Search found 16 matches

by Peter McCarthy
Wed Jun 06, 2018 9:06 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Simple way to differentiate Opaline and clear?
Replies: 2
Views: 5174

Simple way to differentiate Opaline and clear?

A few weeks ago I cut a bunch of identically-sized strips from BE Opaline and Tekta. At the time, I expected to use them right away, so I didn't mark them. But I ended up moving them aside for another project. Now I've got a bunch of mixed-up strips. Does anyone have an easy way to tell them apart? ...
by Peter McCarthy
Tue Apr 03, 2018 11:43 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Drop mold for a spoon rest (open end)
Replies: 8
Views: 10831

Re: Drop mold for a spoon rest (open end)

There's a simple solution to that potential problem: Make the mold longer on the open end than the glass you'll be slumping.
by Peter McCarthy
Thu Mar 08, 2018 11:26 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Vitrigraph bubbles and craters
Replies: 6
Views: 7519

Re: Vitrigraph bubbles and craters

The bubbles are in the stringers, so I think you need to lessen the bubbles in that firing. It doesn't look like you have a bubble soak in you vitrigraph firing, and that's very important. I soak for 2 hours at 1225 when I'm pulling cane. I don't make stringers, so I'm not sure if a soak that long i...
by Peter McCarthy
Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:53 am
Forum: Kiln Casting
Topic: Glass with ceramic inclusion?
Replies: 5
Views: 13384

Re: Glass with ceramic inclusion?

I'm guessing, too. You should ask her.
by Peter McCarthy
Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:46 am
Forum: Kiln Casting
Topic: Glass with ceramic inclusion?
Replies: 5
Views: 13384

Re: Glass with ceramic inclusion?

Are you sure Christina Bothwell's work has ceramic inclusions? It looks to me like cast glass attached to stone and ceramic, and any inclusions are differently-colored glass.
by Peter McCarthy
Tue Feb 06, 2018 10:05 am
Forum: Newcomer Forum
Topic: need info aabout a foto.
Replies: 2
Views: 6818

Re: need info aabout a foto.

Do you belong to the Facebook Fused Glass Fanatics group? Many people posted their pics, process, and (sometimes iffy) schedules there. Go to the group's page, and search for "drip schedule".
by Peter McCarthy
Thu Oct 26, 2017 9:23 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: fill weight and firing schedule?
Replies: 3
Views: 6850

Re: fill weight and firing schedule?

Glass weighs 2.5 times as much as water. Weigh the amount of water that fills a heart and multiply by 2.5 for the amount of glass needed.
by Peter McCarthy
Tue Oct 03, 2017 9:31 am
Forum: Kiln Casting
Topic: Microcrystalline Wax
Replies: 6
Views: 20779

Re: Microcrystalline Wax

I get mine from Reynolds Advanced Materials - http://www.reynoldsam.com. They have 10 stores; I don't know if one is near you. If not, search for other local sculpture supply stores.
by Peter McCarthy
Thu Jan 26, 2017 11:08 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Murrini
Replies: 19
Views: 30122

Re: Murrini

The choppers are relatively heavy, but I rest them on the bin I chop into, so I don't get fatigued.
chop 1.jpg
chop 1.jpg (50.92 KiB) Viewed 29870 times
by Peter McCarthy
Tue Jan 24, 2017 11:25 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Murrini
Replies: 19
Views: 30122

Re: Murrini

I really like M-D Building Products compound nippers: https://www.amazon.com/M-D-Building-Products-49943-Compound/dp/B000FSAUX4 . They require less effort then other nippers. And when I'm doing hundreds of cuts, they're much easier on my wrist. Also, I get more flat cuts by using quick, hard pressur...
by Peter McCarthy
Tue Oct 20, 2015 12:18 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: OOPS!
Replies: 9
Views: 13182

Re: OOPS!

When I first read of someone leaving a level in the kiln I thought, "how could they be so negligent?" Fast forward several months... My wife calls up to me from the basement, "Do you have something weird in the kiln. It smells funny down here." I now have a check box in my firing...
by Peter McCarthy
Fri May 08, 2015 1:41 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Fill in possible gaps?
Replies: 4
Views: 6728

Re: Fill in possible gaps?

How about doing a sample firing with pieces matching the areas you're concerned about? Maybe better than finding out the answer with the final piece.
by Peter McCarthy
Fri Feb 06, 2015 4:24 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: source for float glass
Replies: 6
Views: 9512

Re: source for float glass

When you buy used float, be sure to bring your polarizing filters. You want to know whether the glass is tempered before you buy it.
by Peter McCarthy
Tue Jan 20, 2015 5:56 pm
Forum: Art, philosophy, and content
Topic: Saying a belated hello
Replies: 2
Views: 19485

Saying a belated hello

Prompted by Marty's "it's too quiet" post over in Spab's Forum, I thought I'd ramble a bit about my relatively new journey in fusing. I've been blowing glass for about 15 years. I started fusing 3 1/2 years ago. I took a course at Corning with Josh Simpson and Gabrielle Küstner (and Gayla ...
by Peter McCarthy
Wed Dec 11, 2013 4:28 pm
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Tempered Glass Shards
Replies: 9
Views: 14191

Re: Tempered Glass Shards

I fuse/slump tempered shards directly in a mold at 1450. I always get a few needles, and I just knock them off with a file. A small jeweler's file can get in between the shards .
by Peter McCarthy
Tue Nov 05, 2013 10:18 am
Forum: Techniques and Tools
Topic: Mesh Melt
Replies: 4
Views: 6171

Re: Mesh Melt

On fusedglass.org, there's a pot-drop volume calculator and schedule: http://www.fusedglass.org/tools/pot_drop_calculator http://www.fusedglass.org/downloads/schedules/pot_drop_schedule.pdf And Steve Immerman's pot drop tutorial has a recommended schedule: http://www.clearwaterglass.com/Tutorials/Ap...