Lever2stackS's Progression Thread

**WigWagScaliwag** · 07-03-2012, 08:31 AM

Lookin better every piece. Keep it up

**Lever2stackS** · 07-04-2012, 01:49 AM

I just got done raging like a mad man since 7:00 pm yesterday and seen what time it was wow I can't believe that I've been out there this long. I'm tired as hell but figured I would give a forth of July update.

The first one of the night

Second

Third

Forth one now this is where I start getting how to melt every thing down right but messed the mouth peice up and it became a shorty

The next one I learned from my mistake and came out good

About 20 nails

I did another one but it is cooling down in the fiber blanket I'll post pic's of it tomorrow sometime it was my best one

Oh yeah I made this pendant too

Phew It's been a long night I'm off to bed thanks for looking

**Lever2stackS** · 07-06-2012, 06:50 PM

Here's one I did last night i twisted the second set of dots a little.

I think the set of dots by the mouth piece looks like a set of boobies to me

**Lever2stackS** · 07-09-2012, 06:35 AM

So I took 2 days off the torch and when I got back on it last night I just kept messing stuff up. I wasn't going to let that get to me though I still got some good practice in.

My first flower implosion I got a air bubble trapped in it and it cracked in half when it was cooling but I still wanted to share it. I had a hard time getting a good pic of it sorry.

This was the mouth piece to a pipe but I blew the bowl bubble out to thin by accident and it collapsed on it self so I made a little stash jar vase out of what was salvageable.

Thanks for looking.

**kc-216** · 07-09-2012, 11:18 AM

fume looks pretty good on the last spon you posted. keep it up

**Lever2stackS** · 07-10-2012, 04:15 AM

Thanks kc-216 sometime's I get the fuming just right other time's not so much. I think I need better lighting in my studio it is hard to see the fuming until I lift my shades. I need to get out and get some more lights to put up. I made my first glass sale the other day just a couple of pipes and pendants but it is a start.

Here's a couple more

**Matt P** · 07-10-2012, 05:00 PM

Wow, your progress is looking great! I really enjoy following your thread! Keep posting photos, and I'll keep saying the same thing "wow, looks great!" hahaha, you keep improving like this you'll really be somewhere in a year or two!

I also love following another "rookie"s progress. Since I don't work with anyone else right now, and don't hang out with many lampers, the progress threads online really help me feel like I do!

And your fuming and bowls are looking much more improved, looking like the functionality of the pieces is really coming together, its important to get the functional side of things conistent as soon as possible, then focus on other things after that. Hence the classic "make a hundred clear/fume spoons first!" comment we ALL hear time and time again haha

Keep on melting brother!

**Jestr** · 07-10-2012, 06:57 PM

Geez, folks, I think the poor fella's been bit by the bug. You got to be pretty into it to not notice a nine hour shift. Which are the most awesome ones. Making very good progress, man. But remember that consistency in a practice is as important as time spent doing it. You get more benefit from 25 hours of work doing five hours a day for five days than from 12.5 hours for two days. For both education's sake as well as personal health!

Not that I recommend either of those schedules, just a f'rinstance.

Check out some of the fuming threads on here. I'm sure you'll start getting a consistent fume one way or another, but there are a lot of tips floating around I'm sure would expedite the process. Good work! Keep melting.

**Jestr** · 07-10-2012, 06:58 PM

And + for the avatar. Awesome.

**Lever2stackS** · 07-11-2012, 08:48 AM

Thanks rookie, I'll keep posting pics

I enjoy following your thread too, I don't know any other lampworker's either except on this board so it is about the only way I can compare and learn how the big boy's work.

Yeah I learn what not to do every piece, I'm getting the hang of fuming trying to make it more consitant. Being functional is the most important part IMO so that's what I work on. I totally under stand the importance of make a hundred clear/fume spoons now and that's what I'm doing.

@Jestr Thanks bro I'm trying to keep shapes basic till I get more control over the glass. Your right bro I've been bite by the bug bad, I usually keep it to 5 to 8 hours a day sometimes more if I'm really feeling it (With proper safety breaks in between pieces of course safety first) I don't want to burn my self out. There is a tranquility I get all by myself with my head phones on with a light saber of fire manipulating glass it's a great feeling.

