Mystery Tubing, please help identify

[michelio]

Hi all, this is my first post. I researched this as much as I could before asking but I don't think I can sleep until I figure this out. Ok, I am a newbie and bought a bunch of tubing on craigslist to practice... There are three different sizes, bong stem, slider and a size larger than the slider size. The person I bought it from said he got it when he bought a bunch of tools, came with the lot. So, he couldn't tell me any history.

It was so cheap that I couldn't pass it up.:twitch: It is a boatload of tubing but it is old, dirty and standard size wall. Once we got a piece in the flame, it was full of tiny air bubbles, threw a green flame and kinda looked a tad yellow. It also exploded a couple times after being reintroduced to the flame even though it was not out of the flame for any significant amount of time. What the heck? My friend is a seasoned glass blower and he tested it for compatibility with other glass and it seems fine.

My friend said it could be Chinex and after researching this guess seems right. Its virtually unusable the way it is and has more issues than what most have said about the Asian made "chinex".

My friend has a big and beautiful torch. Are we working it too hot? We tried to work it cooler but either way, air bubble heaven.

I also found in my research that leaded glass was discontinued due to health risks. This stuff is old and could of been in storage for years...

Has anyone else ever come across this? I just want to make beads and pendants at this point but even that seems impossible because of those flippin bubbles.
:bangHead:
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated- m

[slave]

you are going to be hard pressed IDing but it doesn't really matter to much. you won't be buying this stock again.

okay its shocky.. lots of stress in it already.. you can try kilning it or even running it thu a full anealing cycle before use..

It boils easy.. you are running natural or propane gas and not map or acetylene right? the second two burn to hot and dirty for glass work.. you can try heating it up slower and working more torwards the back of the flame but then you said you tried working it cooler already...

did you clean the "dirty" glass off first? this could be the issue..

most don't make beads and pendants with size "bong stem" and "slide" (those arn't sizes but I suppose the sizes people used for those were once pretty standard. lol.

try cleaning the glass off, preheating it, and when your thru with it buy some new stuff.. you don't need it to not boil to get a feel for it though.. might as well use it up and observe how gravity, rotation, heat base/location, angle of holding it all effects shaping..

welcome to the forum. glad to here ya doing some of your own research.

[The Madhatter]

Hi! Welcome and props for an interesting first post.
If you've done a compatability test, and you're pretty sure it's 33coe or around there, I don't know what the issue could be. Doesn't matter how old it is, it's not like there's a shelf life on glass (well, nothing we need to worry about).
You mention it's dirty - have you cleaned it well? Dirt on your glass can scuzz it up making all sorts of little bubbles.
If you've cleaned it well, inside and out, well... maybe try coating it with some color and see if it is more workable when the clear is not in direct contact with the flame. The whole -exploding when removed from the flame for a short bit - thing makes me think it's soft glass. But I'm guessing your friend with the big beautiful torch woulda recognized that.

Hopefully someone who's dealt with glass acting like what you describe will speak up *you've got my curiosity up*

[michelio]

Oh, thank you for the quick replies! I know, I am a dork. I don't know the proper sizes yet. I just know that is what can be made with those sizes.

I learned a bead technique that uses tubing. Just blow out a bubble, add color/design and collapse and slump.

We did our best to clean it first. It just seemed so odd and we tried different pieces but I got so much of this shizzle,

~4,500 peices of tubing- 4-5' long.

It was cheap considering but man o man.
Does anyone need some puntys? haha... Seriously. I'll clean em for you. lol

Any suggestions on cleaning actually? Some are clean and some have dust, webs, crazy wicked spiders and buggies. I used a strong stream of water and a pipe cleaner, wiped it before use but that was it. Has anyone ever used steam?

Can use of certain cleansers used to clean them, leave an unseen residue that can cause problems?

I definitely think getting em' sparkling clean, preheating and sneakin up on em' with the flame should work. I will be plenty happy just to make little beads (if it works with said technique) and just learning on it.

Thank you! I can sleep now- BUT more replies are welcome ")

[slave]

I wasn't ripping on ya.. i just thought it was funny.. sounded like a piper in the making. I'm sure some cleaners will leave a bad residue.. most the glass cleaners work.. here are some recipes if you think you will go thru a lot. http://www.wisegeek.com/how-do-i-make-homemade-glass-cleaner.htm
let us know how it works out.

[Master Yoda]

Give it a coe test, pull a little off, add something that is a known 33 coe like some color or another clear, gather it well and see what happens when it cools. If it comes apart it is probably not 33 coe.

[Uriel]

I wasn't ripping on ya.. i just thought it was funny.. sounded like a piper in the making. I'm sure some cleaners will leave a bad residue.. most the glass cleaners work.. here are some recipes if you think you will go thru a lot. http://www.wisegeek.com/how-do-i-make-homemade-glass-cleaner.htm
let us know how it works out.

water and a teeny bit of soap gets most things off glass, unless its oil but thats another story.

[raul24]

If its really old boro it could have an iron impurity and to much boric oxide. I've worked with some batches of early boro and had to bin it, it was'nt worth the time fighting with it.

[michelio]

Ok, so I haven't gotten to work with it since I last posted. Just haven't' gotten up to my friend's haus. So, word on the street here is that it is soft glass. My friend said one of his glass friends told him so but like The Madhatter said above- wouldn't he of recognized that it was soft glass? He is a little ditzy like me tho so ya never know.

Case in point:

My friend did did a coe test but when I asked him the results he couldn't remember. Yay! how helpful...

Why isn't there clear soft glass tubing online? on Amazon 150mm long "soft glass clear tubing" for lab purposes. They are only 5' long??? What do they make them into in a lab or is it just the working with glass?- bending ect...

I don't even know where to start with soft glass. I try researching online, how to use the tubing but found NADA! If it was rod and color I would be able to find more info but info on soft glass clear tubing and its uses are quite elusive.

Well,
Any advise on what to do with it if in fact it is soft glass would be much appreciated.

Thanks eveyone for you help- I love ya already!

[michelio]

In response to the last two people posted,

It is not oil dirty, it is just dirty from actual dirt. It was kept in a huge pile on the ground. Barley covered and full on webs and buggies. Most have moved on but I think some soap and a wicked awesome pipe cleaner will do it.

I don't know what is worse, soft glass (simply because I dont know how to use it) or a batch of actual bad boro. Ugg! Either way, I will have eternity to practice with it , whatever it is, as long I can actually use it (after cleaning, preheating and working it slow with a softer bushy flame) I will be ok...

Thanks again everybody!

ps: if you live in So Oregon and need some tubing... I can throw some your way. Man o' man! Doesn't that sound enticing??? haha

[Icarus]

Hey, as for cleaning tubes, I would suggest a rifle or shotgun cleaner with the replaceable pads. As for what I use for a solution I prefer to use a mixture of vinegar and water.