prodo

[dnug42]

after year or two of screwing around with glass i now have the opportunity to due some lower end prodo work for my boss- just iso spoons 3" 4" 5 line...so i sell glass all day- i sell the work of some really great glass blowers- there shit is super tight- every piece is sick- and perfect and CONSISTENT...i, a tiny belb on the glass wheel of life am just wundering how the heck they due it...i am not afraid of prep work and i keep my studio pretty neat- so can i get some tips on getting yer production line on...
tks
dnugget

[Pakoh]

when you do the same thing over and over, you get it down...

so make 1000 of whatever and youll be pretty good at whatever.

[Julian]

Yeah, theres not really much to to say - just do it!

[Shatner]

Practice

[somberbear]

Practice...

Clean non scratched up base glass keeps scuz down, thus less imperfections,

Knowledge of material , this will come with practice.

Sit and anaylize how you make things and try ways to get better each time you sit down. focus. and study work.

Good color and good knowledge of the pallet help and color schemes. and how to strike colors.

and as many hours behind a torch as you can...

peace
rob

[dnug42]

the thing thats kinna leavin me short, so to say... is the ol size up...like if i am doing a 3" piece should i start with a 3" blank or bigger...?...things seem to come up shrt....
one other question on iso- are people using line tools to get color on the inside then close up tube or as i am doing flare open, lining with color then close up melt in...? just wundering what the pros are doing- i know they are making the line tools in china now so the price has come down quite a bit- just wundering if they are worth it...seems like it could save some time....but i dunno...
tks again peeps
d

[fumalicious]

You need to get into a different mindset first off... you're afraid of "losing' or what it might "cost" rather then looking at it investment-wise, which, is what blowing glass is. You need to invest time, energy, and money to do this... it "costs" quite a bit to get to a point of consistent glass work. BUT if you look at how much you'll eventually get out of that investment (the return), you'll realize it isn't much in the big picture.

If you need to find out how much glass to use for a certain size piece, just write off a tube (or two) as research and development "costs" (investment) and FIND OUT. You might even figure it out before you use up the whole tube so then you'll be ahead...... see how that works? Sure you'll "screw up" some of them- that's ok because you're researching to find out- eventually you'll get it.

You gotta just go for it and put the time in behind your torch.

[dnug42]

honestly i have wasted too much time and too much glass for that matter- i just feel like at this point i should be firing shit off like this flawless....but i'm sad to say im not- i don't know why....i have invested a lot, fume dude- of myself and my time i have wasted glass- i have takin classes...i am just trying to get a bit of advice- if your not into giving it- then don't holmes- i thought that was the point of the board- but thanks for the vision i will try to manifest it.
p-out.......i am not tryin to be a chump but your post kinna comes off weird to me...sorry if i am missreadingit.....d

[jusbag]

Hey man, I think Kevin's advice is quite sound. I'm sure he was sincere and just trying to help you out.

As far as how you make your color tube, it's completely up to you. If you want to get a large amount of color tube your best bet is probably a stick stack.

The only way your going to get your peices looking flawless is to make tons of em. Come up with one design and just repeat it 100 times. Or 1000 would be better. It's just like any production type job, the more time you spend on it the more you will understand every aspect of what you are making a be able to refine it to your liking. Don't even worry about color just make everything clear/fume till you get your form down. Then start making color tubes and turning those into that exact same spoon you have perfected.

Another thing that might help you with getting your production line on is to be making 4 or 5 spoons at a time. That way you can use the kiln to reheat the peices in between steps. This will eliminate the time it takes to reheat in the flame, and it's less sketchy as far as peices cracking. 1st shape your stem and prep the mouthpeice so it will come off easy and throw it in the kiln. Do about 4 more just like that then grab the first one and get the bowl done. Do the rest of the bowls, then go back to the first and start taking them off the blow tubes.

