts (spinning since u have ur nice punty handle, this will keep both posts even heated) then just like sticking a marble on, push the two together, let it cool for a second while pulling gently to even the contact zones, then if need be, fire the seals and anneal

[MUPH]

Well what about sculpture work? How much does this kind of thing go for? Its the size my hand. Let me know what you thing of this spider.

It all depends on where, when, and how your selling it ---> I'd say $40 - $200

[Bluebird]

If anybody wants to hit me up and let me know whats up please do so at 626-355-0010 and my name is Robert.

[Bluebird]

Don't mean to put my # out there but I'm a newb that doesn't know shit.

[berning]

i've been selling my octopi for 90. i think they're about the same size. some peoples jaw drop, like i'm ripping them off. other people have their cash on the counter before i can blink. i've been finding it's much easier to sell stuff like this at art and craft fairs. if the event has music and /or beer sales , people only buy 20 dollar spoons and 10 dollar pendants.

[Bluebird]

Yeah that sounds about right. The size of this spider is about the same as a small plate. Or it could fit in your hand.

[berning]

i'd probably sell a few more if i dropped the price to 75 or so. i think the fish stuff has been selling so well because most people with fish tanks are used to spending money on them.

[Bluebird]

i'd probably sell a few more if i dropped the price to 75 or so. i think the fish stuff has been selling so well because most people with fish tanks are used to spending money on them.

Right on. That makes sense. I will see about that.

[Icarus]

Damn Robert, that spider is nice. Great work dude!

[Boss]

what slick said, meaning bushy orange flame high lp.....fume twice if need be!

[Bluebird]

Damn Robert, that spider is nice. Great work dude!

Thanks Icarus. I'm gonna put another one up on a new post in a minute. And thank you to all that has replied to my post in regards to the pipes. I've learned soo much here on the MP.