prep/points/blowhose/etc.

[Gibsons Glassworks]

so just a couple random questions to get some insight on what people are using.

i just found a new way to prep up points, cut a tube just long enough for 2 points but still be able to hold it in both hands in the flame, heat the middle, pull out long, cut blow both ends and now u have 2 points! i preped up like 12 points in 20 mins.

anyone use a blow hose? if so mostly all the time, just for poppin holes?

anyone tryed to put fritz into the chineese color tubes??? ive had pritty crap results, cracking after the fireing, and even going from kiln to flame at 990 will crack em.

what to do with scrap? im getting a collection of shorts, assorted tubes rods and such, any brilliant ideas?

well thats all for now, just some random thoughts

[chayes]

When i prep points i pull a few tubes in half and pull those down.

That glow powder looks perty sweet in blown out blue tubing.

Make cane outta the shorts. Use scraps to try new stuff.

[Gibsons Glassworks]

hey good call on the cane, what what is this glow powder u speak of?

[mistahead]

ive tried white frit in blue tube...kinda a pain in the ass to melt in so much for not really the most steller results.
never tried a blow hose.
i dont pull points i use blow handles but should prolly give points a go one day.
i use my shorts for pulling stringers but i rarely ppull stringers so my shorts are starting to pile up.

[Gibsons Glassworks]

so when your using a blow tube, u just pop a hole in the tube your goping to work and then weld on a peice of say, 10 mil tube? the only problem ive found with that is if im working the bowl section away from the weld, it will stress and when i go back to work it , crack and the whole peice falls off...

id like to try out some white fritz, ive been using the amazon nigth fritz laitly, super sick.

how abotu making your own fritz vs buying it.???? i buy it myself just for the fact that im lazy to make it, its the same price per pound, and its always perfect, and i dont have to deal with dust.

[Shatner]

Well, if you don't want to deal with dust, crush it in water.

[chayes]

the glow powder is the kryptonite stuff that genetations glass sells. First blow out the blue tube out real thin pop a hole in the end flare and load it up with the glow powder. Makes a nice honeycomb after.

I also use a frit crusher to break up assorted shorts into a nice mix frit.

[Satori]

Don't pull points. I use 9.5 or 12 mil handles.

Use a blowhose nearly all the time. It's great for shaping as well as popping holes. Marias have never been easier than with a blowhose.

Don't use much frit, and never tried any with colored tubing. Sounds like you could get some neat results though.

As for shorts and scraps, I use all my short blowtube handles to make plain fumed bats. Just score and snap to size, fire polish and constrict a bowl hole and then fume. I can do 40 or 50 in 2 hours or less and I sell them for $5 apiece to the head shop. They in turn sell them for $10. They're actually better money than anything else I make, but really boring and tedious. Can you say $100 an hour profit after cost?

[chayes]

Don't pull points. I use 9.5 or 12 mil handles.

Originaly when i started blowing glass i used handles instead of points. But when i learned how to pull a straight point. I found it to be quicker and more efficient to pull points than attach a handle to every piece i work. The only time i use handles now is for heavy stuff. Plus there are alot of uses for old points.

[luke]

chayes what do you use your old points for. i have a lot of them and i have no use for them.
thanks
luke

[Greymatter Glass]

old points: fuse out any sharp edges. put a loop on one end, fume and/or sandblast, and you have icecicles for christmas, $5-10/doz or so at the local xmas crafts fairs.

[chayes]

I use em as puntys and attach em to the color rod shorts.
Use em to wipe away unwanted glass instead of a solid rod
the rake in w/r
to shoot spitballs
long ones work great as a punty just marver the end down to a solid point
could make clear frit with em.

[Gibsons Glassworks]

i like the making fritz in water idea, sounds pritty good, also the tricks about bats that satori stated sounds wicked.

ive been collecting old point handles to, using em as puntys is what i use most, but i liek the icicle idea, selling the scraps is the way to go i guess!

any ever made "drillachinos" ive just recently made a few using a cordless drill, works good but gotta get the hang of it

[chayes]

drillachino hell yeah gets super tight cane, drill is also good for mixing colors.