I'm learning less is more with fuming the more I do the better I get. I'm out of oxy and broke as hell so it will be a couple of day's before I will be back at it.

I'm glad you like the avy I believe it is called link floyd dark side of the triforce

Here's one I did last night before I ran out of oxy

**Bo Diddles** · 07-11-2012, 04:58 PM

Good progress brother, keep it up.

**B.C. Creations** · 07-11-2012, 07:08 PM

your pieces look better and better each time you post. keep crackn em out! ive been following this thread as well and cant wait to see what the next 6 months bring you.

"I totally under stand the importance of make a hundred clear/fume spoons now and that's what I'm doing."

thinking like this will get you a long way in short time. master these and everything else will be easier when you start to try new techs. good luck

**Lever2stackS** · 07-16-2012, 01:02 PM

I'm waiting on my next glass order to come in but till then I've been messing around with some turtles and multi section dabbers.

I just ordered my first kiln from The Glass Hive. I would have to say that they must have some of the best customer service I've encountered in some time. They worked with me to get me into the kiln that I wanted for the best price mad props to pam and mike.

Here's the spec's on the kiln I got coming
Custom steel and diamond plate-11" deep by 18" wide by 12" tall, 240v with top load door and regular guy style front doors, gloss red for the steel frame.

I had fun making this little dabber I'm getting better at my welds.

My first turtle

**Chad S** · 07-17-2012, 11:08 PM

Definitely looks like your getting the feel of the flow now, the shaping of your spoons have made great progress, those late nights are now showing in your work, keep putting in those hours!

**Lever2stackS** · 07-19-2012, 07:36 AM

Here's a couple I did last night I did another one and I gave it to a buddy for his birthday but forgot to snag a pic before he left.

**zman** · 07-19-2012, 10:19 AM

I know its one of your older pictures but since there about the only thing I have experience with I have to say I am extremly impressed with your compression flower it looks 1000 times better than my first one. But here are a few tips to take them to the next level ( I am also very new to this so take everything i say with a grain of salt.) to get pointed petals poke the middle of your petal with a pick and make a little indent. for highlights choose your highlight color and put a dot of it on the petal it will translate into a line running the length of the petal. also thinner lines equal crisper less blobby petals. and always remember to melt in your lines before compression. Also here is a thread on the subject it helped me with my flowers alot. http://www.talkglass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32291

-Zach

**Lever2stackS** · 07-19-2012, 02:04 PM

Thanks for taking a look Zach your implosions are really impressive. I've been practicing them everyone I do look's better than the last. It would help if I have the color's I want to use instead of the colors I had on hand from a couple pounds of shorts I got. bro thanks for all the advice I really appreciate it.

Levi

**Lever2stackS** · 07-21-2012, 11:08 PM

So I decided to give wrap and rake a go tonight and I got it I was a little worried about the wrap part it wasn't to bad kinda like pulling a stringer. I got it right off the bat my first one I didn't melt the neck in good enough but after that they were coming out to my liking.

I've been practicing picking out my mouth pieces instead of breaking them (I was getting glass trash in the mouth piece when I would break them)So I finnaly got it, I did 4 in a row with no problems tonight I love it when a plan come's together.

I did a forth pipe but it is in the fiber blanket cooling off I can't wait to get my kiln. I'm super stoked about it that's for sure. Thanks of checking my stuff out everybody have a great weekend

Here's the pic's enjoy

The first one didn't melt in the neck all the way but the bubble came out nice.

Second one

Third one

A flower implosion I finally got one to come out without it cracking in half!!!

**Lever2stackS** · 07-22-2012, 10:40 PM

How's it going melting pot, everything was going good tonight I busted out what I think is my best spoon yet then I cut my hand and my thumb, after that everything went down hill. I'm really digging these wrap and rakes I've just about used up all my color shorts on them the past 2 days. I need to get a tungsten rake do some experimenting with that.

The one thing that sux about shorts is I have no clue what the colors are that I liked there were a couple of blue sticks in there that turned some pretty cool colors.

I'm pretty proud of the shaping and the wrap n rake I did on this one.