fritstack

[nicko0]

so i tried a fritstack today. just like a stick stack just with frit(size 70) instead of rod. i used 32mm inside 50x7 so there was only a 2mm space to maximize clear to color. i used pipe cleaners to separate the colors. once the space was full, i slide the pipe cleaners most of the way out and filled in the rest. sealing off the end was tedious. to prevent the flame from blasting hot frit everywhere the inner tubes exposed lip was heated from the inner edge and flared till it joined the outer tube. this was all done vertically. then i proceeded as a normal vac stack. there are very few bubbles.

ive tried this a couple times before with new problems arising each try.

the frit was too fine and/or packed in too tight(i tapped on the glass till it wouldnt compact anymore) but this might not happen if there wasnt any fine mixed in with my homemade frit.

i used a brake bleeder to get 700mb? of vac once and it was too much but could have been other things cause it worked fine the first time.

the frit cant have any way to move around in the tube or your lines will blur.

on this one the frit loosened up again and it very slowly spiraled instead of just mixing up.

just relying on the gap between the two tubes being tight wasnt enought to keep the frit from getting out into to the blow tube.

i needed something not flammable and thought maybe there is boro fiber instead of fiber blanket(i hate touching the stuff) to plug the blow tube hole or rest the inner tube on like a gasket. i found borosilicate filter paper. its like 1mm thick and kild of like felt. its used for filtering hot and corrosive gases. i dont know if it really is 33 coe boro we will see.

is there anyone doing this? i assume so i just cant find it.

any ideas on how to do this better/different would be great.

[braheem glass]

I would just go back to rods...... Frit drives me mad! Good luck though.

[ALIEN!]

Use contourax.

[LTD]

Use contourax.

ding ding ding!!! And tube that fits snug. Not sure why you want to make a frit stack, but I am definitely intrigued. would love to see finished product.

[Icarus]

ding ding ding!!! And tube that fits snug. Not sure why you want to make a frit stack, but I am definitely intrigued. would love to see finished product.

Yeah, I'd also like to see a pic of this thing. Sounds maddening to do, but I imagine it looks really cool if it comes out right.

[Bo Diddles]

I did something similar once by filling 12mm medium wall tube w/ frit then stacking on the outside of a tube - it turned out pretty cool, but it's just too much of a hassle.
Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

[menty666]

sounds cool, like the glass version of those sand art things they do with kids.

[ALIEN!]

I've thought it would be cool to take a piece of 2 different sized tubes and do sand art type stuff between them with frit, never quite figured out a way to get 'er done though.

[Harry Paratesteez]

I guess I would just heat the inner tube and heat the frit on there and sleave it
might need to use a hand torch to get the frit exactly where you want it but it seems doable.
but ya, I agree, seems like you would get the same results with rods......but cleaner and quicker.

[ALIEN!]

Im thinking more along the lines of pour frit in layers between two tubes of glass and poke with metal pokers ala sand art. I just cant figger oot how to work all the air out and not dump the frit at the same time

[Harry Paratesteez]

why not just use sand? you can dye it any color ya want.

[nicko0]

yes the sand art would be awesome we have all seen some pretty intricate and beautiful work. i have yet to find good resources on the interweb.

the main reason for attempting this is to get the best color to clear ratio without having to sleeve the initial stack. off topic: the only other alternative i can think of to increase the clear to color ratio to its max would be to stack multiple tubes inside and out to increase the clear.

never posted a pic here we go

[Swampy]

I tried it with homemade teal frit and it cracked like fuck.

If you need to hold stuff in place you can use Elmers white glue, I use it to hold fine stuff for kiln fusing fine pieces, it burns off clean without a residue.

Neat work though, have to go back and hexperiment with this thanks for the reminder :o)

[Shatner]

yes the sand art would be awesome we have all seen some pretty intricate and beautiful work. i have yet to find good resources on the interweb.

the main reason for attempting this is to get the best color to clear ratio without having to sleeve the initial stack. off topic: the only other alternative i can think of to increase the clear to color ratio to its max would be to stack multiple tubes inside and out to increase the clear.

never posted a pic here we go

Wow! That looks really cool. What color did you use on the left?:chilling:

[nicko0]

triple passion on the left and amz night on the right if you hadnt already guessed. the metals come out and make the amz night really bright i think pre striking the t.p. will give some really intense purples cause of all those little surfaces

i want to try getting the lines to blend a bit to get really faded fades like the fire colorway

anybody got some direction towards sand art howto

[styles1 torchlife]

Use the elmers glue to adhere the frit to outside of tube then vacsleeve.


This is a good idea just to see what happens, even if it isn't the holy grail technique it's pushing the limits and your imagination. Many people have thought of or tried this, but this is the first I've heard of a discussion about it.

Good work Doug.

[Shatner]

I thought that was amazon night, but wasn't sure on triple passion. So are you just sealing an inner sleeve to the inside of the outer sleeves point/shoulder? Then dumping frit in the ring? This is a cool idea. One I'm going to have to try.

[nicko0]

im using a gasket made from boro filter paper to prevent the frit from getting out down the blow tube

[Dom]

Couldnt you just take a tube, roll it in frit, melt that in a bit, then sleeve it?

[FredLight]

Yes, wouldn't look the same though.

I want to see a frit-stack with clear rods separating the colors. Just one or two at the dividing line.

[Harry Paratesteez]

That would make it real easy if your using clear rods to seperate.
make you tube in tube set up glue the clear rods inside where you want them.....only glue the very end (that will be removed anyway)
pour the frit between the rods.
you could probly achive the "sand art effect this way also)
or as said before
conturex.

[menty666]

Could you put a layer of clear frit in there and then constrict it down some? that would give you a charcoal filter effect to let the air out while holding stuff in. In theory.