Rollcall - introduce yourself!

[faded]

hello all, my name is faded. i once worked at a neon shop back in the late 80's. i was taught the basics but never had a chance to really get my hands dirty. the shop closed shortly after i was hired. it has taken me almost 20 years to get back on a torch. i started fooling around last month with my acetylene torch in a vise and a handful of glass. i have since purchased a nortel minor, signed up and attended 4 hours of private classes with more to come, and ordered myself a nice kiln. i'm in it now.

here is where i'm at today. i'm working with scrap glass and no mold. i ordered a mold that should arrive in a few days. i'm not buying anymore glass until i have a kiln. everything keeps cracking. i'm cooling my marbles in vermiculite. they aren't cracking but they are brittle. i'm sure if i drop one it will shatter. but i'm am honing my skills.