Need some direction

[Moragarath]

Hello all, I've recently gotten into flameworking and I've somewhat come to a point where I'm not entirely sure what to do. I took a class that was mainly about beadmaking but it taught how to pull stringers and make frit and the likes. However, I'm not too interested in beadmaking. I'd like to get into some boro work, and hopefully soon I'll be buying a GTT Bobcat, but right now I'm working on a Hothead. I ordered some 104 C.O.E. 12-13mm clear rods to practice making implosion and mushroom pendants, and hopefully they'll be in soon- I also have some really thin rods (not sure what size, probably 3-5mm?) but I'm unsure what to do with them besides beadmaking. So what do you guys reccomend I practice on my Hothead until I get a bigger torch? What can I make with some soft glass to practice techniques that I can use in the long run? Thanks for any and all suggestions you guys give me- also I'm terrible with forums so if this is the wrong forum please move me. Thanks!
-Moragarath

[Swampy]

Instead of aiming to get a bigger torch, I would say get a smaller one; a National 3a/b.

You can get yourself a small tip and be able to make nice pendants, earrings, drops and sell them quickly so you can save your money for some nice boro.

[Moragarath]

An excellent point swampy- in all the time I've been concerned about how limited my budget is, and been scared to commit to anything in case I found out I would've rather gone with a different setup, I forgot that there's money to be made in jewelry. So thank you for that- that helps a lot in figuring out which direction to go

[ineedanewusername]

I too am new and on a hothead, I just got on a waiting list for a lynx. I plan on making pipes but not really possible with soft glass. since I cant make pipes I have been making marbles and pendants and have recently doing flowers on solid glass (i think its called compression on a rod and implosion on a tube, please correct me if im wrong). A tip I can give u is to use a thicker rod when doing mushrooms and compressions.

[Trevor]

you can make a lot on a hot head. even with boro it just requires a ton of patience and colors get reduced super easily.
seriously a lot of stuff don't underestimate it.
that being said I would mostly stick to smaller stuff like pendants, small marbles, sculpture and the like
just because imo those skills will translate better to oxy/fuel
small rods are good for tearing (removing glass from one piece by pulling it on to another)
hope you have glasses and good ventilation as well. replacing vital organs can be difficult
happy melting and welcome to TMP

[dnug42]

coil pot some color....if ya have clear tube....