Fumed Magazine by blake maddox

FUMED

DO Girls Blow Better?

An Interview with Dellene Peralta

Behind the Magic

The History of Dichro

Issue 1 December 2012

Snoddy Fumes

Wig What

Jersey Blown

Crossing Over

DFO Review

Credited photography in order Pages 3-10 Iamge 1- Cee Dub image 2- Chris Carlson 2011 image 3- Kobuki 2006 image 4- I love Boxie 2012 image 5 - Kobuki 2006 image 6- Kobuki 2006 image 7- Glass Otaku 2012 image 8- Cee Dub Pages 11-14 image 9- Qrisee Zen Image10- Sundance Art Glass Imaage 11- Sundance Art Glass Pic 13- Cee Dub Pages 23- 34 Image 16- Mark McCourt 2009 Image 17- Becadive 2010 Image 18- Jarrod Schoenemann Image 19- Dellene P Image 20- Jarrod Schoenmann Image 21 “ “ Pages 37-44 Image 24- Cee Dub Image 25- Sun Dance Art Glass Image 26- “ “ Image 27- “ “ Image 28- Cee Dub Pages 46- 50 Image 29- Earl Wilson , New York Times Image 30-” “ Image 31-” “ Image 32-” “ Image 33- Cee Dub

rder as placed in magazine Pages 53-66 Image 34 -Caroline Willamson Image 35- “ “ Image 36-Happyglasswork.com Image 37- Caroline Willamson Pages 67- 75 Image 38- Jarrod Schoenemann Image 39- “ “ Image 40- Cee Dub Imag41-CeeDub Image 42- Luna Angelica Image 43- Cee Dub Image 44- Eusheen Image 45- Cee Dub Image 46- “ “ Image 47- “ “ Image 48 Luna Angelica Pages 75-81 Image 48- Glassart.wordpress.com Image 49- “ “ Image 50- “ “ Image 51- “ “ Image 52- “ “ Page 83-90 Image 54- Cee Dub Image 55- “ “ Image 56- “ “ Image 57- “ “ Pages 91- 110 Image 58- “ “ Image 59- Etsy Image 61- Etsy Image 62- Cee Dub

SnoddY Fumes

Snodgrass Family Glass

Content copyright 2012. Snodgrass Family Glass. All rights reserved. There is no doubt that Bob Snodgrass is the Godfather of artistic hard glass in this country. In North America, Eugene, Oregon is the mecca for artist boro glass (Pyrex, Duran, Kimble glass). There is no greater concentration of glass artist then there. This is due to the presence of Bob Snodgrass and his students. His dedication to quality art has earned him much respect in the community. Some of the glassblowers in the area can trace their roots back to Bob Snodgrass.

Bob Snodgrass and his family traveled throughout the United States until they came to Oregon in 1990 and decided they liked the weather, the people, and the atmosphere. “There was a larger collection of artists at the Saturday Market than all the other places I had been too.” He has worked with glass with

glass since 1971 in Ohio, where he is originally from. But it wasn’t until 1981 that glassblowing became his full-time occupation. “I traded my woodworking tools for glassblowing tools,” says Bob.

When he first started working with glass he was not pleased with the results so he experimented. Bob discovered that silver and gold specially sprayed into hard glass would change colors when the back was blackened. This technique and many others were pioneered by Bob. In addition, many of the modern glassblowing tools owe there creation to Bob Snodgrass.

Bob says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am an inventor. I got stuck in glassblowing because there are so many things to invent in it. I invented a new field in glass. The glass I work with is actually a spin-off of scientific glass. In that process, I found that silver and gold could be blended and sprayed into the glass. A new technique of spraying metals into glass changed the parameters of color possibilities.â&#x20AC;? With such beautiful

I gained momentum because I let people look over my shoulder. Now days I just teach intensive classes.” many apprentices and now Although he can make has a huge extended family of anything he wants to in glass, glassblowers. “Taking on ap- from dragons to neon fish, prentices was good for stimu- from elephant goblets to lation. chess sets, marbles are his specialty. results, as well as smokers’ pref erence towards glass paraphernalia, the glass market soared. Bob Snodgrass took on

“Hand blown marbles, for those who have lost a few.”

