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Post by 1dave on Mar 15, 2020 9:05:11 GMT -5
Ahhh! gluing bales, SO MUCH EASIER than drilling. Wish I had thought about that with the batch you sent me!
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whyofquartz
spending too much on rocks
So, Africa is smaller than I expected...
Member since December 2019
Posts: 316
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Post by whyofquartz on May 13, 2020 9:42:21 GMT -5
jamesp how has the glass saga been going? I haven't seen anything on this thread in a while
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on May 14, 2020 1:57:24 GMT -5
jamesp how has the glass saga been going? I haven't seen anything on this thread in a while A house add-on is taking up a lot of our time whyofquartz. And an internet business gone wild has also kept us busy. Anxious to get back to the glass though and it's not going anywhere. Thanks for inquiring.
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whyofquartz
spending too much on rocks
So, Africa is smaller than I expected...
Member since December 2019
Posts: 316
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Post by whyofquartz on May 15, 2020 7:55:41 GMT -5
jamesp how has the glass saga been going? I haven't seen anything on this thread in a while A house add-on is taking up a lot of our time whyofquartz . And an internet business gone wild has also kept us busy. Anxious to get back to the glass though and it's not going anywhere. Thanks for inquiring. it is much better to be delayed by triumph than tragedy, glad things are going well for you
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on May 15, 2020 22:53:38 GMT -5
A house add-on is taking up a lot of our time whyofquartz . And an internet business gone wild has also kept us busy. Anxious to get back to the glass though and it's not going anywhere. Thanks for inquiring. it is much better to be delayed by triumph than tragedy, glad things are going well for you Thanks again whyofquartz. I really spent a lot of spare time in 2018 doing the glass. It was like a crash course during a year where there was lots of spare time. Funny, learning how to tumble polish glass with a high success rate was the impetus to learn glass fusing.
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Post by Mel on Sept 5, 2020 21:42:03 GMT -5
WOW. Now I REALLY need to find a glass supply like yours! Could look at your glass all day long. jamesp Am I reading correctly that you melt/slumped these in a kiln before cutting? Have a ceramic kiln and wondering if it's possible to use (or convert) for glass... This forum Is a curse. It gives me too many ideas and not enough winning lotto numbers....
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Sept 6, 2020 5:41:15 GMT -5
WOW. Now I REALLY need to find a glass supply like yours! Could look at your glass all day long. jamesp Am I reading correctly that you melt/slumped these in a kiln before cutting? Have a ceramic kiln and wondering if it's possible to use (or convert) for glass... This forum Is a curse. It gives me too many ideas and not enough winning lotto numbers.... Yes, melting to saw able bricks, fusing blower's scraps into 'cab blobs', tumbling, sawing, re-melting. all kinds of methods. I did convert a tall pottery kiln using an EBAY purchased 'used' glass furnace controller. Paid $100 for the large kiln and $300 for a fine controller that was being sold on EBAY cheap from likely an estate sale. It was tall and useful for pouring the glass from a higher elevation allowing more baffles and mixing devices. But it is easier to buy a used glass furnace with the controller already integrated into the furnace Mel. Glass must be heated in controlled steps and cooled in controlled steps, this requires a basic computer controller. The glass supplies were shear luck in finding them. But glass blower's scraps is a great source if you know one that does not remelt their glass and has a lot of scrap. it is usually compatible to melt together. when house addition is complete me and wife will set up a glass room in 30' x 30' basement. All glass fusing has been done in a very messy tiny space. Electrician ran big power into this basement room. Should be able to really do some glass work when this shop is set up.
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Post by Mel on Sept 6, 2020 22:54:25 GMT -5
James, thanks for the idea! The kiln I have is probably close to 50 years old; my mom used it for ceramics for many years, and it needs a new element. Probably not worth even bothering. Hadn't occurred to me to convert it to glass!
Oh well. I'll just stick with rocks, and keep trying to find scrap slag & cullet around here.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 6, 2023 13:56:29 GMT -5
Curious if a glass melt can be performed after a 3 year break. Problem is remembering the kiln program settings for thin melts and brick melts. The brick melts require a longer dwell at full temp, bricks being about 2" x 6" x 12" in size. The guys that make arrowheads like the brick melts. They have been fusing glass in small microwave kilns, been there done that, OK for small projects.
Still got several tons of art glass in many colors. Art glass has gotten so expensive. The large load I found was in a warehouse and the owner basically gave it to me if I would haul it off. Winter is here, the kiln helps heat the house lol. The new work area is all set up and rather inviting.
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Post by HankRocks on Dec 6, 2023 16:31:25 GMT -5
Curious if a glass melt can be performed after a 3 year break. Problem is remembering the kiln program settings for thin melts and brick melts. The brick melts require a longer dwell at full temp, bricks being about 2" x 6" x 12" in size. The guys that make arrowheads like the brick melts. They have been fusing glass in small microwave kilns, been there done that, OK for small projects. Still got several tons of art glass in many colors. Art glass has gotten so expensive. The large load I found was in a warehouse and the owner basically gave it to me if I would haul it off. Winter is here, the kiln helps heat the house lol. The new work area is all set up and rather inviting. What a coincidence, I made a trip up to visit snuffy yesterday and he asked me if you were still working with the glass. Great minds must think alike!! He sent me home with a large bag of Broad Leaf Mustard, will cook it up later today for supper. Henry
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Post by Pat on Dec 6, 2023 16:52:12 GMT -5
jamesp. It is always a pleasure to see your glass creations, and your wife’s creations. I’m currently working on some of your glass for pendants and earrings. Beautiful pieces!