Good luck,
justin

[Satori]

honestly i have wasted too much time and too much glass for that matter- i just feel like at this point i should be firing shit off like this flawless....but i'm sad to say im not- i don't know why....i have invested a lot, fume dude- of myself and my time i have wasted glass- i have takin classes...i am just trying to get a bit of advice- if your not into giving it- then don't holmes- i thought that was the point of the board- but thanks for the vision i will try to manifest it.
p-out.......i am not tryin to be a chump but your post kinna comes off weird to me...sorry if i am missreadingit.....d
I think your last sentence sums it up. What Kevin was trying to tell you was that you are viewing it with the wrong mindset. You say "i have wasted too much time and too much glass for that matter." Not once should you consider anything you do a "waste." Making mistakes is how you learn. So as long as you make sure to learn from your mistakes, you will not be wasting anything. You say "i just feel like at this point i should be firing shit off like this flawless....but i'm sad to say im not- i don't know why....etc etc." If you aren't "firing shit off" like you want, then obviously you haven't invested enough time. Some people learn things quickly, others take more time to learn them. It doesn't matter how much time it takes you to learn something, the fact of the matter is that you WILL get to the point where you can "fire shit off" just like you want. But you have to look at the time you're spending now as an investment, just like Kevin said. If you aren't where you want, keep practicing until you get there, and keep a positive mindset. Continue to think of your time and effort now as an investment that you will pay off later. It WILL happen! Just stay positive and keep practicing!

I hope you view my post in a positive light. I mean no offense, nor am I taking sides. I just happen to agree completely with what Kevin said and it seemed to me that you didn't quite get what he was saying. Hopefully I've helped clear it up!

Also, Jusbag had some great advice as well! Work 5 pieces at a time so reheats take less time and you'll be making more repetitive motions (which will decrease work time.)

Sorry that I don't have much advice of my own. Things seem to have already been summed up quite well by others.

[Greymatter Glass]

after year or two of screwing around with glass

First...,point of view....if you want to make money get serious, i.e. have you been working with glass on a serious level day in and day out for 2 years, or just 3-4 days a week in a shop and spend 2-3 hours on the torch and 5-6 hours bullshitting and taking safty breaks. Do that and you'll never come out ahead.

On top of that, most (not all) the people I know making higher end consistant sellable in-side out pieces ($20-40 wholesale range) have been spinning glass for 5+ years and are just now finding decent accounts after spending years slining wrap and wrake pankers. Don't rush yourself.



i now have the opportunity to due some lower end prodo work for my boss- just iso spoons 3" 4" 5 line...

So make 100+ in less than a week and don't stop... you'll get it in no time. At least don't get all distratcted and stay on target. prodo is boring as hell, you won't become a great artist. you'll make money tho. Don't rush yourself, but don't spend a month making 100 either.... make them 4-5 at a time minimum, and make 10 a day. Spend time on each one.

_IF_ after all that or if you feel you've already done this, and youy're not satisifed with where you're at and see no progression in your work look for other work. Some people just can't cut it on the torch. Sorry, but that's just honesty. I'm not a mathmatician because I can't pass math classes... so after a while you learn what works for you.



so i sell glass all day- i sell the work of some really great glass blowers- there shit is super tight- every piece is sick- and perfect and CONSISTENT.....i, a tiny belb on the glass wheel of life am just wundering how the heck they due it...

every pice YOU see. everyone has a bad piece or a bad day. Still, consider how long these guys have been on the torch and that they might only fail one in 50 pieces after being on the torch for 10 years. You will not be this good for another 8 years, don't sweat it. It's an insult to the craft to think you can come in and be a master over night when others spend thweir lives getting where they're at.



i am not afraid of prep work and i keep my studio pretty neat- that's highly commendable, an organized shop helps you to be efficient and to learn.



so can i get some tips on getting yer production line on...


