jamesp
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Member since October 2012
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Post by jamesp on Jul 25, 2018 4:53:24 GMT -5
Very nice! The tiger patterns look good. Can't wait to see what the clear melts look like. There is a lot of transparent colors Robin. So these melts in the kiln now are about 7 transparent colors and 3 opaque. Opaques are yellow, white, pink Clear: deep sapphire blue deep teal green light amber red deep purple light pink light champagne These 4 bricks will tell if these colors are compatible and will hold to the rigors of tumbling and knapping. Any that are not will cause the brick to crack. Or the slabs/tumbles. Plenty of fine color combinations in that list of colors. Two of the bricks have 4 piece color groupings, so less busy. |
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Post by kk on Jul 25, 2018 4:59:23 GMT -5
Can try. Glass should be about the same as obsidian.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
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Post by jamesp on Jul 25, 2018 5:05:48 GMT -5
Pretty soon you will have an "assembly line" style production crew cutting glass. Best situation would be to have half of the entire stock of sheets of each color reduced to 2x2 and 2x3 pieces Beth. I may hire that done. Just to get it over with. That would set me free to just do melts. I can get 55 gallon plastic drums for $4 each at my buddy's drum recycling factory. Saw them in half and saw drainage hole in them. I used to do 100 drums/year and sell 200 potted bamboo plants every year. They were a 2 to 3 year crop. Landscapers picked them up at the farm. To heavy for me to deliver. It would take about 20 half drums to store the main colors. Not so much. I do get bored reducing the glass. |
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 25, 2018 5:10:12 GMT -5
Can try. Glass should be about the same as obsidian. Yes Kainzer, exactly. Keep me in mind if you see a pattern you might want to tackle. I know how your mind works. There has to be some devious critters for the kk to carve. It flatters me to have people manipulate me glass, especially you master artisans. |
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 25, 2018 5:16:42 GMT -5
or at least the Daddy of Variety  That is sweeeetttt Poor Willie is going thru a painful divorce. All he wants is knapping materials to keep his aching mind occupied. I suppose we could call them divorceaheads. Poor fellow. Me tickled to keep him supplied. |
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Wooferhound
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Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
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Post by Wooferhound on Jul 25, 2018 8:19:48 GMT -5
kk , will you do glass ? I see clown fish in your future  I can do that melt MsAli  |
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Post by kk on Jul 25, 2018 9:02:45 GMT -5
The one thing that comes to mind seeing your creations is something I need to practice. Tribal faces!
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jul 25, 2018 9:08:41 GMT -5
So I have figured out how to expedite the 30"x32"x1/8" thick glass for 6x6 and 6x9 inch brick molds. First and foremost it is dirty and must be cleaned. Next task is cutting to optimum size pieces for brick molds. Yesterday I laid a beach towel down on a big table and used windex to clean both sides of big sheet. Then slashed the plate across every 2 to 3 inches using glass cutter and tapped on it w/rubber mallet to break it into 30 inch long strips. Then nipped the strips into 2"x2" and 2"x3" pieces. The perfect size for the brick molds to create arrowhead and jewelry slabs at 1.5+ inches wide. In 2 hours I had chopped up 10 colors, 12 pounds(the weight of a sheet) each color. Total 120 pounds. The 6x6 takes 7 pounds glass, the 6x9 takes 10 pounds. Fast and easy reduction of the glass this way. Easy enough to train a helper in minutes. For more intricate patterns the 2x2 and 2x3 pieces can be reduced further with hand nippers. The 2x2 and 2x3 pieces are stored in 5 gallon plant pots. The finished bricks can be stored in a shelf with sawn face showing like a heavy book shelf. One problem is a lack of crucial colors like white opaque and clear. Clear can be substituted with light amber, light green, light blue, etc. Opaque white is a problem. Need to have white. Bullseye white should be compatible for melting. Bullseye brand glass should be compatible since it is also COE 90. In case other colors are needed or run low. have you considered using running pliers instead of a rubber mallet to break the glass into strips? It may be quicker for you. |
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Post by MsAli on Jul 25, 2018 9:18:05 GMT -5
The one thing that comes to mind seeing your creations is something I need to practice. Tribal faces! Yes! I can totally see that with those stripes |
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 25, 2018 9:38:25 GMT -5
So I have figured out how to expedite the 30"x32"x1/8" thick glass for 6x6 and 6x9 inch brick molds. First and foremost it is dirty and must be cleaned. Next task is cutting to optimum size pieces for brick molds. Yesterday I laid a beach towel down on a big table and used windex to clean both sides of big sheet. Then slashed the plate across every 2 to 3 inches using glass cutter and tapped on it w/rubber mallet to break it into 30 inch long strips. Then nipped the strips into 2"x2" and 2"x3" pieces. The perfect size for the brick molds to create arrowhead and jewelry slabs at 1.5+ inches wide. In 2 hours I had chopped up 10 colors, 12 pounds(the weight of a sheet) each color. Total 120 pounds. The 6x6 takes 7 pounds glass, the 6x9 takes 10 pounds. Fast and easy reduction of the glass this way. Easy enough to train a helper in minutes. For more intricate patterns the 2x2 and 2x3 pieces can be reduced further with hand nippers. The 2x2 and 2x3 pieces are stored in 5 gallon plant pots. The finished bricks can be stored in a shelf with sawn face showing like a heavy book shelf. One problem is a lack of crucial colors like white opaque and clear. Clear can be substituted with light amber, light green, light blue, etc. Opaque white is a problem. Need to have white. Bullseye white should be compatible for melting. Bullseye brand glass should be compatible since it is also COE 90. In case other colors are needed or run low. have you considered using running pliers instead of a rubber mallet to break the glass into strips? It may be quicker for you. I have those Robin, this tiny mallet works real fast, 8 quick taps when glass is sitting on thick towel but not thin towel. Get some tiny particles at impact point but they get shaken off when stacked for nipping into colander. Sorta look like one of those Japanese chefs with hands moving fast. slash slash slash tap tap tap nip nip nip |
