need help. really frustrated.

[section8]

10 years ago wife had a minor burner so I got a major with premix top. Tried for about a year but I wasted many thousand dollar's and couldn't find a class(central vt)anyone willing to part with their precious info. All I cld do is make up ideas and try emay em. Bought wrong size tubes and rods many times over. Wife called and emailed any head shops in driving range to get me in a class or just shadow a blower or put me in touch to pay for info. No returned calls or emails. Not even from full tank which was run by a high school classmate and has in-house local blower/friends. Not the warmest welcome to an industry that considers itself art. Any way...about three months agoI decided to give it another go. Bought a blowtube, that helped a little with shape but just a little. I bought Flarers and marvers and grabber claws, 2, and more tubing ans color rods(ouch!) None of which matter without guidance. Well I'm many thousands of dollars in and sick of throwing money at nothing and I'm still angrily smashing more half done pieces than I am finishing them and the ones I finisI think I should've smashed to save money and time. I'm Murphy's law of glass. Kiln striking double amber purple makes the ugliest brown I've ever seen. I try punting to the bowl side of the piece by making punts molten and pipe hot and when I remove the panty it takes a chunk of pipe with it a makes a shotgun type carb hole. How iiswarm fusion stronger then the pipe? I just silver fumed a rod with the pre mix tip the move to the minor burner to wrap and I see my fume disappear in the flame. Refume then try wrapping with the single hole premix so I can have some color. I can't get a half turn without the color rod separating from the piece. I can't keep the piece as hot as the rod so on the off chance I do get a small coil it separates from the piece and breaks and beads up. So first two steps, fumeing, I can't do right, then wrapping, can't do right. People post videos but it's to showcase how spectacular they are and not to help others so there's no dialog like.... To keep a even this do that. It's more like.... I'm bob and I'm cool cuz I just did this. My wife is a carreer artist who travels the art craft show circuit and every medium you can imagine has people willing to help others in that medium then you get the marble and paperweight glassblowers who have the case of pipes under the table and I start asking for advice or tips and all of a sudden it's the quietest unfriendly guy in the building. Sorry if I'm frustrated but it shouldn't be this hard to get some help. Last time I tried glassblowing forums weren't really around so I'm hoping now there are more people willing to help. I guess for starters could you tell me how to stream a rod around a tube without it breaking apart or off the tube and how to get fuming to not be gone by the time I have wrapped it. I smashed the last one b3 raking cuz the color was gone and the wrapping looked crap. Also this forum engine needs to be updated. Smart phones are tand tablets are too prevalent to have a forum not compatible. Page jumps cursor jumps. Deleting letters doesnt work. It deletes from a few lines up. Hence the typos at beginning of this sentence. Can't delete or get the cursor there. Typing in this forum is almost as frustrating as glass blowing. Sorry bout my bad attitude, I'm just having a real hard time and for an accumulation of ten years, no one will help, so please and thanx . Erik the glass destroyer

[LooseSeal Baller]

might help if you post some pics of your work, hard to say whats going wrong without seeing you working.

[Natedizzle]

Killer first post brah!!!

The bern gallery in Burlington offers classes... You may be a bit too agro though...

[maxtsunami]

Woaaaah, looks like you're having a bad day. Sit back, relax, (and take notes, for all you biggie fans) you gotta blow glass from a good place. Try putting on some chill music and just feeling the glass, I know how frustrating it can be and music helps. Wrapping color was one of my personal demons, it takes a lot of practice. Essentially, you want to experiment with how far up the rod you're heating, because if you heat too close to the stringer coming off, it will just break the thread, but if you heat too far up the rod the glass won't move correctly.

Not sure why you got such a hostile response to glassblowers you asked, but I'm in south VT and might be able to help at some point, but I won't be free for a while (I'm no expert but I can make a solid spoon). If you want assistance from the forum though, try losing your sense of entitlement, because you'll likely receive the same response as the previous people you asked if you don't. Looks like you got off to a bad start in glass, but if you just take a breather and stop sweating it about the stuff you break, you'll probably succeed eventually. We all break stuff, and we all get mad, but you can't blow glass if you hate doing it so just chill out aight?

[section8]

Thanks for the quick responses. I like that post...killer 1st post brah. It's not a sense of entitlement at all. It's mere frustration. I had made about 20 wig wag balls as practise with exotics to practice with those colors. I donunderstand them anymore then before. Blue moon is yellow n green with white where it's not encased but that's ok, I liked em. Just went out to put two together and it worked! I HAD a nice 3.5" long 1.75" wide tube of two spirals. Blew a hole in the far end th either blowpunty to or add another ball. Sorry bout punty spelling on last post. My phone doesn't think it's a word. Anyway I blew the hole and heated it up to ream it bigger but as I went to ream it the blowtube on the other end broke off taking half of the wig wag ball with it. I know it's cuz I did something wrong but that doesn't make it less frustrating and since I don't know what I'm doing wrong it just means wasted time and money. Nothing learned nothing produced. Just ben glass and a shattered barn door. Or splintered, whatever ya wanna call it. Yes I use a kiln and understand annealing. It went into kiln at 1050 for .5. Hr before blowing hole Entitlement to me means I walked into this expecting to b great right off. Not the case but I did think I cld make something semi-respectable after an accumulating yr + of regular use(8to 10hrs/week) is anyone else on an android phone? This is near impossible....... I'm pretty much the opposite of entitled....at 35 yrs old I usually do anything knowing I'll fail miserably but I have hope and with each new endeavor I realize .watching tv is about all I can do well. Wish I liked it more. Anyway I'm not agro, very nice, friendly, and easygoing. Matter of fact I started trying this again to make all my friends new pieces for xmas. I have a box of about 20 ugly spoon things and gave two 3 away. I figure each of those 3 gifts was about $250 oxy here is 60 a tank and I've gone thru 5 + .5 gram of gold. Glass. U know the drill. Fastest spoon was about an hr. Second is 1.5 hrs. For a spoon! Sorry to be a wah wah prissy bitch. Hope I've entertained you if nothing else. I don't have much for pics cuz I junk it if it ain't workin. I can't even make a ring bubble in the middle of a stem. If I stick with it I'd like to take you up on hangin out when ur less busy in s. Vt. I'm in northfield and I assure you ima pleasant usually happy fun to be around person. Just a little down right now. Thanx again guys. At least I got a good name out of it. "the destroyer"

[aREa541]

44988

This useful key can help create paragraphs which will make those long posts readable.

