1 step forward, 2 steps backwards... $Y$TM's progression

It's been a while since I was on the torch but I am trying to get out in the garage more often now. I've had my gear for a little over 2 years but was not really able to use it that often. I had to work to much to pay it off! Started on a MiniCC and then broke the bank on a Delta Elite. Best thing I've ever bought:D

I am self taught so bear with me (minus one off hand class), it's been a frustrating week.:bangHead:
Here are some of the pieces that didn't break. I'm still having a hard time with the bowls. Getting the holes center, not to big or to small...those sort of issues. Really need to work on shaping. My spoons lack any.

good shit nice pics

Cool keep em comin

I've been messing around with blow in's/ stuff n' puff techniques. This one was Black Pearl stuffed into silver fumed clear.
Thought this one came out kinda cool. Really like the colors, it has almost an oily appearance to it in the sun.
I finally sunk the bowl decent but had a little trouble on the mouth piece. Pulled to much off and it's sort of an eye brow burner. I need to get more comfortable using cold seals on a preformed mouth piece but have had bad luck with pieces cracking at the seal or falling off at the wrong moment:tantrum:. So i weld all punty seals or work from a point.

Looking good.

Cracking issues will go away for the most part over time.

Try and be considerate of the glass's needs. When you are being a bitch to the glass it cracks.

I really like the swirls around your chillum constrictions. Diggin' on the smiley too. Nice work

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hwcglass

When you are being a bitch to the glass it cracks.

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Funny you say that, I've always noticed when I feel calm and centered the glass will usually flow. And when having a bad day and you try and force the glass, well things usually don't work out. Call me a hippie but I have a theory on that one relating to water and Dr. Masaru Emoto. Glass is a liquid after all.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pipeshawk

Diggin' on the smiley too

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Thanks! I threw that in one day just cause I needed a good smile. Been trying to steer things in the positive direction as I was headed in the wrong direction for a while.

Lookin good my man. great stuff for self-taught. Those I/O's are money if you give it a little stretch in the middle and puff out the mouthpiece.

I dig the chillums, pendants and steam-rollers as well

Made this guy last night. I'm surprised it came out as one of my better ones so far. I was a little too medicated last night:chilling: My friend makes some monster brownies....my hands were a little shaky.

Same tech as the last one I posted. I'm stoked on the bowl on this one. Nice and center and not too big. Could of been a bit longer but it's not as bad as the last one. I think I need to get some bigger tubing to start with.
I think this one is going to my cousin.

You have to melt that in a little more so that the air bubbles have no sharp edges. That can cause the piece to crack.

Thanks for the tip Dom. The air bubbles got a little stretched out when I pulled the mid section. I was afraid to recondense things and repull.
Trying to get those blow ins smoother with less air bubbles, even thought the bubbles create a cool effect they weaken things.

Trying something a little different, my second attempt at a goblet. Stands 6"

Nice colors on those stuff and puffs. Those bubbles will sneak up on ya. Goblet is cool to, flaring the foot right is tough.

nice work man! i would say avoid cold seals all together and you will have less of a headache. practice welding your blow tube on nice and smooth and for your mouth piece. you have to practice picking open the holes i would say use a small flame and parctice picking and wleding with a couple blowtubes or scrap pieces so that way your not learning on a piece you want to come out nice.

^^do this seriously. Like 20 times in a row at least.

My tech for opening mouthpieces is to heat right where your tube attaches to the piece with a small sharp flame. Pull that out as far as you can before the glass cools. Cut it off as close to where you want the mouthpiece to be as possible. Now just heat up the thin area you just created and use a 7mm rod and stick it to that thin area and pull again. 2 times or so and the glass will be so thin it will open on it's own.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for the tips guys!
You're right Boiseno on flaring the foot. My first attempt there was a little too much glass on one side and when I started the spin it went all crazy. That became scrap.
The second attempt the flare went a little better but I think it could of been with a shorter section, leaving more of a foot and less on the upper portion...if that makes any sense.
All in all it was a fun experiment. Never made one before. Figuring out how to join all the pieces together with only one semi-broken hot finger tool was interesting. I all ready have 2 friends that would like one so looks like I'm gonna try to perfect this one a little better.

Great work man, the blow-ins have some nice colour and that goblet turned out pretty sweet.
Also, you may already know this but it's not necessarily bubbles that will cause stress, it's sharp bubbles. Just make sure they're heated until they're roundish.

Some flowers for mom on Mother's Day. My first attempt at any sort of sculpting.

Still having fun with this blow in tek. Working on trying to minimize the air bubbles. It's getting there.
Also tried my first attempt at a one piece shirley. Definitely gonna have to work on that one. I find it really hard to pop the bowl hole on things like this where the bowl is out of center from the punty.