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 25, 2018 9:51:55 GMT -5
The one thing that comes to mind seeing your creations is something I need to practice. Tribal faces! Let me know kk, I'm ready when you are. They might be a tad coarse for a small carving. 6 inch long slabs for reference. I have chunks of the tribal chapter left. Can cut whatever shape for carving. Did 6. Moving to next pattern.  |
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Jul 28, 2018 13:32:20 GMT -5
I have been waiting here on those gals for days, certain they are out there fooling around on me. Specially that Allison. They need to come back cause I have jewels to show them Candied corn  Stripers(glass with stripes)      They requested transparent glass. The reds blended bad, will have to make some adjustments. More clear bricks(4): www.flickr.com/photos/67205364@N06/sets/72157671630867548 These can be removed tomorrow, still at 1000F and color very distorted. Note pot melt.  A custom melt for some big wide ceremonial 'Snyder' style points. This guy is a real master. Laminated glass. Only because of the fancy glass am I able to negotiate points from the real master knappers, called ghost points.  |
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Post by fernwood on Jul 28, 2018 13:50:04 GMT -5
Love the candy corn. That red and teal is something.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Jul 28, 2018 15:28:49 GMT -5
Love the candy corn. That red and teal is something. The fellow that knapped it called it candied corn Beth. Too appropriate. The red came from a pile of transparent pink champagne dumped to seal the melt. It was(was) light in color till the heat turned it to clear blood. Thankful the teal stayed as it was, it is some beautiful richest teal. whilst unloading(still not finished) I ran into 39 sheets of green adventurine glass. Good grief. Loaded with so much copper it was heavier. Similar US is $120/sheet that size. It may not mix with US glass though. If so valuable. |
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Post by fernwood on Jul 28, 2018 15:32:16 GMT -5
Wow on the adventurine.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jul 28, 2018 17:50:41 GMT -5
Really like the Xmas tree points. The candy corn is cute, too, but I agree with fernwood, the red and teal is something else. LOVE IT!
Can't wait to see some points out of the red and teal, tho.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 29, 2018 4:11:52 GMT -5
hummingbirdstones fernwoodSuffering from behavioral issues with the transparent glass. It has wondering ways in that it flows very easily. Or accurately runs around all over the mold. This brick was 4 plates 4 plates 4 plates 4 plates etc etc, each 4 were same color. stacked vertically left to right in mold. Check out all the slip and wiggling. It should have been like 9 rectangles of color across the width of the mold but not. Looks like it will be a challenge to corral and maintain order. Suites me, I am no control freak but dang. 
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 29, 2018 4:25:50 GMT -5
Top secret brick making method for yall's eyes only he he. No problem, glass artist rarely cast decorative bricks. Maybe 1 out of 300 fool with brick casting. I got more glass than sense so it makes sense. Bricks perfect for tumble polishing and knapping. After melt photo is at 1000F, so colors very distorted and dark. Most of the glass before melt changes color a whole bunch. What you see ain't what you get. Upper right brick is 8 shades of green; counted over 16 shades of green in the new glass. Maybe more. Lots of greens. Lots of green/yellows and green/blues too. Looking forward to exploiting this green barrage. Never tried the 'glass plate dam' trick as shown in upper two. Really helped getting some height for a plastic flow. Should create psychedelic effects as tsunami rolls out. Might be my child, never seen it done. Pot melt may be a turd brick. Too many colors mixed too much = turd color. If colors stayed separated it should be a wild thang. Nipping and cleaning glass for these 4 bricks = a solid 8 hours. However, I am streamlining the process by using long sweeps with a glass cutter on large sheets and long strips to nip quickly. Wiping large sheets with Windex before cutting to pieces.  |
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Post by fernwood on Jul 29, 2018 6:44:39 GMT -5
I see some amethyst in the transparent colored brick. One of my favorite stone combos for jewelry is amethyst and turquoise.
I like the random patterns the transparent glass is creating.
How large of a pot melt can you do? The thought of a bird bath just came to mind.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Jul 29, 2018 8:06:13 GMT -5
I see some amethyst in the transparent colored brick. One of my favorite stone combos for jewelry is amethyst and turquoise. I like the random patterns the transparent glass is creating. How large of a pot melt can you do? The thought of a bird bath just came to mind. The glass artists do make large melt slabs and then slump them over a large stainless steel wok. Ofter for the purpose of a bathroom sink. But would also be a fine bird bath. You can pot melt the slab and then slump it to a bowl quite easily. I could easily do a 19 inch plate. My kiln holds 21 inch round shelves so I could pot melt into a 20 inch ring. Even a medium pot would hold enough glass. This is the pot melt Beth. Strong enough glass for tumbling/jewelry but not strong enough for knapping   |
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I can do that melt 