[LooseSeal Baller]

good luck to you.

believe it or not its actually a lot easier to blow a bubble at the end of the tube (maybe you know already anyway) making a maria in the middle of the tube takes a little practice and nice even walls.

practice with clear first its cheaper and will give you a better understanding of glass

if you really want to blow glass dont get discouraged (sounds like your serious 10 years is a long while)
once you find a teacher you'll be relieved. Best of luck to you!

[Bo Diddles]

Maybe you should try glass fusing, it's much easier.
But if you want to stick with it, maybe you should stop smashing the piece when something goes wrong.
Good luck.

[bildo]

Too bad you got a mega minor. What kind of kiln do you have? If you are thinking about selling your stuff send me pm or something.

[H1JACK3R]

I can't tell if you're just trolling or if you're serious.

First off, yes this site is compatible with mobile devices. I am replying to this on my IPhone, and I often use my Google Nexus 7 (Android).

Your issues all seem to be operator error, and perhaps you should just continue to practice. Also, perhaps silver would be a bit more cost effective for fuming than gold?

[menty666]

Maybe drop back to the basics a bit before you start working hollow. Make some marbles, a few pendants, etc. sell those, buy more oxy, make more stuff, repeat.

Bern's a good place to start for lessons, they've been running ads for classes lately in some of the glass magazines including pipe making. Failing that, check out Timiaglass's channel on youtube for some good intro demos.

As for not getting any advice at a selling event, of course you didn't. Once you walk up and ask for tips they see you as competition looking to bite their work. It's just the wrong question in the wrong context. I got to meet Gateson at a marble show once, I resisted the urge to ask for hints on how he does his marbles :)

Stick with it, and work on the paragraph breaks.

Welcome!

[ACE]

Holy angry walls of text! If you can't access the site on your phone properly maybe just wait until you get home and use your computer. It may give you some time to get your thoughts together, because to be perfectly honest I'm not even sure what you're asking from us.

You may have to travel to take a class. I always have. Some schools of particular note are Pilchuck, Penland, Corning and Haystack. There are lots of other smaller schools or centers out there too..... I just googled "lampworking classes vermont" and tons of things came up.

Even if you've already spent thousands and 10 years on this hobby... if you are at a point where you can't blow a maria in the middle of a tube, which I believe was something you were describing you could not do, or stripe a tube with color, you are looking at a lot more torch time meaning more money on gas and supplies and probably a lot of crappy looking stuff before you make something you like. If you cannot handle that, IDK what to tell you. Glass is expensive as a hobby and has a steep learning curve. Good luck.

[Action Glass]

Yikes....dont drink too much coffee.....i always forget that part. My body is accustomed though.
If you end up drinking too much, clean all that broken glass you just smashed.
Slow down.

[Wilbur]

i think this is funksizzles 2nd account.

[PhilosophicalPete]

I have learned quite a bit online, and a lot from books. I have tried finding help before also, and t seems a lot of glass workers only have enough patience for their work. I may still be new but I can make some tutorial videos on some basics, or at least try to point you in the right direction. So far the people here seem nice and I'm certain you'll get help one way or another.

P.s- the site works fine for me on my tablet, except for some image loading. Would be nice to have a slightly optimized mobile version, but that's either a lot of work for the developers or money out of the webmaster's pockets. We can only hope.

[The Uncle Ronnie]

Hey Buddy, I was in pretty much the same situation you are in 6 months ago. I had a major with a pre mix on top. You just cannot I repeat cannot get the variable flames from that torch that you need without changing the tip. That is pretty F@$#n stupid. Being that funds were limited my friend Bronx suggested a Lynx because the genius behind GTT is not so much the big flame as it is the lynx. 75% of the time he uses his center fire on his elite.
Since your major has a good size flame and will melt anything your going to want to do for a couple of years just Piggyback the LYNX on top of the Major. 1st you'll learn the charecteristics of a gtt. 2. It's only 400 bucks. 3. You will be able to melt any thing you will want to for a while with th lynx.
If you want I'll take a pic to show you what I did, it looks good not like some Frankenstien looking stuff I've seen.

Next is Time On Torch and classes. 8 to 10 hours a week is not enough. I do that a day and still if you look at my progess thread I'm still making small stuff. I had a problem with the peeling the mouth piece so one day I took a bunch of 9.5 and Tore open about 200 mouth pieces now I didn't make anything that day but that was easier than screwing up 200 spoon or bat mouthpieces.
The classes are also about steps. That is a big thing step 1 do this step 2 do that 3 etc.... I have it written down and there's like 14 steps to making a basic spoon. I'm sure there will be disagreement on that but more or less there is a bunch of steps.

Just remember this when you meet fellow Lampworkers. You get more with honey than you do with vinegar and A Friend with W#$D is a friend indeed. I hope this helps it's only an opinion and everybody has one but I felt the same way you do and I'm still working at it.

[Dan Kooper]

Damn. I gotta find a friend with wood.

[LooseSeal Baller]

ahhh yeahhh:chilling:

[The Uncle Ronnie]

See Bullet and Barry just proved my point. LOL

[Dan Kooper]

Are you using the mobile site or the full site?

Mobile site is stupid

I use full site on my phone.


10 years???? This site was here in 2003 wasn't it?