I think everyone here has been pretty forthright with the knowledge, you just have to be able to accept it as hyonest, and not some kind of conspiracy to keep beginers down. There's no other way to do what you want to do without hands on experiance. All the classes, all the technical advice in the world can't make you a good glass blower.



tks
dnugget


um... you're welcome :evil:

-Doug

oh, and just a little pet peeve...it's "DO" not "DUE"

[dnug42]

hey yall...yea i am not one to take the easy road...never had- nothing has ever come that easy for me in fact glass is my last chance....hahaha just kidding...but really thanks you guys sooooo much- super stuff- i hears it all- thanks for taking the time to post- good darn advice- i respect it- and i respect glass- i wus not looking for any secret to be the best instantly- at all- just looking for some info which might save me time and gas....line tool!? would it help speed things up, don't know- it seems to me it would but i could be wrong...any one use one? anyhow- i really due hear whut every one had to say- and i guess rereading kevins it makes sense- but i still don't think it totally fit the post for me- not a big deal at all- thanks i did grab some great info!
peace
d

[somberbear]

Tools are only half the battle...

You can make any thing bling if you know how....

Line tools are great i guess. there tons of other stick stack methods out there that work just as well if not better. Just doing little things and looking at how you work , and where you want to go will help you. just doing it over and over and over and over... it works... i went from an hour to make a janky spoon to about 15-20 a full io sellable peice.

For flairs get a paddel and learn how to heat the glass and paddel it, this will save to tons of time condencing and tons of glass......

rob

[WORLD FAMOUS]

Never tried the line too, probably never will. I've worked side by side with someone using one and I wasn't impressed; the old school "flaring open and dropping lines" was much 'cleaner' looking, and was actually faster since my friend had to pull stringers until they were the 'perfect' size to fit in the tool. Anyway, don't just take my word for it - if you get a chance to try it, do it - it might work for you.

My best advice regarding prodo is create a process or recipe and then be as critical of that process as you can.

If you start losing pieces repeatedly, you can look back at your process and see what went wrong, and where. If you are doing things different every time, it makes troubleshooting much tougher. Creating a production line is all about consistancy, and nailing down a solid process will help you achieve consistancy.

Keep track of numbers/sizes/etc. My prodo line was like a recipe and because I'd follow my 'recipe' every single piece/line/cane/carbhole/bowlhole/mouthhole was consistant. 1 case of 50x5 tubing (9 tubes if you get Simax or Schott), 2 lbs of color (pull all into stringers), 1 stick of 19mil clear (for latty cane), 3lbs of 5mil clear (for dots over fume), and some silver and gold will yield 275+/- I/O spoons, or 275 small sherlocks, or 275 Donut Spoons, or 550+ I/O bats, or 1100 Waterpipe sliders. Keeping track of this kind of stuff in the back of your head will help break down costs as well.

Good luck - The fun part for me is figuring out the process. Once I could make dialed spoons in my sleep it became a job ie: no fun. Find a way to get past that and it's all gravy! I have a friend that has made the same bats for almost 10 years now. I'm extremely envious he can do that because I sure can't.

[Swampy]

Nathan that surely is some well sussed advice based on your lifetime experience.

[IrieGuy05]

Yeah and the precision in that recipe is insane..

[dnug42]

wow trippy...i gotta say that i talked to the dood before me whom was making the spoons i wuz working on, an shit.... what i was doing, well... hell- it twasent close to whut he said...my lines where not straight and too thick and every flare i did was different shaped- and i am going to myself- this is taking way too long..to much heat/gas its not worth it for this cheep of a peice...it twas not making sense to me...i did make some but they did not look right...so anyhow he told me about the national hand torch....and what a useful tool it is....so he said that you 9mm punty too your section of tube and close off blow tube and push torch up into front of tube and push in and melt stringers into tube....i don't know, i got to mess with that concept...but it was definitely something i never thought of...but i wuz like the flare open seemed not the way it was done....so anyhow trippy....who would of thunk it?...and thanks for the more posts- that is some real sound advice....and the recipe-! that is the mix to successes my friends!!! thnk peepople
d