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For those of you that don't use a blow hose, how do you get a hole centered at the end of a point? I can usually get close to center, but ultimately when I pop a hole, it comes out with a rim that's sort of lopsided.
Other than "use a blowhose", any tips?
I actually do have one, I just hate using it.
Pull away the picking rod whilst still rotating, that keeps the thin bit on centre. Pick at it with your picking rod till it gives in.
Yeah i agree, pick it open! I fought picking holes for the longest but once you get it you're in a happier place.
I like to blow a thin but not too thin bubble, torch it open and clean with a rod, goes quick, makes nice holes for encalmos.
mirror can help, also looking through the tubing helps.
picking it open is the best way, if not at least pick until its thinner at the tip then when you blow it pops right in the middle
hold tip in flame, spin fast while blowing. it will pop a hole centered to your blow tube so you have to make sure your piece is on center. works everytime. not a fan of picking
I just like to blow a Thin spot and pick it
I do a variation on all three of the above posts^^^ above jseden's. I usually only pick open mouthpieces.
just heat up as little glass at the tip as you can, pull out of the flame and blow it out into a small mound kinda. then again heat up as little of the tip of the mound as possible, and blow open in the flame.
diamond shears.
If i do blow it open it helps me the most to peek over my glasses so i can see the sodium flare when just the tip of the tube hits the side of the flame. Otherwise its hard to tell when you can't see through. but diamond shears are the way to go if possible.
D shears are not whats up all the time.
picking and popping all have there place.
Once you get a large off axis piece its not like your going to pull a little nub and then d shear that. There are plenty of place's for diamond shears.If you are not learning to pick holes and blow a hole out on center for the sole reason that you think diamond shears are the holy grail , Then your missing out on a skill sorry for you!
All that time telling my kids not to pick, and the answer was right there.
Thanks everyone!
It is best to open it with a glass rod while spinning in the flame but if you insiste on blowing the hole then only heat the area you want to pop the hole and lightly give it a couple of puffs out of the flame til you see a little bubble start yo lift then concentrate your heat to that bubble and lightly blow it out . then if you still have a little thicker rim on one side simply clean up the glass at the hole with a piece of clear rod and adjust back to perfect circle.
But I will have to agree as well that once you start opening your holes with a piece of rod your hole will be much more on point! Hope this helps.
Some good replies here... if it's big, I like to use rollers and a really sharp flame to heat up a nub on the very end of the piece, then blow it out a little... 3 or 4 times and the shape of the nub is enough to let you blow it thin and clean up with a tearing rod. Peeking over the glasses to see the sodium flare when the tube hits is a great tip.
From what I've been told a v-necker can give you a similar effect to diamond shears on larger tubes. I've never used diamond shears but I do use a v-necker to constrict tubes up to 25 mil for my prodo on blow tubes. If I'm careful with the crease it gives a very clean rim. It seems reasonable that this technique could be applied to a double point to get 2 points with nice rims as the end result.
ETA: It occurred to me that this might also give you what you want though I haven't tried it and am really just putting this out there for consideration.... Once you've pulled your centered point, instead of flame cutting the previous point away and opening up the mouth end of your point, just constrict it carefully with a v-necker (or even the edge of your marver since it's a small constriction) where it meets the previous point and it should snap away with a nice opening. Would probably add less time to the pulling of the actual point than it takes to open up the end clean anyway.
^That's how I do my fumed capped prodo spoons quick and easy.
I've been avoiding the tearing tech for years too just started working it in last year lol. I use my diamond shears too some time.
I've been traring a lot more then I used to, having a thin lynx flame helps a lot. If your blowing it out I would 2nd using a mirror, be careful though, looking in a mirror ALL day will may you more vein :)
+1 for the pluckers.