[ijag2]

everything goes wrong all the time, you just need to be able to take a step back from your frustration and take it slow.
its not what you can make, its what you can fix.

[RioGlass]

I really like that last reply. "It's what you can fix." I constantly find myself making some of my best work when I go back to it.

I know it is hard but keep it up and dive in when your behind the torch. Even if it is a messed up piece, it is still time behind the torch and always strive for the next one to be better then the last!

[Ikensel]

Dude you have me thouroughly depressed now. Ill pull my ass outa the funk to see if i can help.

Where in Vermont are you?

How much $ do you think you should invest in lessons?
What do you want to be making?
Did i read you were doing wags a a newb?
Oxy at $60 is full retail. time to sharpen your skills of negotiation and get it down under $30

Slow your roll and figure some shit out. What do you want to be doing artistally with Glass and maybe i can either lend a hand or recomend some people who can. You need to know where youre going before you can make a map to get there.

you came in here like hell on wheeels asking everyone how to fix everything. Dont expect to learn all of this right away unless youre going to invest serious time and even more serious money.

As i scanned your ramblings you called out some dude for not getting back to you with some help. Man up, its not thier job to hold your hand and make you feel good about your hobby. Give them some respect and slack as thier life might be somewhere more hectic than yours. Keep at it. If there is a glass blower in VT or NH along the CT River valley. Ive emailed text and called them. Some were like, hell yeah right on. Others didnt respond. Some might regreat they did. Now, I know furnace workers and lamp workers at all skill levels and some willing to share an idea or conversation.

With the economy in this especially long slump. Expect no one to feel the Christmas Spirit with thier time or energy. What glass artist we have in our area are often beat up and struggling. Its up to you to make it happen.

Peace

[kbinkster]

10 years ago wife had a minor burner so I got a major with premix top. Tried for about a year but I wasted many thousand dollar's and couldn't find a class(central vt)anyone willing to part with their precious info.
OK, I understand that you are frustrated, but this right here is an attitude that needs to change if you want help from people. That "precious info" came at a cost whether they learned it through their own trial and error (which cost them time, gas, glass, and equipment costs - they dropped some cash for their set-ups, too, just like you) or paid to learn from a class or whatever. There is no obligation to part with that info. If someone would like to share it, whether for free or for a charge, then that is their decision and if they decide to keep it to themselves, that is fine, too. They're not bad people for that. Sharing information is not a criterion for being an artist.


All I cld do is make up ideas and try emay em. Bought wrong size tubes and rods many times over. Wife called and emailed any head shops in driving range to get me in a class or just shadow a blower or put me in touch to pay for info. No returned calls or emails. Not even from full tank which was run by a high school classmate and has in-house local blower/friends. Not the warmest welcome to an industry that considers itself art.
I think you were looking in the wrong places (Bern Gallery is a good suggestion, btw), but also, if your attitude to the people you have approached so far comes across anything like it did in this post, no wonder you didn't get a warm reception. I understand the frustration you feel, but that vibe isn't going to get you to where you want to be.

I'm not pointing that out to chastise you or be a jerk, but to show you how it comes across to others. Like I said, I understand that you are frustrated right now. Not everyone you come across will understand that and will just pick up on your aggressive tone and shut down.

Oh, and keeping information quiet is a glass tradition. It has only been very recently that people have shared information about glassworking. It's great that they do, but they can still be artists even if they don't. This expecting people to share is the "entitlement" people were talking about.


Any way...about three months agoI decided to give it another go. Bought a blowtube, that helped a little with shape but just a little. I bought Flarers and marvers and grabber claws, 2, and more tubing ans color rods(ouch!) None of which matter without guidance. Well I'm many thousands of dollars in and sick of throwing money at nothing and I'm still angrily smashing more half done pieces than I am finishing them and the ones I finisI think I should've smashed to save money and time. I'm Murphy's law of glass. Kiln striking double amber purple makes the ugliest brown I've ever seen. I try punting to the bowl side of the piece by making punts molten and pipe hot and when I remove the panty it takes a chunk of pipe with it a makes a shotgun type carb hole.
It seems to me that you are biting off more than you can chew. Before trying something complex, I think you should get more familiar with the simple. It might seem boring to go back to the very basics, but it is worth the effort and will end up saving you glass and time. You can figure out how to work a color on a small object and then transfer that knowledge to a larger object. For example, if you practice making pendants, you can learn to work color and learn about using pontils (punties) and making proper seals while using less glass.

I think if you re-start and go small, your level of frustration will decrease. If you find yourself starting to get frustrated, stop what you're doing and move on to something else and then go back to it. If you practice pulling points and get to where you just want to smash everything, move to pulling stringer for a while and then go back later. No matter what you do, you will be developing a skill that can help you. If you stop that frustration before it takes hold, you will be more likely to come back and do better the next time.


How iiswarm fusion stronger then the pipe? I just silver fumed a rod with the pre mix tip the move to the minor burner to wrap and I see my fume disappear in the flame. Refume then try wrapping with the single hole premix so I can have some color. I can't get a half turn without the color rod separating from the piece. I can't keep the piece as hot as the rod so on the off chance I do get a small coil it separates from the piece and breaks and beads up. So first two steps, fumeing, I can't do right, then wrapping, can't do right. People post videos but it's to showcase how spectacular they are and not to help others so there's no dialog like....
Really? That's how you see it? The truth is that there are videos that are demonstrations (and people can certainly glean useful information from them, even if it is a self-promotion piece done by an artist - and there is nothing wrong with self-promotion videos, btw) but there are also lots of instructional videos out there showing how stuff is done and some of them are free. There are tutorials and instructional DVDs out there that you can buy and learn from, as well.


