Where to buy Prince Rupert's Drop

Does anyone know where to buy a Prince Rupert's Drop online? I looked for
one years ago as a gift to no avail, and was reminded of my search recently.

In article , Keith Patrick wrote:

Does anyone know where to buy a Prince Rupert's Drop online? I looked for
one years ago as a gift to no avail, and was reminded of my search recently.

I'd like to see just how often one forms, so I might try making some.
If I get more than one, what kind of price are you offering? It sounds
like small is more likely to work than large....

Regards,

Mike

That's the thing...I can't find this thing anywhere on the net, so I have
absolutely no idea how much they generally cost.

"Mike Beede" wrote in message
...
In article , Keith Patrick
wrote:

Does anyone know where to buy a Prince Rupert's Drop online? I looked
for
one years ago as a gift to no avail, and was reminded of my search
recently.

I'd like to see just how often one forms, so I might try making some.
If I get more than one, what kind of price are you offering? It sounds
like small is more likely to work than large....

Regards,

Mike

Once one gets the trick of making them, they are fairly easy to make.
One needs to build up a hot blob of glass that will drop free of the pipe
or rod of glass and as it
starts to fall into a container of water, pull/jerk the hand up to pull the
tail clear of the falling blob so there
is no long thin thread.
Small ones - 1/8-1/4" - are easier in the torch, larger - up to 1"- easier
from a pipe. If you don't do it right, you end up with spinnerettes of
glass in the water, so you are picking the drops out of threads of glass
after letting them cool down (especially the larger) in the water. Small
ones should be broken wrapped in cloth, large ones double wrapped and
tightly held - otherwise tiny fragments of glass are flying all over instead
of making a small forceful whomp. When demostrating how strong the head is
(hitting it with a hammer) hold the tail carefully and have some eye
protection.

--
Mike Firth
Hot Glass Bits Furnace Working Website
http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/I-UPSUMM.HTM
shows recently changed files, click on link
"Keith Patrick" wrote in message
. ..
That's the thing...I can't find this thing anywhere on the net, so I have
absolutely no idea how much they generally cost.

"Mike Beede" wrote in message
...
In article , Keith Patrick
wrote:

Does anyone know where to buy a Prince Rupert's Drop online? I looked
for
one years ago as a gift to no avail, and was reminded of my search
recently.

I'd like to see just how often one forms, so I might try making some.
If I get more than one, what kind of price are you offering? It sounds
like small is more likely to work than large....

Regards,

Mike

What is a Prince Rupert's Drop and what are they for?

--
Connie Ryman
Cryman Studio
www.eclecticbeadery.com
"Mike Firth" wrote in message
...
Once one gets the trick of making them, they are fairly easy to make.
One needs to build up a hot blob of glass that will drop free of the
pipe
or rod of glass and as it
starts to fall into a container of water, pull/jerk the hand up to pull
the
tail clear of the falling blob so there
is no long thin thread.
Small ones - 1/8-1/4" - are easier in the torch, larger - up to 1"-
easier
from a pipe. If you don't do it right, you end up with spinnerettes of
glass in the water, so you are picking the drops out of threads of glass
after letting them cool down (especially the larger) in the water. Small
ones should be broken wrapped in cloth, large ones double wrapped and
tightly held - otherwise tiny fragments of glass are flying all over
instead
of making a small forceful whomp. When demostrating how strong the head
is
(hitting it with a hammer) hold the tail carefully and have some eye
protection.

--
Mike Firth
Hot Glass Bits Furnace Working Website
http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/I-UPSUMM.HTM
shows recently changed files, click on link
"Keith Patrick" wrote in message
. ..
That's the thing...I can't find this thing anywhere on the net, so I
have
absolutely no idea how much they generally cost.

"Mike Beede" wrote in message
...
In article , Keith Patrick
wrote:

Does anyone know where to buy a Prince Rupert's Drop online? I
looked
for
one years ago as a gift to no avail, and was reminded of my search
recently.

I'd like to see just how often one forms, so I might try making some.
If I get more than one, what kind of price are you offering? It
sounds
like small is more likely to work than large....

Regards,

Mike

They look like a tadpole of glass. Basically, the rapid cooling puts a
tremendous amount of pressure on the inside of the glass due to the surface
cooling (and shrinking) more quickly than the interior. As a result of the
stress, the bead is extremely strong and can withstand hard strikes with a
hammer. However, if the tail is broken, the pressure is relieved, causing
the drop to explode into a powder.


"C Ryman" wrote in message
...
What is a Prince Rupert's Drop and what are they for?

--
Connie Ryman
Cryman Studio
www.eclecticbeadery.com
"Mike Firth" wrote in message
...
Once one gets the trick of making them, they are fairly easy to make.
One needs to build up a hot blob of glass that will drop free of the
pipe
or rod of glass and as it
starts to fall into a container of water, pull/jerk the hand up to pull
the
tail clear of the falling blob so there
is no long thin thread.
Small ones - 1/8-1/4" - are easier in the torch, larger - up to 1"-
easier
from a pipe. If you don't do it right, you end up with spinnerettes of
glass in the water, so you are picking the drops out of threads of glass
after letting them cool down (especially the larger) in the water.
Small
ones should be broken wrapped in cloth, large ones double wrapped and
tightly held - otherwise tiny fragments of glass are flying all over
instead
of making a small forceful whomp. When demostrating how strong the head
is
(hitting it with a hammer) hold the tail carefully and have some eye
protection.

--
Mike Firth
Hot Glass Bits Furnace Working Website
http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/I-UPSUMM.HTM
shows recently changed files, click on link
"Keith Patrick" wrote in
message
. ..
That's the thing...I can't find this thing anywhere on the net, so I
have
absolutely no idea how much they generally cost.

"Mike Beede" wrote in message
...
In article , Keith
Patrick
wrote:

Does anyone know where to buy a Prince Rupert's Drop online? I
looked
for
one years ago as a gift to no avail, and was reminded of my search
recently.

I'd like to see just how often one forms, so I might try making
some.
If I get more than one, what kind of price are you offering? It
sounds
like small is more likely to work than large....

Regards,

Mike

is this the same thing a s a Russian tear drop? sounds similar in shape but
i never tried hitting one with a hammer! If so , i have a few i can part
with. michele

"Keith Patrick" wrote in message
news
They look like a tadpole of glass. Basically, the rapid cooling puts a
tremendous amount of pressure on the inside of the glass due to the
surface
cooling (and shrinking) more quickly than the interior. As a result of
the
stress, the bead is extremely strong and can withstand hard strikes with a
hammer. However, if the tail is broken, the pressure is relieved, causing
the drop to explode into a powder.


"C Ryman" wrote in message
...
What is a Prince Rupert's Drop and what are they for?

--
Connie Ryman
Cryman Studio
www.eclecticbeadery.com
"Mike Firth" wrote in message
...
Once one gets the trick of making them, they are fairly easy to
make.
One needs to build up a hot blob of glass that will drop free of the
pipe
or rod of glass and as it
starts to fall into a container of water, pull/jerk the hand up to
pull
the
tail clear of the falling blob so there
is no long thin thread.
Small ones - 1/8-1/4" - are easier in the torch, larger - up to 1"-
easier
from a pipe. If you don't do it right, you end up with spinnerettes
of
glass in the water, so you are picking the drops out of threads of
glass
after letting them cool down (especially the larger) in the water.
Small
ones should be broken wrapped in cloth, large ones double wrapped and
tightly held - otherwise tiny fragments of glass are flying all over
instead
of making a small forceful whomp. When demostrating how strong the
head
is
(hitting it with a hammer) hold the tail carefully and have some eye
protection.

--
Mike Firth
Hot Glass Bits Furnace Working Website
http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/I-UPSUMM.HTM
shows recently changed files, click on link
"Keith Patrick" wrote in
message
. ..
That's the thing...I can't find this thing anywhere on the net, so I
have
absolutely no idea how much they generally cost.

"Mike Beede" wrote in message
...
In article , Keith
Patrick
wrote:

Does anyone know where to buy a Prince Rupert's Drop online? I
looked
for
one years ago as a gift to no avail, and was reminded of my
search
recently.

I'd like to see just how often one forms, so I might try making
some.
If I get more than one, what kind of price are you offering? It
sounds
like small is more likely to work than large....

Regards,

Mike

Probably not. The few returns I get on Russian tear drops that are not
references to songs are obviously decorative tear shapes which are carefully
annealed. Like the icicles that have become popular the last few years.
A Prince Rupert's Drop is a scientific curiosity created by violating all
the normal rules of working with glass. Other than hitting it with a hammer
to show strength and destroying it to show failure method, they are useless.

--
Mike Firth
Hot Glass Bits Furnace Working Website
http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/I-UPSUMM.HTM
shows recently changed files, click on link
"Michele Blank" wrote in message
...
is this the same thing a s a Russian tear drop? sounds similar in shape
but
i never tried hitting one with a hammer! If so , i have a few i can part
with. michele

"Keith Patrick" wrote in message
news
They look like a tadpole of glass. Basically, the rapid cooling puts a
tremendous amount of pressure on the inside of the glass due to the
surface
cooling (and shrinking) more quickly than the interior. As a result of
the
stress, the bead is extremely strong and can withstand hard strikes with
a
hammer. However, if the tail is broken, the pressure is relieved,
causing
the drop to explode into a powder.


"C Ryman" wrote in message
...
What is a Prince Rupert's Drop and what are they for?

--
Connie Ryman
Cryman Studio
www.eclecticbeadery.com
"Mike Firth" wrote in message
...
Once one gets the trick of making them, they are fairly easy to
make.
One needs to build up a hot blob of glass that will drop free of
the
pipe
or rod of glass and as it
starts to fall into a container of water, pull/jerk the hand up to
pull
the
tail clear of the falling blob so there
is no long thin thread.
Small ones - 1/8-1/4" - are easier in the torch, larger - up to
1"-
easier
from a pipe. If you don't do it right, you end up with spinnerettes
of
glass in the water, so you are picking the drops out of threads of
glass
after letting them cool down (especially the larger) in the water.
Small
ones should be broken wrapped in cloth, large ones double wrapped
and
tightly held - otherwise tiny fragments of glass are flying all over
instead
of making a small forceful whomp. When demostrating how strong the
head
is
(hitting it with a hammer) hold the tail carefully and have some eye
protection.

--
Mike Firth
Hot Glass Bits Furnace Working Website
http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/I-UPSUMM.HTM
shows recently changed files, click on link
"Keith Patrick" wrote in
message
. ..
That's the thing...I can't find this thing anywhere on the net, so
I
have
absolutely no idea how much they generally cost.

"Mike Beede" wrote in message
...
In article , Keith
Patrick
wrote:

Does anyone know where to buy a Prince Rupert's Drop online?
I
looked
for
one years ago as a gift to no avail, and was reminded of my
search
recently.

I'd like to see just how often one forms, so I might try making
some.
If I get more than one, what kind of price are you offering? It
sounds
like small is more likely to work than large....

Regards,

Mike

Here's a place: http://www.geocities.com/globalmagicshop/Effects.html
They're also called Prince Ruperts tears.
Their creation is described in the old Hammesfahr & Stong "Creative
glass blowing" book.

On Sat, 30 Aug 2003 20:44:21 GMT, "Keith Patrick"
wrote:

Does anyone know where to buy a Prince Rupert's Drop online? I looked for
one years ago as a gift to no avail, and was reminded of my search recently.


Steve J. Noll | Ventura California (zone 10)
| Glass Block Pond http://www.kissingfrogs.tv

I can make them for you, along with " Baloney tubes" They are similar to PR
droppings, only they are a hollow tube. I would demonstrate them by driving
a spike in a block of would using the Baloney tube as a hammer. I then drop
a micro piece of silicon carbide down the tube to make it explode, and I
mean EXPLODE. You do this while it is inside a Zip lock bag to contain the
shards.

Randy Hansen
SC Glass Tech
San Diego, CA

"Keith Patrick" wrote in message
...
Does anyone know where to buy a Prince Rupert's Drop online? I looked for
one years ago as a gift to no avail, and was reminded of my search
recently.