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Suction cups

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2022 3:24 pm
by Bonnie Rubinstein
Any recommendations for suction cups for fused, not flat, glass? Those larger ones don't work for my glass.

Looking for inexpensive ones that do lift non-flat glass, perhaps on Amazon, etc.

Thanks,Bonnie

Re: Suction cups

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2022 3:57 pm
by Brad Walker
The key word is "inexpensive." As far as I know, the ones that work on textured glass are anything but inexpensive. CR Laurence carries a brand (Woods Powr-Grip Textured Surfaces), but they're around $100 or more each. A slightly less expensive (and less powerful) option is the RUBI Suction Cup for Rough Surfaces, around $45 on Amazon. I have no experience with either of these.

Maybe someone else knows of a less expensive option.

Re: Suction cups

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2022 8:16 pm
by Marty
Duck tape.
(I'm assuming that Bonnie wants to position blanks in molds.)
Clean very well after positioning.

Re: Suction cups

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2022 8:31 pm
by Bonnie Rubinstein
Creative, Marty!
It is for everything..lifting glass out of the kiln, yes, positioning, and lifting out of the molds. I have several suction cups that did not perform.
Well, duct tape might do it!

Re: Suction cups

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2022 10:19 pm
by Marty
Bonnie- For the molds, put one hand under the mold and the other on the glass and invert over a table. Set the edge down, tip the mold up and Bob's your uncle (I had an Uncle Bob but he's late).

Re: Suction cups

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2022 10:41 pm
by Bonnie Rubinstein
Most of my work- and the challenge is, that I make larger, flat ( with dimension) pieces. So a suction cup that doesn’t necesítate the glass being completely flat would be helpful.
Condolences to you re: Uncle Bob…!

Re: Suction cups

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2022 11:31 pm
by Kevin Midgley
Using suction cups on glass?
Be sure to enjoy the almost but not invisible rings left on your fired glass that results from using suckers.
Those marks inevitably show up in direct relationship to the importance of the piece you are making.
Been there done that.
Of course the ring marks only show up in certain lighting, inevitably the one you want to use.
I had to check every piece of float glass I used for sucker rings. Getting those marks cleaned off is almost impossible.
I don't suppose you want to physically hard wet scrub and rinse off and towel dry your glass while it is sitting on a mold in your kiln
Even after doing that you don't necessarily remove the marks.
You may be lucky but you have been warned.
Probably 80+% of the time the marks despite cleaning to invisibility would show up.