To keep a even this do that. It's more like.... I'm bob and I'm cool cuz I just did this. My wife is a carreer artist who travels the art craft show circuit and every medium you can imagine has people willing to help others in that medium then you get the marble and paperweight glassblowers who have the case of pipes under the table and I start asking for advice or tips and all of a sudden it's the quietest unfriendly guy in the building.
Maybe it's how you ask. Maybe it's the fact that you are asking. Period.

I have been to shows in the US where there were people from other countries taking photographs of work in display booths and taking notes. It's no surprise that a few months later, these same designs are being mass-produced in China and sold on eBay and other venues for ridiculously low prices.

It's bad enough that someone who works hard to develop a style has to compete with the import industry copying their own designs. Do you really think that they would be receptive to someone coming up and asking them to tell them how they made something, presumably so that person could go and make it and then sell it, putting them into even more competition for sales? This is how they feed their families and you think (really?) that they should be happy to tell you what they know? Not everyone teaches. Not everyone writes tutorials. Some people move from an old design to a newer style and are ready to share the old stuff, either for free or for charge, and that's great. But, you can't reasonably expect someone to share their current bread and butter. It's their business. Sometimes, you can find someone who is looking to expand their business and take on an apprentice. You might have some luck looking for an apprenticeship, but keep in mind you might need to move.

Have some sensitivity about these things and show some respect and you might find people willing to help you. There are people willing to help and they should be appreciated for helping and not just expected to help.


Sorry if I'm frustrated but it shouldn't be this hard to get some help. Last time I tried glassblowing forums weren't really around so I'm hoping now there are more people willing to help. I guess for starters could you tell me how to stream a rod around a tube without it breaking apart or off the tube and how to get fuming to not be gone by the time I have wrapped it. I smashed the last one b3 raking cuz the color was gone and the wrapping looked crap. Also this forum engine needs to be updated. Smart phones are tand tablets are too prevalent to have a forum not compatible. Page jumps cursor jumps. Deleting letters doesnt work. It deletes from a few lines up. Hence the typos at beginning of this sentence. Can't delete or get the cursor there. Typing in this forum is almost as frustrating as glass blowing. Sorry bout my bad attitude, I'm just having a real hard time and for an accumulation of ten years, no one will help, so please and thanx . Erik the glass destroyer
You might have an easier time viewing this forum on a computer. If you don't have one, then perhaps you could visit the library and use one there.

There is enough information out there (free) to get you started, but if you really want in-depth instruction, take a class (check with Bern Gallery) or buy/rent/borrow some books/DVDs/tutorial eBooks. A really good book I suggest to people starting out working boro is Glassblowing: An Introduction to Solid and Blown Glass Sculpturing (http://www.amazon.com/Glassblowing-Introduction-Solid-Blown-Sculpturing/dp/096244040X) by Homer Hoyt. It is a progression of lessons for you to do on your own. He starts you on the very basics and moves you through to more complex things.

[davidwillisglass]

1. Go to Corning Museum of Glass website and sign up for a flameworking class. (Emilio Santini later this month perhaps?)
2. Get in your car.
3. Drive down to Corning.
4. Take class.

The expense will be worth it, if you really want to continue flameworking.

[section8]

Thank everyone so much. I appologise for my bad attitude. I really like playing in hot glass and I'm happy go lucky usually. New rule # 1, no blowing while dry if ya know what I mean. Saw my friend indeed today n dropped a Benjamin on em. Also keeping a lorazepam on table just incase.lol. thanx though. There was a little therapy ithere.I'm not trolling. Here to stay. I didn't open this pageto sign up and wine, I had it open earlier from researching new/upgrade torch options.
My laptop died. Wife bought a MacBook air, it's Greek to me + she had it with her n does now at shop so smartphone it is. She's a pretty successful fuser. Doesn't interest me except the thought of rolling a design onto tube (pipe dream). I've made about 40 marbles, 70 spoons, 100 failed spoons. 2 coffee mugs for mom on mothers day....huh... No classes, no forums in 2001-ish, I say to myself "how cool wld it be to make fumed coffee mugs that show all the color when you fill em. Riiiight... I bought like 2+ inch heavywall tubing. I pulled it off barely and coffe wld leak out of many spots so they were small plant pots for a bit. How do ya post pics? It was good practice for big ribbon n filigrino handles with 5 marbles on the ribbon one. Ugly n lumpy but cool. Had to work one side at a time and cld barely get it hot enough to make bigger. I'll fill in the info about me section and ask pinpointed questions and keep my grammar etc in check, and that angry guy from yesyerday. I thank you and I love what y'all do. Oh and a little secret......I stopped blowing b4 cuz of a bad temper and I thought I was older wiser and in more control. Sorry for losing my $%!?. Like a lil princess showin up to the party late and making a scene. Erik

[dnug42]

wow...so yer good now? happy little glass blower....keep at it- loads of vids on youtube- stuff on this site as well vid. wise- maybe buy a vid you like and watch it 100 times or a 1000 times...def. try to work smaller...sounds like you are going way way big. rome was not built in a day, but they did get some work done in 10 years...hehe- hey also laugh at yourself- sometimes it helps- heck i put a mirror infront of my torch so i can laugh at myself all day long...like the tiny cat on the poster said "hang in there"
goldy

[lizard14i24]

Erick-
Thanks for the good laugh when I read your first post I pictured a nakid guy standing at his torch. Piles of broken pipes everywhere one pile with a pair of panties hanging from it. Then nakid guy throws another broken pipe it lands on his panties and they go up in flames. Nakid guy goes into tirate and screams intire first post without taking a breath I laughed all day.
But seriously you have been givin alot of good advise here take it to heart. Find a way to watch youtube vids go to Corning glass center, AGI, Bern The number of people that are willing to help learn this crat is huge but its not always free. You will spend thousands to learn this craft in dollars and in hours also.
So good luck and patience grasshoper.

[byron3]

When people speak of passion around here it is sometimes misunderstood ........
Glass blowers tend to be "different" than "mainstream" Americans ................

