callin on a ninja

**dnug42** · 01-26-2014, 08:02 PM

I've been workin on lots of bubbs lately...I got my seals down, thanks to bridges and not totally sucking at then now- but I'm not so stoked on my bowl pushes(stem drops)...I feel like they need to be cleaner- I am restricting a piece of 12mm- flaring the end and droppin it in can, then melting it in, heating up top of can, and pushin. So I feel like I am missing a step or something...perhaps some kind of clean up or more melting?.... they are turning out ok, and working. but I am really really lookin for em to be perfect. And they are not their yet. So any tips or advice is so appreciated. I used a blow hose, or not...finding hose helps fo sure- also as a result of not getting a clean push, I am pushing stem down farther then I should and have tagged a few. So what's the deal with stem sizing? any universal measurement theory?
anyhow- anyone who replies ya know I appreciate your time + help! thanks- peez on merth....I feel like the slow kid on the short bus.

goldy

**Gibsons Glassworks** · 01-26-2014, 08:12 PM

i usually prep my downstem with a perc on the bottom small holes in the side and large hole in the bottom end.

with punty cold seald to the end of the perk or still attached to be removed to create end hole. constrict right below where your bowl is going ot be this will be your bowl hole size. make it proper dont loose your hole.

then go up above your constriction and remove rest of blowtube leaving an open end. dont seal it up. or open it if u do..

flare out the top now. keep it clean not to huge of a flare. just so it sits on the lip of the hole on the top of your bub can

remove sold seal or punty holding downstem with tweezers kiln downstem!

make sure your bub can is on a blowtube so u can slide a rod of 4 mil up the bloetube halfway into the bottom of your can. seal the rod to the bottom of the blowtube by your mouthpiece end. dont close the hole u still need to blow in here, dont blow till its cold.

drop downstem thru top end of can ontop your rod inside so it holds it in place in the center of your can. not to tall so it touches when u push tho.

rage the piss out of the seal at the top press bowl

remove 4 mil brace rod out form blow handle

make heady bub. sell. eat. hope that helps

**JDNACEglass** · 01-26-2014, 09:03 PM

so, i had probs with this too, i got a graphite push with the long adjustable tip (blastshield 5/8) it helps a TON at keeping the drop straight, also lets you get the glass real hot, then push when it is just closed to the right size, without it closing more.

i use 9.5 tube for my downstems, never tried 12, so i couldnt tell u if its easier. it is important to make sure the glass is not too thick where you want the hole, i wouldnt worry about diffusing it until you get the hang of them. i flare the end of it, then just eyeball the length, keeping in mind it will drop deeper when you push it. i drop it in the can, with the flared end sitting on the lip, stick my reamer in it while i heat the flare with a small, sharp flame, the reamer holding it in place till it gets hot, then ensuring that it is sealed all the way around. next i take reamer out, and heat just the clear flared end of the downstem and reduce it till it is just about the size hole i want, then push with the tip in the hole. the first push i do just gets the flared part of the downstem flush with the can of the bubbler, then i can heat the rest of the bowl without closing the hole by not letting the flame hit the hole. sometimes it takes two or three pushes, better than trying to get it too hot at once and risk closing the hole. downstem should be straight from the tip of the push, if its not, i just put very little heat on the hole, insert tip, and spin to straighten. kinda diff tech than ur doing, hope it helps!!

**mer** · 01-26-2014, 09:03 PM

can't add much to that, excellent explanation gibson.

**JBob** · 01-27-2014, 03:48 AM

Push maria after the restricted blowtube...seal in closed up...tear off 90% of the closed blowtube above the seal...work it in more...pop hole and push.

**JBob** · 01-27-2014, 03:49 AM

Oh and I use standard wall for most down stems it seals in much faster, and is easier to pop holes in and reinforce to the bottom or side of a piece.

