Uncle Muff's Never Ending Quest

[UncleMuffinTop]

Hey Guys,

I first got on the torch about a year and a half ago after watching the Degenerate Art documentary and decided I would emerge from being a lurker. I live near the Carlisle factory and took a couple basic classes there before getting my own setup. I picked up a refurb CC and a used Bluebird XL and set up shop in my garage. I spent a fair amount of time on the torch during the first few months than stopped completely for almost a full year after getting heavily involved with a band (link in my sig) that's based in NYC. I few weeks ago I got the urge to melt and have been more motivated to get out there than I ever have before. I feel more creative and relaxed now standing behind a torch. After purchasing some mixed line tube from bugzboro (big thanks) I figured I would join the community to take advantage of the glassifieds and insight from others. I'm a very easy going guy and am not one to start forum fights so any trolling/stupid comments will simply be ignored. I'll start with some pictures in relative chronological order of a random selection of pieces I've made. Thanks for looking.

Uncle Muff

[UncleMuffinTop]

First day on the torch

[UncleMuffinTop]

First attempt at a couple figurines and some random marbles/pendants

[UncleMuffinTop]

A few recent spoons

[UncleMuffinTop]

A couple more pendants and my first decent bubbler I made for a friend

[PyroChixRock]

Right on.

[UncleMuffinTop]

This is my first (and only) 2 chamber piece. The joints aren't great and there's some tooling marks so I'm keeping it for myself.


That's about all I have to post so far and will keep this updated now that I'm back to regular torching. Thanks for looking.

[UncleMuffinTop]

Right on.

Thanks Misha! I asked in the other thread but I'd be stoked if you could change my name to UncleMuffinTop

[mattholimeau]

Hah, I like your thread title.

Welcome from out behind those lurker shadows!

On those recent spoons, looks like you could use the advice to not pop your hole right at the top, but rather go like 10 or 20 degrees closer to the stem, and then when you push, don't go straight down, but rather push in like towards the cap. Hope that makes sense, probably doesn't - other people have drawn little ascii art to illustrate what I mean - maybe someone will chime in with that. Anyway, that gives it a nice looking shape and makes it slightly more functional, as you can more easily see what you're doing.

Good stuff, progression threads are always fun.

[PyroChixRock]

Done. Sorry I missed it the other day, thanks for the reminder.

[UncleMuffinTop]

Hah, I like your thread title.

Welcome from out behind those lurker shadows!

On those recent spoons, looks like you could use the advice to not pop your hole right at the top, but rather go like 10 or 20 degrees closer to the stem, and then when you push, don't go straight down, but rather push in like towards the cap. Hope that makes sense, probably doesn't - other people have drawn little ascii art to illustrate what I mean - maybe someone will chime in with that. Anyway, that gives it a nice looking shape and makes it slightly more functional, as you can more easily see what you're doing.

Good stuff, progression threads are always fun.

Thanks!

I understand completely what you mean about the bowl push. For some reason I just like how a straight push looks, even before I ever thought about making glass. I'm always down to try new things though.

[UncleMuffinTop]

Done. Sorry I missed it the other day, thanks for the reminder.

Much appreciated

[mattholimeau]

Thanks!

I understand completely what you mean about the bowl push. For some reason I just like how a straight push looks, even before I ever thought about making glass. I'm always down to try new things though.

Hey, yeah, if that's your preference, then go with it! This is all art, afterall, indeed! The hammer and bubbler you posted both look great with the straight push. On spoons, I think it makes em look a little classier - but certainly to each their own. As you said, if you haven't tried it before, might be something to play with.

[UncleMuffinTop]

Hey, yeah, if that's your preference, then go with it! This is all art, afterall, indeed! The hammer and bubbler you posted both look great with the straight push. On spoons, I think it makes em look a little classier - but certainly to each their own. As you said, if you haven't tried it before, might be something to play with.

Sounds like I'll have to give it a shot and report back with my findings

[UncleMuffinTop]

Here are a few pendant ideas I've been playing with. I like some more than others but I'm just messing around with different shapes and trying to do something different.

[UncleMuffinTop]

Here's a fail from last night. I kept having issues with my seal on the Unobtamium on the can and ended up tagging the downstem while making repairs. I think that ultimately led to the break in the kiln. Oh well, lesson learned.

[istandalone24/7]

kicking ass and taking names!! rock on man

[UncleMuffinTop]

Here is a bubbler and a couple spoons I made over the weekend. I have some marbles still sitting in the kiln and two pieces I put a whole lot of time into that I ruined at the very end. Needless to say I learned a lot about making sure all welds are really burned in. I'll post some pictures of them later.

[UncleMuffinTop]

I went to a wedding on Saturday and thought it would be funny to have my brother shoot a few photos of me on the torch in a suit and top hat.

[UncleMuffinTop]

This marble came out of the kiln this morning. It's about 1.25" and I can't remember the exact colors I used. I've been using the small sticks from the GA sample pack and the backing is Unobtamium. I would say this is one of my better tube implosion marbles so far.