Do you usually give up so easily??

I met a fellow glass artist recently, he was from Texas and had spent time with Will Menzies .................
Seems like this young man had called Will "EVERY" day for 2 "YEARS" before getting an invitation to join him on 4-20, the story goes he spent about a week there.

I have this man's number and will be calling when I finish this post, seems like Eusheen will be over at this friends studio in March ......................
Have not been there yet, but am planning on being there when Eusheen comes down ................

I think I am beginning to get an inkling of the passion some others are looking for .............................

[menty666]

You might check out smartflix too. Decent price on rentals.

http://smartflix.com/store/category/7/Glass

[Ikensel]

Yeah i guess you just needed to bitch . I came back to see what you wanted to learn and what you thought you could afford. No response?
Theres some badd ass people in your area Barre, Rutland over to Manch. Ill let you (your wife) seek them out .
Peace

[section8]

Thank you guys so much! pretty stock intro, I know. I apologize and thank you entirely for taking the time to give a $*!t. I reeeeally love glass and pipes and colors and hobbies. I wasnt just stopping in to bitch. I came here as a last resort. A desperate shell of a man at rock bottom all disheveled clawing his way onto your doorstep in the rain. all wide eyed and white eyed. I cant do it alone. I need help. I really wanted to self teach, um my uh self, stubbornly i guess. Armed with a copy of "humbolt films, the secrets to making glass pipes part 1" and a square head torch. So I'm sorry for being a douche and hope it somehow shows the praise i have for what you do. I spent the last few days really researching videos and reading and looking into classes and actually looking at the 3rd and 4th page of googles search results! I'm dedicated. To prove it, I broke out the old dinosaur laptop for this. I hafta hold shift to capitol my I's and insert the 's by hand. This is my third attempt at this post. Not cuz im a psycho and i freak out and delete the post and slam the computer shut cuz its just not good enough, but because the 1st was on my phone and it was tough (its prolly cuz of dolphin browser). Got a call, answered, after the call my post was gone. #2- break out the laptop start typing. It was going pretty good then it just shut down to run updates without even asking first. Long story short- this is the 3rd. i made a list of things to address in regards to responses and thank you all.
Natedizzle.... Thanx man. you made me laugh while i was still fuming mad. killer 1st brah! im not agro, im pretty chill, just freaked out a bit, at home alone, aaaand kinda let it bleed out onto the web.I was stressed about some family issues and figured blowing something would clear me out and bring me joy and nothing worked out at all. you should see my post in the "family issues" forum. Whoah! jk.
Bildo, my wife has 4 kilns she uses for fusing and i dont take alot of joy
in fusing but the one i use is a small 9x9 inside kiln with a flap door about 2" tall on the side and a lid. good for pipes n beads. She plays with softglass on mandrels with the minor burner. I have played with warmglass to help with product ideas for her and have made pendants for her to sell at shows. there are about 200 to 300 pendants i've made out in the world but they are our version of production pieces. not much profit on those and its work to me. I try to avoid helping her with those but i will if shes too busy. I came up with the system for the production pendants and i tell her shhhh when she tells people the secret so i get that point too! Wicked little coldshop. lapidary grinders and mini tile saws n stuff. I've thought about cutting the blowtube off of the piece with the fine little tile saw n flame polishing but then im not learning how to work glass.
I think i need to read some of funk dizzles posts if someone thinks i'm his second account. I'm really glad a few people found humor in my little meltdown. Seriously its pretty funny when some random guy loses it online and vents a bit. after writing i hoped people wld get a laugh at my expense so im sorry for depressing you Ikensel and as far as what im looking to learn, well, basically i wanna learn what im doing wrong in certain areas. i wanna learn to be able to think something and somewhat make it, feel in control of whats happening and what im making. I'm better at letting the glass decide what its gonna be and help get it there than saying, this will be this long and this wide and this color. I know its gonna cost money learning but im of a certain mindset that, the money i save by teaching myself would equate to the money spent learning. Or uh......A long time ago (97?) aquaintance, John Dufresne, spent thousands on classes from a pipe maker who was in town and i think john was awesome at it. tried googleing him a few times. that was a few thousand I never had. I had hundreds sometimes so buying glass and gas i cld spend thousands learning myself, a little at a time or not at all. Am i beyond thousands? yep Am I blowing glass like john? hahahaha. nope! Was I WRONG? yep.
My wife was the one looking for a teacher/class for me cuz i work too much and she thought it would be a nice xmas present. I've tried lots of stuff with glass now so i cld pretty much sit back and watch someone work and ask questions as they arise rather then being super noob babied thru.
Hey Dnug42, I'm not a happy little glass blower now. Havent touched the torch since. im just trying to overuse humor as a coping mechanism to show that im not an agro jerk, I just play one on the internet sometimes. I dont have direction so i dont know limitations to what i shld be trying. I've watched the full tank store demo blowing on church street so naturally i ran home and tried copying the wig wags n welds. That was hard but on like, the third one that worked(after many that didnt) i went for a donut. hahaha- success! the center and weld were so smooth but the outside looked like a limp pillow. success none the less.
I could barely fume and wrap or even rake with any precision when my wife got a marble video. I made a ball/ bubble where you put lines up the tube and spin 1 way then more lines and spin the other way for a weave look. That ball connected the can to the stem of the only bubbler ive tried. 6 pieces, 8 if u count the marble and the chain it dangled from to sit in the bowl when not it use. maybe like, 13 if u count each link in this horrific ameoba wobble chain.- i know, silly of me but i have no direction and love pretty pipes. it looked like a melting ice cream that fell out of its cone. blue and caramel and aventurine green. other then the donut these were my 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc welds. WOW. I loved it in all its ugliness. i had no idea how to do the tube so i sunk the bowl with the bottom fully flared open and heated a 9mm blowtube and flared the end and shoved it up from the bottom and some how closed it up and made a flat spot. All done. opened the kiln to put it in, set it down and went to close the kiln and watched it break into about 6 pieces, 8 if you count the.....Silicone put it back together and i used it once or twice but my silicone skills suck too so its dead. You should see my rant in the silicone forum!
Kbinkster-Wow. Thanx for really putting in the time there to call me out, straighten me out, and help me out. I would never ask a glassblower or another artist for advice or tips with attitude or anything and ive never asked to be taken under a wing. More of just admiring work and saying "Wow, how do you make this happen, or i have a torch have a hard time with this or that. I hold this art in high regard so getting stink eye with some attitude when ya start enquiring to someone whos work you admire is like -----shot down----- like Owen Wilson in zoolander." I wanted to be like u and u were a dick to me" type thing. i know its no excuse to be a rude jerk, sorry sorry. That was years ago and I learned to respect the other artists space at shows with a casual nod and hi in the halls or aisles. These are standart art craft shows. Painters and potters and quilters, oh my. I dont think there are any of those peeps at the shows we go to anymore. Only hot glass worker i know of at those now makes marbles n pendants. His names Christian. Seems nice. i respect his space too. I dont know if he rocks pipes and i dont ask cuz im not in the market for 1. There was a glass blower i really connected with at a show, bought 2 pieces off him for gifts. his girlfriend really screwed him over and put him in a rough place so he dissapeared and i saw him a couple of years later at a show and was gonna burn one after the show and he ran off to move his bus and never came back out. He had decals on his pipes that said "elite". Real nice guy. We carried on without him :)
Almost done. The whole week at corning thing is a bit much. A long day saturday and long day sunday wld be nice. Im in Central vermont, 15 min from montpelier so ima look into bern gallery. Ideally i wld find someone in central vermont who is like, stop by n well work something out. Money, class type deal or trade type atmosphere to casual hang and watch Im a very skilled home builder so services trade stuff like wanna spend a weekend roofing your house together then blowing some glass together or you need to tile the kitchen or anywhere in between. I have good ideas and i like pushing the envelope n thinking outside the box. I have a music production studio n dj setup, maybe thats something you wanna learn?. i live on a oooold farm field on top of a hill with no nieghbors and in the summer you cant hear even 1 car all day and its like a bird sanctuary. Really beautiful location so maybe you might want a friend with a glass working setup outside in a peaceful natural setting.
And lastly.... about the gold is more expensive comment. I like trying things out so if im practicing working mouthpieces, I wouldnt mind learning the fuming characteristics at the same time. by the end of getting mouthpieces down, i may also have figured out how to get the colors i want from combining silver with gold or fuming copper and cadmium together. jk about that part. its a good theory but its not working right because someone may say,"your fuming all wrong" if i had a master. I think thats it. I'll go back thru n see but i think im off to start a new post about a possible new torch. Thanks and im sorry for being a dick! There was alot in this thread so I'll be going back thru and picking up more good advice like not heating the tip as much when streaming color, Ah.... direction. Thank you all.

