Class Report and questions

Well, the bad news is, you guys have spoiled me... visions of minor
burners, kilns, wonderful glass assortments, etc etc.... meeting up with
the (expected) reality of a hot head, a fiber blanket, and a dozen
pieces of non-matching colored Moretti... :-)

BUT... it was VERY cool anyway, and I actually made beads that look like
beads! (ok, so the first half dozen are squashed and rough... I kind of
forgot to let them cool a bit before stuffing them in the blanket, being
so worried about shocking them and all... but I have 9 beads that are
actually recognizable as beads, all reasonably round and symmetrical,
and 7 or 8 have decent holes. Now to figure out how to make something
out of lime green, clear blue, and amber. :-)

There are 6 women in the class, one has taken a four-week course before,
and this is the first time they are teaching it for 8 weeks, so we
should get quite a bit of practice. The teacher is Michelle Eilts
(http://www.melampworks.com if you're interested.) I'm totally psyched
:-)

Now, I know I can't even give any of the beads I make in here to anyone,
since they're not being annealed, but how big/complex do you think you
can get without running a huge risk of them shattering? Just curious -
don't have access to a kiln right now (she hasn't offered to take them
home to her studio, anyway - and would that even work if they've been
out of the torch for a while?) but I hate the thought that I might
actually make something COOL someday and have it break later...

The class runs 8 weeks, 3 hours a session, she's thinking we probably
won't make it to florals (which is of course what we all want to do),
but she's given us some foil, some silver wire, and we'll be doing
encasing at least.

On the off chance that I'm halfway decent at this, and my dh is willing
to go along with yet ANOTHER craft (and all the supplies that it
entails) and we can figure out where on earth to do it safely - would
you think it makes more sense to spend the money up front on a kiln or
on a better torch? And can anyone recommend a kiln that costs less than
the $900 of the one 'on sale' that everyone has been touting?

Thanks!
Karin

Glad you enjoyed yourself!

What did she say about annealing? Just curious :-)

As for torch vs. kiln: IMO, if I had to choose, I would be hard pressed to
do so.

If you work with a HotHead, you're going to spend bow koo bucks on fuel
whether you buy the little 1 lb canisters ($8 for a couple of torch hours.
Not even a full day) or invest in a bulk tank (which you must buy or rent,
then fill, not to mention hauling). Keep in mind, however, that there are a
LOT of great beadmakers out there who continue to use a HotHead because they
like it and it works best for them.

At the very least, a kiln would allow you to anneal which could conceivably
help you make money to put towards a different torch. My kiln is the Toolbox
Annealer by Don McKinney ( http://www.glasspalette.com/Equipment.html ) with
a digital controller. It was about $685, I think. I can't conceive of trying
to do this without a digital controller, but that's probably just because I
don't trust myself to baby-sit the kiln throughout the process. The thought
of losing a day's work because of a brain fart didn't appeal to me ;-)

If you can do it, a dual fuel torch (like the Minor), the Toolbox Annealer,
a grill tank/hoses/etc., and an O2 concentrator would give you a great
starting setup.

Again, just my opinion. Your mileage may vary, as may your destination...

--

Tink

www.blackswampglassworks.com
Sign Up Now For Fall Workshops!
Hollows, Vessels & Florals...

"Karin Cernik" wrote in message
...
Well, the bad news is, you guys have spoiled me... visions of minor
burners, kilns, wonderful glass assortments, etc etc.... meeting up with
the (expected) reality of a hot head, a fiber blanket, and a dozen
pieces of non-matching colored Moretti... :-)

BUT... it was VERY cool anyway, and I actually made beads that look like
beads! (ok, so the first half dozen are squashed and rough... I kind of
forgot to let them cool a bit before stuffing them in the blanket, being
so worried about shocking them and all... but I have 9 beads that are
actually recognizable as beads, all reasonably round and symmetrical,
and 7 or 8 have decent holes. Now to figure out how to make something
out of lime green, clear blue, and amber. :-)

There are 6 women in the class, one has taken a four-week course before,
and this is the first time they are teaching it for 8 weeks, so we
should get quite a bit of practice. The teacher is Michelle Eilts
(http://www.melampworks.com if you're interested.) I'm totally psyched
:-)

Now, I know I can't even give any of the beads I make in here to anyone,
since they're not being annealed, but how big/complex do you think you
can get without running a huge risk of them shattering? Just curious -
don't have access to a kiln right now (she hasn't offered to take them
home to her studio, anyway - and would that even work if they've been
out of the torch for a while?) but I hate the thought that I might
actually make something COOL someday and have it break later...

The class runs 8 weeks, 3 hours a session, she's thinking we probably
won't make it to florals (which is of course what we all want to do),
but she's given us some foil, some silver wire, and we'll be doing
encasing at least.

On the off chance that I'm halfway decent at this, and my dh is willing
to go along with yet ANOTHER craft (and all the supplies that it
entails) and we can figure out where on earth to do it safely - would
you think it makes more sense to spend the money up front on a kiln or
on a better torch? And can anyone recommend a kiln that costs less than
the $900 of the one 'on sale' that everyone has been touting?

Thanks!
Karin

I can't answer about the kiln or torch questions, but I'd put aside the
questions a little longer until you have a better idea of whether you'll
continue. Unless the couple thousand dollars you'd need is easily
accessible.

In case you don't know, Michelle Eilts' beads are the ones Kevin Duggan
posts here. I have some of her beads and they're wonderful.

How often per week do you have the 3 hour session? Can you use the studio
any time except during lessons? Maybe she'll bring in an annealing kiln if
you ask her to.

Tina




"Karin Cernik" wrote in message
...
Well, the bad news is, you guys have spoiled me... visions of minor
burners, kilns, wonderful glass assortments, etc etc.... meeting up with
the (expected) reality of a hot head, a fiber blanket, and a dozen
pieces of non-matching colored Moretti... :-)

BUT... it was VERY cool anyway, and I actually made beads that look like
beads! (ok, so the first half dozen are squashed and rough... I kind of
forgot to let them cool a bit before stuffing them in the blanket, being
so worried about shocking them and all... but I have 9 beads that are
actually recognizable as beads, all reasonably round and symmetrical,
and 7 or 8 have decent holes. Now to figure out how to make something
out of lime green, clear blue, and amber. :-)

There are 6 women in the class, one has taken a four-week course before,
and this is the first time they are teaching it for 8 weeks, so we
should get quite a bit of practice. The teacher is Michelle Eilts
(http://www.melampworks.com if you're interested.) I'm totally psyched
:-)

Now, I know I can't even give any of the beads I make in here to anyone,
since they're not being annealed, but how big/complex do you think you
can get without running a huge risk of them shattering? Just curious -
don't have access to a kiln right now (she hasn't offered to take them
home to her studio, anyway - and would that even work if they've been
out of the torch for a while?) but I hate the thought that I might
actually make something COOL someday and have it break later...

The class runs 8 weeks, 3 hours a session, she's thinking we probably
won't make it to florals (which is of course what we all want to do),
but she's given us some foil, some silver wire, and we'll be doing
encasing at least.

On the off chance that I'm halfway decent at this, and my dh is willing
to go along with yet ANOTHER craft (and all the supplies that it
entails) and we can figure out where on earth to do it safely - would
you think it makes more sense to spend the money up front on a kiln or
on a better torch? And can anyone recommend a kiln that costs less than
the $900 of the one 'on sale' that everyone has been touting?

Thanks!
Karin

Oh, I'm not planning on doing anything right away. Just curious as to
which would be the better first step, assuming I go any farther.

We have one session per week. I don't think we can get in there any
other time, they teach other classes in the studio, and you can't use
the torches without an instructor present. But I'll ask this coming
week. I'll also ask questions about the kiln.

Thanks!
Karin

Christina Peterson wrote:

I can't answer about the kiln or torch questions, but I'd put aside the
questions a little longer until you have a better idea of whether you'll
continue. Unless the couple thousand dollars you'd need is easily
accessible.

In case you don't know, Michelle Eilts' beads are the ones Kevin Duggan
posts here. I have some of her beads and they're wonderful.

How often per week do you have the 3 hour session? Can you use the studio
any time except during lessons? Maybe she'll bring in an annealing kiln if
you ask her to.

Tina

"Karin Cernik" wrote in message
...
Well, the bad news is, you guys have spoiled me... visions of minor
burners, kilns, wonderful glass assortments, etc etc.... meeting up with
the (expected) reality of a hot head, a fiber blanket, and a dozen
pieces of non-matching colored Moretti... :-)

BUT... it was VERY cool anyway, and I actually made beads that look like
beads! (ok, so the first half dozen are squashed and rough... I kind of
forgot to let them cool a bit before stuffing them in the blanket, being
so worried about shocking them and all... but I have 9 beads that are
actually recognizable as beads, all reasonably round and symmetrical,
and 7 or 8 have decent holes. Now to figure out how to make something
out of lime green, clear blue, and amber. :-)

There are 6 women in the class, one has taken a four-week course before,
and this is the first time they are teaching it for 8 weeks, so we
should get quite a bit of practice. The teacher is Michelle Eilts
(http://www.melampworks.com if you're interested.) I'm totally psyched
:-)

Now, I know I can't even give any of the beads I make in here to anyone,
since they're not being annealed, but how big/complex do you think you
can get without running a huge risk of them shattering? Just curious -
don't have access to a kiln right now (she hasn't offered to take them
home to her studio, anyway - and would that even work if they've been
out of the torch for a while?) but I hate the thought that I might
actually make something COOL someday and have it break later...

The class runs 8 weeks, 3 hours a session, she's thinking we probably
won't make it to florals (which is of course what we all want to do),
but she's given us some foil, some silver wire, and we'll be doing
encasing at least.

On the off chance that I'm halfway decent at this, and my dh is willing
to go along with yet ANOTHER craft (and all the supplies that it
entails) and we can figure out where on earth to do it safely - would
you think it makes more sense to spend the money up front on a kiln or
on a better torch? And can anyone recommend a kiln that costs less than
the $900 of the one 'on sale' that everyone has been touting?

Thanks!
Karin

The teacher is Michelle Eilts
(http://www.melampworks.com if you're interested.)

WHOA. (To the Links List she goes)
~~
Sooz
-------
"Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John
Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance
~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links
http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html

What did she say about annealing?

Yeah -- as a student, you should ask about annealing your classwork.
~~
Sooz
-------
"Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John
Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance
~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links
http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html

In case you don't know, Michelle Eilts' beads are the ones Kevin Duggan
posts here. I have some of her beads and they're wonderful.

I thought so. I thought Kevin did them. (He accepts our compliments readily,
so....)
~~
Sooz
-------
"Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John
Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance
~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links
http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html

Karen, did the instructor talk about annealing at all? Safety? Stuff like
that? Just curious, as I was contacted by the Education Person from ISGB for
a grilling when she thought I was teaching beginner classes. I have no
interest at all in teaching them, primarily because I feel there are so many
IMPERATIVE things that must be covered (annealing, safety, etc.) and I would
be concerned that I would forget something incredibly important.

--

Tink

www.blackswampglassworks.com
Sign Up Now For Fall Workshops!
Hollows, Vessels & Florals...

I just want to add one quick note - if you're using any kind of metals
(silver foil, etc.) you *need* to have adequate ventilation, and a
respirator if at all possible. Same with glass powders, enamels and frits.
The rest of the questions got lots of answers, so I will leave those alone.
Your class sounds lots of fun!!