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Dec 6, 2023 23:38:49 GMT -5
Curious if a glass melt can be performed after a 3 year break. Problem is remembering the kiln program settings for thin melts and brick melts. The brick melts require a longer dwell at full temp, bricks being about 2" x 6" x 12" in size. The guys that make arrowheads like the brick melts. They have been fusing glass in small microwave kilns, been there done that, OK for small projects. Still got several tons of art glass in many colors. Art glass has gotten so expensive. The large load I found was in a warehouse and the owner basically gave it to me if I would haul it off. Winter is here, the kiln helps heat the house lol. The new work area is all set up and rather inviting. Go review some of your old glass posts. I know you mentioned more than once what your programs were for the bricks and for the blobs. Maybe it will refresh your memory. Getting old sucks, doesn't it?
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 7, 2023 8:42:15 GMT -5
Curious if a glass melt can be performed after a 3 year break. Problem is remembering the kiln program settings for thin melts and brick melts. The brick melts require a longer dwell at full temp, bricks being about 2" x 6" x 12" in size. The guys that make arrowheads like the brick melts. They have been fusing glass in small microwave kilns, been there done that, OK for small projects. Still got several tons of art glass in many colors. Art glass has gotten so expensive. The large load I found was in a warehouse and the owner basically gave it to me if I would haul it off. Winter is here, the kiln helps heat the house lol. The new work area is all set up and rather inviting. What a coincidence, I made a trip up to visit snuffy yesterday and he asked me if you were still working with the glass. Great minds must think alike!! He sent me home with a large bag of Broad Leaf Mustard, will cook it up later today for supper. Henry Good to hear Snuffy is still gardening Henry. He was all about his garden. The mustards will empower you , look what they do to the SEC !
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 7, 2023 8:44:43 GMT -5
jamesp. It is always a pleasure to see your glass creations, and your wife’s creations. I’m currently working on some of your glass for pendants and earrings. Beautiful pieces! Got more, let me know if you want them Pat. The Madam has been bugging me to crank the kilns up. She loves to compose with glass.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 7, 2023 9:27:30 GMT -5
Curious if a glass melt can be performed after a 3 year break. Problem is remembering the kiln program settings for thin melts and brick melts. The brick melts require a longer dwell at full temp, bricks being about 2" x 6" x 12" in size. The guys that make arrowheads like the brick melts. They have been fusing glass in small microwave kilns, been there done that, OK for small projects. Still got several tons of art glass in many colors. Art glass has gotten so expensive. The large load I found was in a warehouse and the owner basically gave it to me if I would haul it off. Winter is here, the kiln helps heat the house lol. The new work area is all set up and rather inviting. Go review some of your old glass posts. I know you mentioned more than once what your programs were for the bricks and for the blobs. Maybe it will refresh your memory. Getting old sucks, doesn't it? The good news Robin and thanks for the refreshment ideas - Eureka, the programs were still stored(6 steps, each step has it's own unique 1) time 2) rate and 3) temp(21 settings). The bad news is what appears to be an error code preventing the kiln to run. Certain that Paragon Ind. will have a fix. It is a 7200 watt kiln, 240 VAC. The main energy cost is maintaining 1225F for 2.4 hours and 1475F for 3 hours, and anneal at 950F for 2.5 hours. These are long melt/stabilizing times due to the size of the brick. It took over a year to cool the 16 foot diameter 2 foot thick chunk of glass for the Mt. Palomar telescope lens to avoid glass de-stabilization. This China made glass is user friendly when cast into thicker 'stable' bricks but it is terrible at cooling with a polished surface required by the majority of hobbyists making vases/plates/bowls. I have had zero complaints about spearheads cracking and fracturing years later. Even the whole bricks left outside never displayed freeze/heat/moisture fracturing. Man made obsidian looking good in the stability department. The US art glass is more challenging to pour into bricks and maintain stability, but it cools with a killer polish.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
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Post by jamesp on Dec 8, 2023 8:24:53 GMT -5
The big kiln has an error code, must fix. Doing a half brick in the small kiln to get groove back. This stack should collapse and have some wiggles in the bands. The small kiln. Had to re-program. This one runs hotter than the big unit, lots of heat coils close to the mold. May have to shorten the dwell cycles. Peak is 1475F for 3 hours. 2.4 hours at 1200F going up, and 1000F for 2.5 hours for anneal. Most art glass would require 24 to 48 hour anneal for such a thick chunk. This China made glass is great for making stable bricks, about useless for other projects.
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Post by orrum on Dec 8, 2023 9:12:05 GMT -5
Waiting for the reveal
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rockbrain
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Post by rockbrain on Dec 8, 2023 10:09:34 GMT -5
A year to cool!
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victor1941
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2011
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Post by victor1941 on Dec 9, 2023 9:33:45 GMT -5
Jamesp, what a kaleidoscope of color you work with for your product. There is definitely enough selection that everyone can find multiple pieces they like.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
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Post by jamesp on Dec 13, 2023 12:11:31 GMT -5
Jamesp, what a kaleidoscope of color you work with for your product. There is definitely enough selection that everyone can find multiple pieces they like. a few new man made obsidians out of the bakery Victor saw this at angles for slabs and get some interesting results. Sawyer has all the fun... Much of what looks black on this brick is transparent colors, see backlit below. Note varying saw angle effects. Above backlit, lighting change does color changes(digital cameras)
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