[section8]

I totally tabbed every new paragraph so it would sit correctly... I swear. that took 3 hours. goodnight

[H1JACK3R]

I don't think your torch is your problem...

I used to have a Midrange+ (a little smaller than yours) that was more than capable. I ended up downsizing, I have serious back problems, and my shop is in my basement, so I couldn't be lugging around tanks, so I went with a smaller torch and oxygen concentrators, and I'm still able to work up to pretty decent sizes.

Instead of spending the money upgrading your torch now, take some classes, break safely, try and relax. This is supposed to be fun dude!

[section8]

thanx for the input. ive actually read that the midrange is a much better torch than the major and that that would be an upgrade for me. although its really hard for me to do adequately, i actually do enjoy standing behing that torch making glass into a viscous goo. it just frustrates me when a whole day of it goes wrong. That bubbler i had no business trying to make was a ten hour day and that was probly with some of the pieces already made! im thinking of lifting my torch up off the table onto a box so i dont hunch over it so much and hurt my back. i hunch too much sitting too. sorry bout ur back.

[PyroChixRock]

Are you using the mobile site or the full site?

Mobile site is stupid

I use full site on my phone.


10 years???? This site was here in 2003 wasn't it?

This forum was founded June 2, 2000.

There are two mobile choices. If you don't like the stock one, install forum runner, for smartphones...it's what I use when I'm away, but both are fast and have plenty of features to keep you satisfied.

Please, hit enter...please for the love of my eyes. I'm glad you're getting answers regardless, but you'll have better luck if you help us out. After long days in front of a torch, we don't like to squint much hehe.

Welcome, hope you have fun.

[PyroChixRock]

By the way....wait til you've been here long enough to have bad years, not just a bad day, then we can have this conversation again. :rollin

[misled youth]

Yeah bad years!!!

Dude slow the hell down!
If you are wrapping color or clear onto something and it cracks off, means it wasn't hot enough?
If the fume is burning off try a ill more propane.

If you think it is frustrating having something ya spent a few hours on break, try having something with over a week or 2 break...

[p.j.]

contact chayes on here(haze glass on facebook)...he is in rutland.

i think he teaches sometimes.

[nodice]

...Armed with a copy of "humbolt films, the secrets to making glass pipes part 1"....

Contemporary lampworking 1+2, and bench space next to someone that has more knowledge than you would probably help a lot more. If you work in your house, maybe you can offer someone bench space for knownledge? hmmm

[ROGUE]

By the way....wait til you've been here long enough to have bad years, not just a bad day, then we can have this conversation again. :rollin

Uuug, bad years.

How bout bad decades?

[Dan Kooper]

Is there any free forum apps?

[Aymie]

The app only cost $2. Worth it for anyone who spends time here.

That being said, I do full site on my phone because I am getting to an age where new technology confuses me.

