jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on May 22, 2018 16:58:34 GMT -5
Prototype wraps. I found some aluminum wire at a garage sale, so used that for one on left. When on a necklace, it hangs at a great angle. Think I'll redo that style in Sterling on the glass cab. Love how the glass cab on the right looks like a guitar pick, so used my guitar pick bail on that. View AttachmentLooking good fernwood. I hear that glass is slick to wrap commonly. I did start backing off of the coarse grit and leaving the edges more square so as to allow the wrapping smith to have edges for better grip. To me there are always ways to get something done. I want to spend some time with wrapping wire and slick glass and see what happens. Low temp solder might be an idea. 96% tin/4% silver is a friendly 430F solder applicable with a sharp point soldering iron.(Sta-Bright might be one brand). I thought about having wire hammered flat and drilling a hole in it to lace wire thru the hole in the wire itself. Or a wire that would allow a slip knot where you could pull it tight and choke the slippery glass. A fish net design ? Melting a groove in the back when melt blobbing ? Anyway, you did certainly entrap those two. The guitar pick(teardropish) shape is a an easy silhouette to grind. You nailed the entrapment. Baby blue is Fenton slag. Pick is Italian blown. None of that cheap stuff for the RTH'ers. |
|
|
|
Post by fernwood on May 22, 2018 17:20:37 GMT -5
To me the glass is the same as a polished rock.
Instead of hammering the wire, why not purchase flat wire?
We are thinking alike on the slip knot technique. I have some 28 gauge wire I was planning on using for a modified dream catcher design on one of your cabs.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on May 22, 2018 17:31:37 GMT -5
430F solder. www.grainger.com/product/3THF6?cm_mmc=PPC:+MSN+PLA&s_kwcid=AL!2966!10!14921217801!1102900079433&ef_id=WOK2lgAAASsqAzuN:20180522215557:s Thinner wire/softer wire/flat wire all interesting. Maybe an exotic metal that is very fine and supple. Not sure what it might be but there are some crazy metals out there. Stainless comes in a myriad of hardnesses and malleability. Hard to complain about it reacting with skin. Same with brass and copper. Copper is a good one because it is so easily annealed to dead soft and comes in a plethora of sizes. It can be so soft your can stretch it with your hands. Let the mind wonder... |
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on May 23, 2018 6:15:41 GMT -5
10 X 14 inch melt slab, black stringers, yellow frit, red-yellow-black glass blower's scrap over a clear 2mm plate. Color correct. April 21.  after tumble yesterday and upside down from melt under poor orange incandescent light  |
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on May 23, 2018 6:47:35 GMT -5
More from tumble batch using whiter light. I could do this glass sun up to sun down. So glad I figured out how to tumble glass. After 8 years trying. Going to trash old giant worn out rock tumbler and making a more ergonomic smaller unit that turns slower for glass. It will have only 2 shafts and will be about 6 feet long so that one to six barrels can be rotated. Barrels with as small as 4 pound to as large as 10 pound capacity to handle various sized kiln batches. 6 inch barrels at 30 RPM does both rough and to 1000. Rotary is used to get 1000 grit finish, then to vibes. Good slurry thickener mandatory. Typical is 60 SiC, 500 SiC and 500 AO in that order. 60 grit for glass that needs serious shaping. SiC 500 will rough shape glass more than one would think and easily remove 60 grit lapper scratches in 2 days. Rotary work is quick and easy unlike agates. The two vibes is where the polish happens.  Denise made the teal, pink and flowered pieces. It takes her 2 hours to compose 20 pendants. Me 'the production maniac' 2 hours to do 200 pendants because I cheat and melt vases and do melt plates. Hers has obvious personal touch, stylish colors, theme. Me twirling my thumbs waiting so I can turn the kilns on(not really but sorta). She has enjoyed expressing herself artistically. Keep the wife happy...   Thanks for looking in. |
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on May 23, 2018 7:47:15 GMT -5
Messy sawing and lap shaping area. Lapidary is nasty and dirty IMO so I do it outside when possible. Temporary spot being figured for ergonomic flow and will be better organized. Lots of stock spread out here. Plant pots with drainage holes helps segregate projects, experiments and batches. Saw, lapper, Gryphon grinder all water proof and so what if they get rained on. Hopefully moved to a concrete slab eventually. Purchased 60 stainless colanders for $2 each at local import wholesaler, great batch containers.  |
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on May 23, 2018 7:59:35 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by MsAli on May 23, 2018 8:06:11 GMT -5
Her pieces are great!
