Pipe makers, please reply!

[UK Glass Junkie]

Hi there, new to this site and stuck in cold grey England! Cant find anyone over here making pipes, just beads mainly. How can i get involved with this pipe making stuff, are there any books available or you chaps just watch you tube vids? Been making small sculptural work and beads, pendants, upgrading to new torch ( bethlehem bravo or lynx, still undecided ) next month and hope to be working just boro from then on. There is only a small hand full of people offering tuition over here, mostly soft glass. And only one shop that stocks torches and stuff, mostly for beadmakers though. I spent many great years growing up in Naples Florida before being abandoned in this hell hole, help a man out, please!!! Many thanks in advance!

Also any recommendations on torch upgrade would be great, Lynx or Bethlehem Bravo????????? Cheers chaps!

[TlkQ]

All your questions can be answered here (http://www.talkglass.com/forum/search.php?do=process)

[HoneyCombOver]

I'm not sure about pipe-specific books but everyone on here recommends Bandhu Scott Dunham's volumes and with good reason. They are VERY good books and they have a lot of tubing-related info/practice techs. In other words he may not have a start to finish pipe demo, but if you cant figure out a pipe after reading those then you're not cut out for this.

If you've got a studio and some experience you could just order some tubing and go from there. Youtube has a pretty wide assortment of really solid pipe vids.

I started on a Lynx and its a great torch for a long time. The Bravo is a larger torch but is more pricey (retail and amount of gasses used). I've heard nothing but good things on here about both burners. I say go for the Lynx. Once your skills justify a larger torch, you'll have the Lynx, which can be easily turned into one BADASS hand torch. If not, you'll have no problem selling it almost instantly

[Captain Glass]

Go with the lynx and buy some 25x4 and go to town man.

The experimentation is half of the fun. The other half is telling hot girls your a glass blower and make pipes, then they jump all over your nuts kuz your a rockstar. <------- jk lol I'm in a funny mood this morning.

[Nomad]

I use a Bethlehem bravo with 25.4 mm heavy wall Pyrex tubing from Corning. I love how well the beth eats through the tube. I am happy with mine.

[BORO]

.......................Go to the people connection page , post up looking for peeps close to you..... You are not the first one there , on this sight.... and bravo all the way , lynx is really more of a bead torch , and WILL leave you wanting a wider flame in no time . .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ....................The bravo will do everything you want for a few years . The centerfire of the bravo and the lynx are similar in size and shape and gas use . Then you have the big flame too. You will need the big flame ,It will speed up the melt in , and help keep things from cracking with the bigger heat base ( before you have skills to know whats going on ) . It will make the learning curve less steep imo. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .........................A better question may be " you make pipes , and have been for more than 6 months" ." You are in a new shop for a interview , there are two stations . You have choice , a bravo , or a lynx , You can not switch , you just get one station to work at , gas and glass provided". What do you choose ? This may give a better answer...... as to what torch will give you the best chance to be the best blower you can be. ( again a opinion ) .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ...................The lynx is a single stage torch , the same size as the center of the bravo ,just hotter , more adjustable, (with the extra tiny tube of o2 in each port and a third valve to controll them ,"triple mix") and claims to be better on gas , than the "alpha" center on the bravo. The bravo is two stage... the center alpha torch flame ,and valves for just that. The ring of fire on the out side is a second stage with valves to adjust that stage on its own............................................... .................................................. ............................. 56365 56366