[Icarus]

Honestly, I have forumrunner for both my android phone and my Ipad, and I still just use the plain forum. The $2 is worth it thought for Forum Runner, just because it allows you the ability to upload pics from your mobile device, and works with (I believe) any VBulletin site. Misha could answer that last one a bit better, but what I'm trying to say is, for $2, it's not a bad purchase in anyway. If you use this site a lot, and you want to post pics from your phone, the first time you do it, the amount of time and effort it will save you is worth the $2.

[PyroChixRock]

Yeah, it's a vbulletin app so works with any vb forum. Vb wrote it, vb profits from it, they don't charge us to use it. I like it, I use it and the other two options depending on what I'm doing. Most the mod functions work from forum runner, not really any of the admin functions though. So either way I'm stuck at a pc most my life. :lol

[Aymie]

Since the upgrade, you can upload pictures without the app. My iPhone works and I am pretty sure my android did as well.

[Aymie]

45098

See? No app needed.

[Icarus]

Well, shit. I'm out $4 then! (This is where I would insert a smily face if I used those type of things).

[dnug42]

wow man- i think that wuz the longest post ever? no?
well section8 at least you chopped it up this time-
Stick with glasstalk- it will get you far...Ask short specific questions and you will get answers- fo sure! and heck i think you will find that person in VT that will get ya where you want to be...or at least on your way...
you seem like a good person, and if i was still on the east side i would hit ya up! I lov VT! if yer ever out west- nor cal that is hit me up. hang in there keep at it and dont light yerself on fire...it will work.
goldy

[Dan Kooper]

Does it show the subscribed thread page? The mobile site won't show my control panel that has subscribed threads. I figured the app would do that too. I don't really have a problem with the full site on my phone. I use photobucket for pics.

[dmas0n]

Were I in your position, I would try to reboot my glass experience as much as is possible. Start from the very beginning with correct instruction on solid form work (I suggest mushroom pendants but that's a personal preference). Someone upthread suggested Contemporary Lampworking which would be a great companion to any classes you take. You already have an inroads to to glass jewelry biz and it sounds like a line of lampworked boro pendants might fit in. Making a few dozen of the same basic pieces will give you a firm new foundation to build on and selling them for a profit might give you a boost of confidence.

I could probably go on about being a newbie for hours, as being a newbie is what I'm best at, but I won't. Hint hint.

[byron3]

I tell noobs get U some 9.5mm Hvy or 12mm Hvy and start with bats.

Silver fume and restriction on a 9mm piece of tubing will sell for "Dug Out" replacement bats ...................

Basic principles repeated until you just can not stand them any more and time(body needs to develop muscle memory and eye hand control brain circuits)......

The basic bat is so simple yet I based one of my first successful 2 piece designs using a bat for the mouth stem welded to a can .......................

Bowls, take some 9.5mm hvy, start with 12" blow pipes and make blow out bowls by coating about 1" of the end with color, melt to blob and "blow out" .........

But 1 or 2 is not going to get it done, I tell others it is like laying bricks.................
If you went to work with a brick layer today, you probably would have a hard time laying good looking brick work ................
But with time and a million bricks passing through your hands I am sure you could build what ever the mind could conceive.....................
Have a much greater belief in YOURSELF, do not expect to be the greatest overnight and pay your dues ......... I am sure the results you deserve are just around the bend ..................

B3

[section8]

wrote a nice post and my phone deleted all but the first paragraph. My night was like that. 8 pm. Start putting my wigwag balls together. 1am. Bubbler is done except a marble I wanna put on. I heat it and push too hard and the bubbler is in pieces all broken. An hour later its back together and ugly but........I had breakfast today out of a fully functional bubbler that I made. It's got lots character. I wish my phone didn't delete that cuz I wrote it well and pointed out that it was quite positive even though I was irked enough when I finished that I needed a lorazepam. Ah bed time. I'd love to kick it dnug42. If I ever get out there.........someone mentioned offering bench space to peeps. I like that so ima build my spot to accommodate that. I tried to get my bro-in laws to learn cuz that wld benefit me and them. Spend time with family and progress together. They're like, just gimme a pipe. I'll mention it when I'm setup for that. Probably a week or three. And also any other noobs who just wanna get outta there basements n blow with other noobs to see what's up and what have you. Newb? Whatever, idk..
And a tip: I organised all my colors that change like the lusters n exotics n carnivals and amber purples. Made a list. Wrapped em around a tube in order whith different flame on one side vs. Other. Raked with clear, some heavy drag rakes n some light encasing rakes, differen flame characteristic on each side through out.

Then ya know what they do in what circumstance and what goes with what. You can then flare it out for an idea of how io will look.
Can someone right up something on fuming. A sticky? It seems hard to duplicate results and I get specks of silver on work . Something on flame character for which metals. Seems what's good for silver doesn't do gold well.
Thanx and I'll keep writing long posts in this thread till y'all stop replying bout I'll keep. Sorry. HTC sucks. I botched it n lost it n .......thanks n sorry for frankenpost

[H1JACK3R]

I feel like I've said this before, but perhaps you should try to really master silver fuming before moving on to gold.

Just a thought.

Sounds like you're moving along though, r-ball welds into bubs?

You'll be making heady oil rigs in no time, brah.

