I'm looking for a new, challenging, yet achievable pastime to hopefully
keep the dementia and whatnot at bay as I continue to cruise through the
grey years. This seems at first sight to be something that could prove
very beneficial. Has anyone given it a bash? If so, what degree of
difficulty does it score?



--
This message may be freely reproduced without limit or charge only via
the Usenet protocol. Reproduction in whole or part through other
protocols, whether for profit or not, is conditional upon a charge of
GBP10.00 per reproduction. Publication in this manner via non-Usenet
protocols constitutes acceptance of this condition.

Cursitor Doom wrote:
I'm looking for a new, challenging, yet achievable pastime to hopefully
keep the dementia and whatnot at bay as I continue to cruise through the
grey years. This seems at first sight to be something that could prove
very beneficial. Has anyone given it a bash? If so, what degree of
difficulty does it score?

I had a bit of a look at this - I think the main thing is having all the gas
kit to get hot enough to melt the glass (lampworking), and then learning the
techniques. You can do 'glass fusing' with a microwave (see Youtube) - but
that's not hot enough to blow the glass.

Depends how dedicated you are, I suppose. Not enough (and a lack of
somewhere to do it), in my case.

Theo

In article ,
Cursitor Doom writes:
I'm looking for a new, challenging, yet achievable pastime to hopefully
keep the dementia and whatnot at bay as I continue to cruise through the
grey years. This seems at first sight to be something that could prove
very beneficial. Has anyone given it a bash? If so, what degree of
difficulty does it score?

I did some at school, trying to make a cold cathode tube, but wasn't
successful. At university, there was a technician who made all the
custom glassware for the physics department. He did a fantastic
demo of what sort of things he could make for the new undergrads.
Afterwards, I did get to make a cold cathode tube, and it worked
(and it had proper cathodes, and metal/glass seals which I hadn't
known about at school).

Probably not quite the glass blowing you were thinking of, but hey,
why not have your name in neon lights?

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On Sunday, 13 May 2018 21:11:10 UTC+1, Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
Cursitor Doom writes:
I'm looking for a new, challenging, yet achievable pastime to hopefully
keep the dementia and whatnot at bay as I continue to cruise through the
grey years. This seems at first sight to be something that could prove
very beneficial. Has anyone given it a bash? If so, what degree of
difficulty does it score?

I did some at school, trying to make a cold cathode tube, but wasn't
successful. At university, there was a technician who made all the
custom glassware for the physics department. He did a fantastic
demo of what sort of things he could make for the new undergrads.
Afterwards, I did get to make a cold cathode tube, and it worked
(and it had proper cathodes, and metal/glass seals which I hadn't
known about at school).

Probably not quite the glass blowing you were thinking of, but hey,
why not have your name in neon lights?

I did lab glassware when I was 12, and it's easy. I expect CD has something else in mind though. There are plenty of glasswork vids out there.


NT

On 13/05/2018 18:12, Cursitor Doom wrote:
I'm looking for a new, challenging, yet achievable pastime to hopefully
keep the dementia and whatnot at bay as I continue to cruise through the
grey years. This seems at first sight to be something that could prove
very beneficial. Has anyone given it a bash? If so, what degree of
difficulty does it score?

What do you mean by 'beneficial'? Is there something specific you are
trying to make?

I might suggest an oxy-propane torch. You sometimes (affordably) see
them on eBay.

I use oxygen generators rather than oxygen bottles. Much safer though
generators are not cheap, even when second-hand. So I guess you might
start with a bottle?

Didymium Glasses to cut out the sodium glare and UV.

Well seeing as it was something I could have done at my school in the 1960s,
its probably been health and safetied to destruction by now, Naked flames
using your lungs to expand molten glass, I mean, .....

All I remember was keep on rotating the glass tube and only just heat it
enough to make it plastic. Tip, do not breath in!

Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Cursitor Doom" wrote in message
news
I'm looking for a new, challenging, yet achievable pastime to hopefully
keep the dementia and whatnot at bay as I continue to cruise through the
grey years. This seems at first sight to be something that could prove
very beneficial. Has anyone given it a bash? If so, what degree of
difficulty does it score?



--
This message may be freely reproduced without limit or charge only via
the Usenet protocol. Reproduction in whole or part through other
protocols, whether for profit or not, is conditional upon a charge of
GBP10.00 per reproduction. Publication in this manner via non-Usenet
protocols constitutes acceptance of this condition.

Look for a local craft workshop. may tourist places offer places for
trainees to get started on this sort of thing, of course doing this for a
company means you share any profit, but on the plus side no investment in
equipment!

Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Theo" wrote in message
...
Cursitor Doom wrote:
I'm looking for a new, challenging, yet achievable pastime to hopefully
keep the dementia and whatnot at bay as I continue to cruise through the
grey years. This seems at first sight to be something that could prove
very beneficial. Has anyone given it a bash? If so, what degree of
difficulty does it score?

I had a bit of a look at this - I think the main thing is having all the
gas
kit to get hot enough to melt the glass (lampworking), and then learning
the
techniques. You can do 'glass fusing' with a microwave (see Youtube) -
but
that's not hot enough to blow the glass.

Depends how dedicated you are, I suppose. Not enough (and a lack of
somewhere to do it), in my case.

Theo

On 14/05/2018 09:54, Brian Gaff wrote:
Well seeing as it was something I could have done at my school in the 1960s,
its probably been health and safetied to destruction by now, Naked flames
using your lungs to expand molten glass, I mean, .....

All I remember was keep on rotating the glass tube and only just heat it
enough to make it plastic. Tip, do not breath in!

I visited a glass works when I was at school. I remember being told that
originally the glass blowing staff had been given free beer by the
company. The company had been able to persuade the staff to stop this
practice, probably because it was not particularly good for the staff.

--
Michael Chare

In article ,
Michael Chare writes:
On 14/05/2018 09:54, Brian Gaff wrote:
Well seeing as it was something I could have done at my school in the 1960s,
its probably been health and safetied to destruction by now, Naked flames
using your lungs to expand molten glass, I mean, .....

All I remember was keep on rotating the glass tube and only just heat it
enough to make it plastic. Tip, do not breath in!

I visited a glass works when I was at school. I remember being told that
originally the glass blowing staff had been given free beer by the
company. The company had been able to persuade the staff to stop this
practice, probably because it was not particularly good for the staff.

There was an HMRC case around the free beer for glass blowers.
HMRC tried to claim it was a perk and should be taxed, but I
think they lost that case.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On 14/05/2018 09:56, Brian Gaff wrote:
Look for a local craft workshop. may tourist places offer places for
trainees to get started on this sort of thing, of course doing this for a
company means you share any profit, but on the plus side no investment in
equipment!

The national glass museum at Sunderland do experience days if you want
to try it out without a massive investment in furnaces and other kit.

http://www.nationalglasscentre.com/l.../adultcourses/

There are others. I come from a family of glass blowers. I still have
one family piece by my GGF and collect things made by their works.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown