drawing down and pulling stringer

just a little info on pulling good stringers.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• flameworking
• lapworking
• boro
• glass
• blowing
• pulling
• stringer
• color
• prep

[bigmathgeek]

I'm relatively new to glass & am aware that my torch setup (which only cost $60) is my problem. I've used this setup for 3 months & know that I want to invest in something better that allows me to heat larger amounts of glass (as you're doing) & be able to spot heat. Can you give me a recommendation on a good torch setup?

[acroduster]

@bigmathgeek well, a lot depends on how far you plan on going in glass and if you really plan on sticking with it long term. if you plan on staying with it, GTT! a lot also depends on how much you are able to spend and the scale of work you intend to do. I would look at the Mirage. its what I use now, and is the best torch I have used (I have used carlisle, nortel, and bethlehem torches). also , make sure to think about and consider the higher amount of oxygen and propane that you will use.

[floydfan21]

where do you get your large diamiter color rods? it would be so much easier to pull stringers out of those than the small ones i get from northstar.

[acroduster]

@floydfan21 the larger rods are odds you can go to northstar color and buy odds, they are off size pulls and they sell them by the pound.-)

[bakerman4444]

thanks acro, think you could show how to pull clear encased stringers? i hear that it is important to clear encase yellows and other flame sensitive colors.

thanks!

[floydfan21]

oh, ive got odds befor but they were just a tad larger on one side than the other, i havnt been able to find larger mm color rod tho...

[Scythian1]

Cool - I see I'm going to have to try different ideas to see what I can do :)

Thanks!

[acroduster]

oh yes, gravity works! but its much harder to use gravity with the stiff working charicteristics of boro, a piece has to be propotionately larger in boro and you have to get it real hot for gravity to be a big help, but its doable. i let gravity pull off the tip and dirty glass on punties all the time when my hands are full!-)

[Scythian1]

Thanks for that tip - I'll try it out later when I have some torch time. I notice the Italian masters let gravity work when pulling things a lot larger and let it drop towards the floor before starting to pull. Would that work with a puny stringer?