**LooseSeal Baller** · 01-27-2014, 05:40 AM

practice

**James Sowell** · 01-27-2014, 08:08 AM

step 1 : get your ball even thickness and shape where you are going to push the bowl , pick it a bit thin, leave a tiny bit of a tip, heat tip then blow a hole and flare to the size of downstem.
should fit pretty snug and barely slide in w/o scraping should not have a heavy lip around flare shoot for even thickness with ball walls

setting up the balls so its even thickness will make your bowl push even.
keeping all the glass even thickness will make your welds/piece stronger
step 2: slide downstem in till its just entering the lower part of can (this will vary depending on how big can is etc),flame cut , pick it thin, blow hole ream/blow to size of bowl hole . [ alt method have stem pre cut and use tool inside downstem to flare it out while heating to weld clean, close it up, pick it to proper amount of glass blow hole flare to bowl hole size]
heat around bowl, push , re set downstem if neccesary with tungsten , adjust can bottom when you flatten to meet downstem perfectly ...
practice alot

**dnug42** · 01-27-2014, 09:55 AM

bugz question, which angle are you holding when you push? up and down- sideways? I know that sounds strange but I've tried every which way... and do you use a blow hose?

james I was doin some that way and finding I was getting too much globed up around bowl- perhaps I will try again with your advice....tks!

barry ummm that's what I am doin, just makein sure I am going in the right direction.....

jbob I just had a flash back I heard that method before- thanks for bringin that back up...
thanks all u all for takin moment to help me!
goldy

**JDNACEglass** · 01-27-2014, 10:24 AM

no blow hose, when i do the initial push to get it even with the can, i go in horizontally, then i hold it vertically for the next push,

**dnug42** · 01-27-2014, 10:57 AM

one more thing bowl push- tapered or round? jus curious...hey tks mun!

**dnug42** · 01-27-2014, 12:32 PM

ah yea! jus followed the advice of bugz and nailed bowl push. the restriction was f-in me up...and flame setting- so it went well and much faster than its been takin me. tks again!

**JDNACEglass** · 01-27-2014, 01:47 PM

glad i could help

**TacosGlass** · 01-27-2014, 01:50 PM

may be a little late but I found this vid last night it explains dropping stems and the bracing tip Gibson described pretty well

http://youtu.be/LCkUqEereN4

**dnug42** · 01-28-2014, 10:52 AM

its never too late. thanks for postin that vid taco! its sweet- thanks dustin for postin all those great vids, great quality and superior information- givin it back fo sure...

**Julian** · 02-01-2014, 03:32 AM

We covered this topic way back, dawg. Unfortunately the search engine here is too gimpy... man, even Google is too gimpy. The past quickly fades into the twilight, doesn't it Yo?

here, this thread might help

http://www.talkglass.com/forum/showt...e-bubbler-help

**dnug42** · 02-02-2014, 01:19 PM

ah shoots j-dawg...ya I can ever find anything in search- but thanks for bringing back the ol school...def. some helpful stuff in there, as well as this new post- so bring it!

**MrNiceGuy** · 02-02-2014, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by bugzboro

so, i had probs with this too, i got a graphite push with the long adjustable tip (blastshield 5/8) it helps a TON at keeping the drop straight, also lets you get the glass real hot, then push when it is just closed to the right size, without it closing more.

i use 9.5 tube for my downstems, never tried 12, so i couldnt tell u if its easier. it is important to make sure the glass is not too thick where you want the hole, i wouldnt worry about diffusing it until you get the hang of them. i flare the end of it, then just eyeball the length, keeping in mind it will drop deeper when you push it. i drop it in the can, with the flared end sitting on the lip, stick my reamer in it while i heat the flare with a small, sharp flame, the reamer holding it in place till it gets hot, then ensuring that it is sealed all the way around. next i take reamer out, and heat just the clear flared end of the downstem and reduce it till it is just about the size hole i want, then push with the tip in the hole. the first push i do just gets the flared part of the downstem flush with the can of the bubbler, then i can heat the rest of the bowl without closing the hole by not letting the flame hit the hole. sometimes it takes two or three pushes, better than trying to get it too hot at once and risk closing the hole. downstem should be straight from the tip of the push, if its not, i just put very little heat on the hole, insert tip, and spin to straighten. kinda diff tech than ur doing, hope it helps!!

this is exactly what i've been doing, except my bowl push doesn't have the tip so i've been forced to use the tip of my needle nose tweezers to straighten out the stem if necessary. I also use smaller tubing (8.5) so there's not much restriction needed.

**Matt P** · 02-02-2014, 10:05 PM

julian that ya'll dawg post is where I learned to drop a stem from... straight up.
gold.

**ACE** · 02-05-2014, 11:57 AM

I had to check the date on this, people are still doing drop stems?!

Anyways.... if you're using a 12mm tube as your handle for the can, stick a piece of 4 mil up the tube and into your downstem about an inch or so. You can wrap a piece of tape around the bottom of your 4mil and then around your handle to keep it in place. Just don't use do much that it covers the tube so you can still blow into it. That way you can get it super melty without worrying about it moving around or tagging the sides. Good luck!