Very artistic and feminine
Tell her she is doing a great job
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on May 23, 2018 8:06:18 GMT -5
Each of these 4 inch plant pots is a vase. Not all complete as portions are still in line to be tumbled.  |
|
|
|
Post by fernwood on May 23, 2018 8:15:31 GMT -5
Speechless.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on May 23, 2018 8:20:42 GMT -5
Her pieces are great! Very artistic and feminine Tell her she is doing a great job I told her you are a big fan. The bigger her head gets the better for me. Keep the compliments coming. She is thankful for the inspirations believe me. Meantime I will pat myself on the back as usual being the neglected one. Being neglected is a way of life for me. Do you think I will survive ? I am exhausted, unloaded 11,000 pound of fire pit bowl stock yesterday and delivered 11 to freight company. No time for glass ! One way with trailer full of shipments, back home with stock to unload. Whilst she sat at computer doing administrative duties. Again, she will get all the credit for yesterday's accomplishments some how some way. Can't wait to see obsidian and lips out of rotary pre-polished today. Should be out of vibes in 5 days. |
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on May 23, 2018 8:23:51 GMT -5
Staggering accomplishment, a speechless lady ?!? Getting psyched to attack metal attachments for these Beth. Watching you close. Simply amazing how small large piles of glass become after processing. Have you ever had a chance to handle zinc jewelry, Turks are famous for their zinc. It is the lightest metal. |
|
|
|
Post by MsAli on May 23, 2018 9:09:23 GMT -5
Neglected? Ahhh poor baby🤣
I cant wait to see the obsidian
|
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on May 23, 2018 9:12:07 GMT -5
Top center, blue spiral- AWESOME!!!!!!! I love them, James. Y'all are doing so well. Great team! |
|
|
|
Post by 1dave on May 23, 2018 9:13:29 GMT -5
James, your labor is a total waste of time.
Denise will earn a million dollars for her artistic creations.
Yours? a mere billion or so.
|
|
|
|
Post by fernwood on May 23, 2018 9:18:35 GMT -5
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on May 23, 2018 9:46:51 GMT -5
Neglected? Ahhh poor baby🤣 I cant wait to see the obsidian Figuring minimal sympathy from yours truly. Me tough, can take the abuse. Kinda like it. Now that the obsidian is pretty much a guarantee tumble polish I may focus on some of the exotic varieties Alison. There are some most unusual obsidians out there. In cab form it may be a hot seller because a lot of talented cabbers do not like working with it. And it is cheaper in large rock saw-able chunks which would work perfect for slabs to make cabs. |
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on May 23, 2018 9:50:05 GMT -5
That spiral was a blown bee that was sawn into fat little 1 inch slabs and simply melted to 6mm thickness rockjunquie. Very simple to make. The spiral stringers collapsed making the compressed stringers. Easy easy Thanks for the words. |
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,607
|
Post by jamesp on May 23, 2018 9:52:04 GMT -5
James, your labor is a total waste of time. Denise will earn a million dollars for her artistic creations. Yours? a mere billion or so. Gotta keep her with the big head(uh, she is better than me). You know we are supposed to be humble gentleman to have our way with them... Hoping the ladies don't read this philosophy.... |
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones on May 23, 2018 9:55:28 GMT -5
Top picture: Top left brown w/splash of teal, long skinny clear w/lavender, bottom right red w/white and colored polka dots are awesome.
Bottom pic: That clear glass spiral bullseye is rocking my world! The 2 green ones on the top right are really cool, too.
They are all artistically intriguing. I think Denise has quite the talent for putting special cabs together!
jamesp you are not neglected. This thread already has 10 full pages!  |
|
