New Marble Toy! ***Now with a quick review

[Forester18]

I was looking and thinking about one of these after seeing it on Drew Fritts website. Now having read his book he has a section on turning moulds out of cherry wood. I have a stock of this and am considering turning some, I believe he burns in the edges. I used to use something similar some years ago when I was making paperweights but this was on gathers from a furnace. I was wondering if you had any experience of wooden moulds.

Frederick 

[Steampunkglass]

I've not tried wood moulds, I've mostly found a good flame polish does the business enough for me so far.

I didn't actually order from Drew Fritt site, mine came though ABR who do the range - need a bigger torch before I can think about the 2 and 3inch monsters!

[Trudi]

glad that you're enjoying it Glenn - I guess if it's working and you'll use it a lot then it's worth it!

[Forester18]

Glenn, I've just been looking again at Drew's website and I see that these moulds go up to 6" !!! and that is one hell of a lot of glass.
you mentioned 2" & 3". I'd have thought that when you get above 2" you'd probably be looking at gathers from a furnace and then use a gloryhole. My original plan was to make paper weights using gathers from a furnace but I found the cost would be prohibitive. That is why I am for the time being concentrating on beads and a a few small flame-worked sculptures. I still have the design for a combined glory/furnace. It was an idea that William Manson used some years ago. I've also got all the materials to make it. Basically it's a small glory with a sump wich acts as a furnace. Maybe one day I'll get round to constructing one of these. Good luck with your new mould - look forward to seeing some pics.

Frederick

[garishglobes]

Apparently there is a small glory hole out there somewhere that uses a torch as heat. Becky (Chameleon) was telling me about it, but she told me to go and look up "mercy glory hole" - and the results weren't quite lampworking!!
She did say it used a lot of gas..

[Forester18]

Yep, there are small ones called fire buckets - avoid! the insulation is frag which is carciogenic.