[section8]

Thanx again. I'm feeling the love and returning it ten fold. Thanx for having patience with me and wanting to help. I read the "3 things I wish I knew, 1, that thread was there, 2, flaring/reaming tools r better than a tungsten pic for opening holes, 3, I wish I knew someone to learn from" Wow! Awesome info. I wish I knew that was there b4 my first post. It woulda saved me some embarrassment. I like the "no repeated douchebaggery" post. Seems a "1 off" douchebaggery episode is understood or tolerated.(phew). I wish
H1jack3r, I have no idea what a oil org is but I'm looking forward to it. Ima google it now. Thanks
I took everyone's advice. I made beads, pendants, did lotsa fuming. Went thru lots glass and it went mostly well. I bought black tubing to practice fuming and encasing. No waiting for the colors to show. It led to more fuming questions for another thread.
I then watched dj mittens make a Sherlock on YouTube.......10 times. Went out to the barn and made one with the black. Thanx 2 dj, I have a Sherlock. I fumed the mouthpiece heavy gold, looks dipped. I fumed the bowl silver n popped 3 magnifiers on. It came out better then it. should've. It led to more ideas. I have lots of crazy ideas that I can't execute.
So.... I wanted to start a "progression thread"..........keep posting pics of work with the date it was made. I have pics of everything I finished so I cld start at the beginning. When someone is making award quality glass u can look at their progression thread n see what got them there. Would that go in "glass discussion" or a diff category? Maybe a new category for progress threads. Any interest? "section8 progress" ?
Thanx 2 all of you. Now to start a thread on colors.......sparkle colors

[section8]

I think I might be the most moronic person on this forum. I saw that there is exactly that, a progression thread. It's actually called that. I haven't clicked on it yet cuz I'm just dumbfounded that I'm that retarded. I think I should slow down on trying to color my fumed pipes. Taking its toll. I googled oil rig. I think I've got it. It's to smoke BHO pretty much? Upside down bowl? Is there more to it? I see the different ground joints. I saw them and instantly had a great idea for one. I'll tell ya, if I get to where I want with my skills, I'll really impress y'all. Got some crazy ideas. I explained one idea to the wife and to my "friend indeed" and both said, "if you cld ever pull that off, you'll be famous.". Gave me a little confidence. Thank you guys. You've given me lots of confidence by telling me I shld probably suck even more than I do. That with all the tips and advice really led to a good few days on the torches. Music sure helps. I look like I'm dj-ing cuz I bounce and dance to the music. Aphrodi i remix of snow, informer had my ass moving. Sorry if this thread got boring. It started out pretty crazy. I think this is the 3rd and last HTC phone I will ever buy. Garbage. A super thanx to misha, mer, and whoever else makes this forum!

[PyroChixRock]

Glad you're finding your way. You could spend a year reading on here and still find more stuff to read, so my suggestion is start here. And have fun with it!!

[Joseph E.]

LOL! this post made me laugh. I think what Section8 is looking for is other people to complain about how much they still blow (pun intended) despite all the time they put into learning. I have been blowing glass for about 6 years but I am currently interested only as a hobby that makes extra spending cash when I'm on breaks from college. I have learned alot and love to hear feedback from friends and family but its hard to accept it when I compare it to most of the glass artists here on the melting pot. I watched a cool movie on netflix (Degenerate Art: The art and culture of glass pipes) and seeing the shit that these guys were making made me want to quit altogether lol. And watching it with my girlfriend made her question how "cool" I was compared to these pros haha.

I started in my sophmore year of highschool when my parents insisted that I find something to do after classes besides glare at the tv with red eyes. To my surprise, my parents were very supportive when I told them that I wanted to blow glass or in other words make pipes. They signed me up for hot shop classes in Philadelphia where I learned the basics properties of glass (soft glass) Then after a year (maybe 15 three hour classes) I decided to look for something that was more convenient and looked into lampworking. I owe alot of thanks to my mother because she was the one who found a local glass blower that would be willing to teach me. She was at a craft fair where she saw a tent selling glass pendants. The glass artist was very nice and while he himself wasn't able to offer lessons (for he was pursuing a college degree i think) he took my mothers email and introduced us to a local glassblower that would be willing to teach me the basics. We were soon in communication and I was on my way.

I couldnt imagine what it would be like to pick up lampworking with no lessons or experience. I can tell you that I wouldnt have lasted 10 years tho. Even with a year of experience in the Hot Shop I found lampworking to be very difficult to get the hang of. However, after learning a certain amount of basics, my teacher (who wasn't really a teacher but a local artist that was nice enough to introduce someone to the art in order to help fund his own torchwork) then helped me purchase equipment, tools, and supplies in one visit so that I could begin to lampwork from home. I think that this is the best way to do it and I am very thankful that my parents were there to encourage me and financially support me. After a certain point of learning the basics its simply practice from there on. You can learn by teaching yourself while referring to sites like the melting pot but not until the basics are down.

Section8, I'd say for you to keep practicing but I think that you may have learned the wrong basics. Try finding a local artist that can teach you the basics all over again. I bet youd be surprised at how many small mistakes you are making. Id recommend talking to small time glassblowers that havent "made it" yet. Some may think of you as just another person who just wants to make pipes (thats what I was until my teacher set me straight) but thats nothing that money can't solve :spend:. Artists that can benefit from extra cash will be more than happy to help you especially if you already have your own set up. Just make sure you show them the cash upfront lol good luck!

[lizard14i24]

Section8 I read in one of your post that your fuming with copper and cadmium. Hope you are wearing a resperator and have good vent going on. Cadmium is bad medicine copper not much better.

[Ikensel]

Dude Really ? Encasements and Shirleys. its not noob work. Theres a guy near Barre that absolutely kicks ass but ill let him speak up. You seem to take the best advice. Slow your roll and do it for a second. Then your wig waggin ,headi rhetti , baller, bad assin it.
Youre goning to stay frustrated and hamper your progress if you dont 1) focus 2) Learn the basics.
Onies and spoons will teach you so much, some of which is :
How to pull a point or attach a punty ON CENTER
How to spin a rod and then 2 of them of different sizes.
Heat Base for movement and flow of glass and when to re kiln or heat your whole peice
When to puff tilt or push
mouth peices
Youre a builder would you give some new carpenter a roofing square and have him build a roof cut rafters, the birds mouth angles on the soffits?or should they learn to maybe read a tape and uses a circular saw and make a few square and correct cuts?

Your manic behavior certainly has me coming back. I look forward to your progression thread.