--
Kandice Seeber
Air & Earth Designs
http://www.lampwork.net

Well, the bad news is, you guys have spoiled me... visions of minor
burners, kilns, wonderful glass assortments, etc etc.... meeting up with
the (expected) reality of a hot head, a fiber blanket, and a dozen
pieces of non-matching colored Moretti... :-)

BUT... it was VERY cool anyway, and I actually made beads that look like
beads! (ok, so the first half dozen are squashed and rough... I kind of
forgot to let them cool a bit before stuffing them in the blanket, being
so worried about shocking them and all... but I have 9 beads that are
actually recognizable as beads, all reasonably round and symmetrical,
and 7 or 8 have decent holes. Now to figure out how to make something
out of lime green, clear blue, and amber. :-)

There are 6 women in the class, one has taken a four-week course before,
and this is the first time they are teaching it for 8 weeks, so we
should get quite a bit of practice. The teacher is Michelle Eilts
(http://www.melampworks.com if you're interested.) I'm totally psyched
:-)

Now, I know I can't even give any of the beads I make in here to anyone,
since they're not being annealed, but how big/complex do you think you
can get without running a huge risk of them shattering? Just curious -
don't have access to a kiln right now (she hasn't offered to take them
home to her studio, anyway - and would that even work if they've been
out of the torch for a while?) but I hate the thought that I might
actually make something COOL someday and have it break later...

The class runs 8 weeks, 3 hours a session, she's thinking we probably
won't make it to florals (which is of course what we all want to do),
but she's given us some foil, some silver wire, and we'll be doing
encasing at least.

On the off chance that I'm halfway decent at this, and my dh is willing
to go along with yet ANOTHER craft (and all the supplies that it
entails) and we can figure out where on earth to do it safely - would
you think it makes more sense to spend the money up front on a kiln or
on a better torch? And can anyone recommend a kiln that costs less than
the $900 of the one 'on sale' that everyone has been touting?

Thanks!
Karin

There is an huge ventilation system in the back of the classroom, hood
and fan, etc. And she recommended respirators if we are going to be
working with metals on our own. Not sure what we're going to do when we
do it in class.

Thanks,
Karin

Kandice Seeber wrote:

I just want to add one quick note - if you're using any kind of metals
(silver foil, etc.) you *need* to have adequate ventilation, and a
respirator if at all possible. Same with glass powders, enamels and frits.
The rest of the questions got lots of answers, so I will leave those alone.
Your class sounds lots of fun!!

--
Kandice Seeber
Air & Earth Designs
http://www.lampwork.net

Well, the bad news is, you guys have spoiled me... visions of minor
burners, kilns, wonderful glass assortments, etc etc.... meeting up with
the (expected) reality of a hot head, a fiber blanket, and a dozen
pieces of non-matching colored Moretti... :-)

BUT... it was VERY cool anyway, and I actually made beads that look like
beads! (ok, so the first half dozen are squashed and rough... I kind of
forgot to let them cool a bit before stuffing them in the blanket, being
so worried about shocking them and all... but I have 9 beads that are
actually recognizable as beads, all reasonably round and symmetrical,
and 7 or 8 have decent holes. Now to figure out how to make something
out of lime green, clear blue, and amber. :-)

There are 6 women in the class, one has taken a four-week course before,
and this is the first time they are teaching it for 8 weeks, so we
should get quite a bit of practice. The teacher is Michelle Eilts
(http://www.melampworks.com if you're interested.) I'm totally psyched
:-)

Now, I know I can't even give any of the beads I make in here to anyone,
since they're not being annealed, but how big/complex do you think you
can get without running a huge risk of them shattering? Just curious -
don't have access to a kiln right now (she hasn't offered to take them
home to her studio, anyway - and would that even work if they've been
out of the torch for a while?) but I hate the thought that I might
actually make something COOL someday and have it break later...

The class runs 8 weeks, 3 hours a session, she's thinking we probably
won't make it to florals (which is of course what we all want to do),
but she's given us some foil, some silver wire, and we'll be doing
encasing at least.

On the off chance that I'm halfway decent at this, and my dh is willing
to go along with yet ANOTHER craft (and all the supplies that it
entails) and we can figure out where on earth to do it safely - would
you think it makes more sense to spend the money up front on a kiln or
on a better torch? And can anyone recommend a kiln that costs less than
the $900 of the one 'on sale' that everyone has been touting?

Thanks!
Karin