Gemini Progress Thread

[gemini]

Hey all, I finally got my shop set up enough to melt some glass. Took long enough but I really dragged my feet getting it done. Still need to finish working on my kiln but I figured it wasn't absolute priority because it will be a while before I'm producing anything sellable.

Anyways, here's my progression thread. I plan to post new stuff at least weekly.

I fired up my Lynx for the first time on Monday, Feb. 16th, 2015. (keep in mind, I have made spoons on a National about 14 years ago. I'll try to find a couple of them and post pics) So my beginning point might look a little further along than someone who has never previously touched a torch.

Most of these were made using scraps of old color, no idea what most are. All the white in the following pics are Egyptian White Sands. There's some green amber purple, Sage, Turbo Cobalt, Amazon Night, Tan Silver Creek, and who knows what 14 year old mystery colors.

Everything in this post was made in the last five days.

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This one ended up coming out like a donut. First try at a tube implosion. Failed but still looks cool.
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Funky Eggplant shaped one.
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First fuming attempt. Failed. Well, I guess it hasn't been in a kiln yet, so we'll see if any colors come out of it. You can barely see the tiny fingers of fume in it. And the turbo cobalt got all gray and scuzzy, but you never know, the buyer might like it. It looks really spacey, with lots of specks of silver. I gotta work at the whole fuming with a triple mix thing.
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I'll continue with the rest of my first weeks pics in the next post.

[gemini]

Here's the rest of this weeks pics:

All Tan Silver Creek in this one:
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except for the scuzzy specks which was Steel Wool diluted with clear. Didn't turn out too impressive on this one, but I'll keep trying.
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Thanks for looking. All comments and criticisms welcomed!

[snoopdog6502]

Impressive work. Keep on having fun.:D

[gemini]

Impressive work. Keep on having fun.:D

Thanks for the kind words, Snoop! Definitely having a blast! 14 years away from the torch has been far too long. It feels so good to be melting glass again. It's kind of like riding a bike, you never forget how. Although I've never made marbles or pendants before, I've done tons of reading and watching videos and was kind of able to pretty much dive right in. Really excited to start making hollow work again too. I made a tiny clear spoon when I first fired up the torch, gotta find the pics. I suppose I should do the whole make 100 clear spoons before doing any color thing. And I can always sandblast any good ones and sell them.

[gemini]

This is the tiny clear spoon I made on Monday. Couldn't get the mouthpiece picked out, so it's non functional. Better luck next time.

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[snoopdog6502]

Thanks for the kind words, Snoop! Definitely having a blast! 14 years away from the torch has been far too long. It feels so good to be melting glass again. It's kind of like riding a bike, you never forget how. Although I've never made marbles or pendants before, I've done tons of reading and watching videos and was kind of able to pretty much dive right in. Really excited to start making hollow work again too. I made a tiny clear spoon when I first fired up the torch, gotta find the pics. I suppose I should do the whole make 100 clear spoons before doing any color thing. And I can always sandblast any good ones and sell them.

Wow 14 and back in the saddle. You could kick out 100 spoons in a few days at the rate you are going.
Im a noob (5 months)and have a bobcat and just ordered a cheetah. I like marbles pendants,bottles,jars and want to get into goblets and ornate wine bottle stoppers and stuff like that.Im starting fresh at 46 years old.

You must be loving that GTT Lynx.

[Jxbey]

nice work looks like you got those compression penants down a little try an implosion where you start with a hollow blank blow into ball lay design then condense design the effects are alot better as far as the design being up in the glass. if you havent heard of that look up some videos. youll be cranking out some sweet stuff in no time

[gemini]

Keep at it man. Good on you for upgrading your torch. Yeah, the Lynx is a pretty sweet little torch. Love the laser tight flame it can produce. Best $430 I ever spent! Can't wait to get on the waiting list for a Mirage or Phantom. Don't know which yet.
I'm 32 and I think now is a better time for me to get into glass instead of when I was 19. My artistic tastes and abilities have changed over time. I think I would have gotten bored of glass or got burnt out had I kept at it when I was younger.

[gemini]

nice work looks like you got those compression penants down a little try an implosion where you start with a hollow blank blow into ball lay design then condense design the effects are alot better as far as the design being up in the glass. if you havent heard of that look up some videos. youll be cranking out some sweet stuff in no time

Thanks Jxbey! The one I posted above that I said came out looking like a donut was my first attempt at a tube implosion. I didn't blow the tube thin enough when trying to tear it off so it left a bubble, so I turned it into a donut instead of mashing a clear gather onto it. Tried another tube implosion the other day and still wasn't able to condense it right. I stopped before I ruined it, so I might be able to save it in the future. "It's not about what you make but what you can save!" Right, Snoop? Your sig is kind of a mantra around here.

Also, none of these glass pieces have been in the kiln. Surprisingly nothing has cracked yet!

[gemini]

Just so everyone knows, I will be properly annealing all my work once my kiln is operational. And when I bring all those pieces up to temp, I'll put loops on them. I figure it would build better muscle memory if I put loops on a bunch of pendants in rapid succession. Until I get loops on them, they will be called fridge magnets.

Also, another huge THANKS goes out to you guys here at the Melting Pot. I would not have been able to jump right into things had I not read and read and read, almost every single day since last year when I made this account. I owe a lot to this forum and I will share my knowledge when and where I can.

[Freefireglass]

Good work for just getting back into it! I'm looking forward to observing your progress

[gemini]

Good work for just getting back into it! I'm looking forward to observing your progress
Thanks Freefire!

[GhostWorks]

Woah! More dot stacks please! Haha nice work man!

[gemini]

Woah! More dot stacks please! Haha nice work man!

Thanks, GhostWorks!

[gemini]

Mondays work. I didn't do much today because working with color is just too bright for my didymiums. My Auralenses should have been here on Saturday but since they are coming from Minnesota, the USPS plane was grounded due to weather so I have to wait a few extra days :( So glad I don't live there anymore!!!

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Nothing spectacular. More to come hopefully tomorrow!

[itssteve]

Cool stuff man, the first one in the post above is especially cool. Which shade auras did you get?

[gemini]

Cool stuff man, the first one in the post above is especially cool. Which shade auras did you get?
Thanks itssteve! I think it's not too bad for one of my first attempts at a tube implosion. Especially given the fact that I stopped at the disk flip point and let it sit for a couple days. Luckily I was able to bring the disk back up to working temperature without cracking it and was able to finish the pendant without a kiln.
I'm pretty sure I got shade 4's. I'm really looking forward to using them. My eyes suffered plenty damage back in the day from using only the didymiums. I started feeling it today and was like, nope, I'm done until the new lenses get here. I have had sun sensitivities ever since I blew glass 14 years ago. Still can't go outside without sneezing when not wearing sunglass. Sucks.

[Jxbey]

nice work taking glass off the top side of the pendant/marble will help get those colors higher in the glass, making your glass glob smaller but making it more filled with design. you might already know this just something that took me a while into pendant making to start doing. just keep in mind that your gonna need to take glass off top account for it ahead of time is something that took me time too. im normally pulling the glass of the top with a glass rod spinning it off leaving me with a clear glob that isnt so clear but coating it with color melting in that color and laying clear design over it then melting that in is a way im able to use that not so clear glob and make a decent size color pendant with the inside being clear so it saves on color. laying color on the clear glob in a coil potting method ive found to really help me with actual coil potting. hope that makes sense went into little rant mode haha your stuffs really clean tho i cant wait to see what your making once you get your kiln!

[gemini]

Thanks jxbey. I'll definitely keep that in mind. That pendant did feel quite fat. When pulling off the original punty I do try to tear off as much glass as I can. Thanks for the advice again!
I didn't get any shop time in today, but two very important packages arrived today! Got my shade 4 Auralenses, and my 7lbs of color from Glass Alchemy's Valentine's sale. I've never ordered from them before, and the sale colors were supposedly "occasional quality" but after initial inspection, the rods look damn good! Noticed only a few stones. Most rods are similar lengths and widths. Happy with the purchase so far. Can't wait to start melting them tomorrow!

[gemini]

Wednesday's progress:

Made a half decent flower compression. Coated Acid yellow in some Iris for the petals. Got some bubbles but not too horrible.
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Absolutely fried the colors on this one. Was trying a different method for compression, failed.
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Pattern got messed up during the twist. Colors are Iris and Solara. Looks like crud.
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Winner winner chicken dinner! I'm excited about this one. Took almost an hour and a half, not including prep work. Sucked at getting it round but I quit early cause my hand got fried from being too close to the flame for too long. The blotchyness is almost gone but there's definitely damage.
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Loving my Auralenses! These things are kicking a$$. I feel like they are a little on the dark side, but it's not too bad. I didn't notice a thing while frying up the boily colors. Great protection!

[HieroGlass]

Nice! I love the flower marble in your latest picture on the right. Your dot stacking is really good, have you tried doing any "face" implosion marbles?

[snoopdog6502]

That last flower is realy nice.Iv been too sick to torch,bad evil flue had me down so Iv been doing my homework and watching John kabuki videos.

Iv been concentrating on flowers and hope to get good at it too.

I swear iv watched this video 10 times and learn a little more each time.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBmoV2Y33UQ

[HieroGlass]

Awesome link drop snoop! Haha I feel that...I've seen the same videos countless amounts of time and every time I watch them over its almost like I am watching a whole new tutorial depending on what aspect I am focusing my attention to...especially for me in the early beginner stages.

[gemini]

Nice! I love the flower marble in your latest picture on the right. Your dot stacking is really good, have you tried doing any "face" implosion marbles?

Thanks, HieroGlass.

Face implosion like this?
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[HieroGlass]

Oh yeah!! Nice, love the chimp style mouth and ears!

[gemini]

Hell yeah snoop, homework is what I do. I too have watched that video tons of times.

Anywho, here's more pics!

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And here is the first thing that has cracked on me! Oh well. I wasn't too happy with the shaping anyway.
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That's it for now, more to come next week!

[GhostWorks]

Nice flowers!

[paulsafo]

I dig that wig wag mib great stuff

[Ray]

A few really nice flowers...Great stuff!