The marbles are so intricate they appear to be worlds in themselves. When asked why art is so important in society, his response turned to the glass marble. “Art is about magic. A little thing like a marble can change someone’s attitude.”

Bob Snodgrass, like fine wine, keeps getting better with each year. Last year he made lots of wonderful glass art pieces. And it is not going to stop this year. Glassblowing classes with Bob Snodgrass are the best way to improve your skills. Bob Snodgrass teaches classes once or twice a month in Eugene, Oregon. These classes are extremely instructional where in the students ask their questions of Bob.

Classes are 2-5 days long, 8+ hours per day. His classroom has three Carlisle stations, so there is a lot of hands on work. Students are required to bring safety glasses and a list of questions for Bob. Lunch and dinner are served. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll dine with the Snodgrass team, reflect on the day and watch videos. All levels of glassworkers are welcome.

Getting Started

Tips to setting up your Bench

Getting Started

d Beginners Guide to Flame Working By Torch Life

There are a lot of questions one must ask in order to devise a plan of action. I would like to suggest a simple approach that will save you a lot of money, energy, and most important time. First define and understand what borosilicate lampworking is. Find someone with a torch that will let you get on for a half an hour to an hour at a time. Ask them to see their scrap bin; generally they will give you whatever you want from it. I think the best approach is not to have any preconceived notions of having to make anything useful or describable. The idea is to play and get a sense of how the glass reacts to different levels of heat (see Universal Glass Concepts). Take some rod and melt one end and you will see if it cracks and how it melts.

Once you get a small molten bead begin spinning and observe, take it out of the flame and stop spinning observe how the rod reacts. Start welding pieces of rod together, have some fun and thank your host. Once you get some time to yourself then you can ask some important questions. I think the number one question you should ask yourself is how badly do you need to blown glass? I for one couldn’t see myself not doing it every day. Then ask yourself is this something I want to do as a hobby or a career? Do I want to be an independent contractor or work for someone else? Once you decide on a general direction you can consider your equipment budget. What torch do I need?  There is a relation between the level of equipment an artist chooses and the potential outcome of the art. Smaller torches will give you a smaller spectrum of possibilities pertaining to scale. A larger torch will provide more versatility and a larger spectrum of possibilities; you will be able to get more glass hot. This does not mean that you can’t get creative with a small torch; it will just be on a smaller scale. When buying a torch don’t look for the best deal, buy a good product. When it comes to tools you can shape glass with a butter knife.

Where can I rent shop space? See Studio Profiles for reliable shops that provide a professional environment. If you’ve seen lamp working, you may know where to ask. Remember you will generally need your own torch and tools if you want to do your own thing. There are pro’s and con’s to renting rather than having your own space. For beginners it would undoubtedly help to be around other artists. Do I need ventilation?  The answer is absolutely! You also need to provide an adequate amount of fresh air. A rule of thumb with ventilation is the fans pulling the air out should be slightly stronger than the fans bringing the air in the room. This creates a negative air pressure in the room and is called a makeup air system.

Where do I buy supplies? There are many suppliers for glassblowing articles, it is important to understand the difference between traditional glass blowing, and flame working, fusing and slumping. If you are interested in flame working there are 3-4 main suppliers that have pretty much everything you need to begin. Begin by visiting the Web site listed below: www. winshipdesigns.com www.abrimagery.com www.glasscraftinc. com www.arrowsprings.com What tools do I need? Rule number two of glassblowing: Gravity is the best tool we have, it’s free. The tools you will want to purchase will depend on the type of work you think your most interested in pursuing. The absolute bare minimum list for all flame work is as follows:

The absolute bare minimum This list only allows you list for all flame work is as fol- to start to melt glass. It doesn’t lows: include any tools for the purpose of shaping. As your ideas about • A location suitable for this glass grow so will your need for type of work, more advanced tools. • Torch, Kiln, Ventilation What size tubing and rod should hood with a fresh air source, I buy? The size you choose will • Tanks Oxygen and Propane depend on the items you want to (5gallon tank from bbq), learn to make. The most common • Regulators, Gas hose (Type sizes of tubing used by flame workT welding hose, red and green), ers are 19mm, 25mm, 32mm, 34mm, Hose clamps, Flashback arrestors 38mm. Start off with smaller sizes (Keeps gas from igniting and get- and work your way up. Clear rod ting back into the tank), is essential to almost everything • Glasses rated for either you do as a flame worker. Usually soft glass or borosilicate (shields 5 or 6mm rod will do fine. eyes from UV rays), Once I get my shop together • Tube and rod, Lighter or where do I start? Start by blowing sparker, bubbles lots and lots of bubbles, • Claw or grabber. study the universal glass concepts. Blowing bubbles and gathering glass are the most essential skills in glass blowing. The shape and continuity of glass are something you can practice on everything you make. Who will I learn from? Torch Life is here to assist you on this journey, but you must seek your own training and ask lots of questions. Be wary of teachers that get mad when you ask a lot of questions, or tell you that there’s one best technique. Good luck... Styles, Torch Life!

Table of C

Snoddy Fumes 3-8

Setting up your bench 11-14

Featured Artist 46- 50

Wigg Whatt? 67-74

Getting Lathed 83-89

Event Review

100-106

of Contents Do girls blow better?

An interview with Dellen Peralta By Blake Maddox

23-34

Safety Tanks

Safe Handling of Gases by General Air 37-44

Crossing Over

Blowing Soft to Hard By Lance McRorie

53-66

Casting For Blowers An Introduction to Molds By Milon Townsend

75-81

History of Dichro How it all Started by Howard Sandberg

91-99

Letter From The Editor 19

After seeing all the hype at the Degenerate Flame Off, it was clear that there was just something missing in the glass field. There is not anyone out there catering to all the glass lovers. The people that make up the culture am enjoy the artistic side of what it has to offer. This is what pushed me towards creating FUMED Magazine. I am fortunate and grateful that I have been able to bring together the much needed assistance. Without the them it would be very hard to put together this fine publication that you are now holding. Yes this issue is somewhat small but as we know in the glass world, big things can come in small packages. We aim to grow larger with each issue that will be printed every two months. This should give us time to cover all the shows out there, as well as give all of the artist a chance to create and prefect all of their new styles. In each issue we plan to bring out all of the new styles fresh out of the kiln. We want this magazine to show the culture, so for that to happen we need you guys that make up this large family. Send us pictures of your work, show us your workshop; we want to see all the new styles out there as well as help up and coming artist get their namesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on the scene.

I first got pulled into the glass scene by a couple of friends. One of my boys living in the land of glass, Oregon, hit me up and asked if I wanted to help some of his friends promote their work . A week or so later I am waist deep in glass by artist I had never heard of. Who is the Snodgrass cat? A girl blew this, Dellene? A dude named Hamm? I started taking glass to promote at shops, this is where I really found out what I had in my hands. Needless to say, after this I had to meet these artist. I took a little trip out to visit these people I was helping move their works around, this is where I fell in love with the glass industry. I was able to meet all of these wonderful artist, see them work , as well as hang out with them after and get to know these people. Once seeing all of this glass as the art creations that they were/ are, I decided that other people out there should appreciate this aspect of the glass world as I was able to stumble into. Help us keep this going strong so we can help keep you guys entertained with the â&#x20AC;&#x153; Degenerate Artâ&#x20AC;?. Until Next Issue! Later On Blake Maddox Publisher

Do Girls Blo An interview with

low Better?

with Dellene Peralta

Do Girls Blow Better?

Interview with Dellene Peralta By Blake Maddox Dellene Peralta is an artist to check out. She is the person who won the first Flame Off. Her styles as well as her skills are all across the board. She is amazing with doing what she does. There are not too many people that can Blow like Dellene. She has worked with and under many great artist and picked up numerous styles along the way. We at Fumed magazine were fortunate enough to catch up with Dellene while she was working at her shop to ask her a few questions about her story and how she made her way to the top of the glass scene. We would like to thank as well as welcome Ms Dellene Peralta to Fumed magazine for being our first interviewed artist for our Magazine. What a great honor to have such a great Artist here with us today.

Dellene when and how did you first get started on the glass scene? Well I was 21,and I learned from Clinton Roman, I was like making crafts and stuff at the time, I was kind of like doing the hippie thing. I had already been to college for a little bit for photography and you know painted and did lots of different crafts, Clinton was just like “Alright you are artistic you need to blow glass.” He got me a little Minor Torch. When I started we built this little 22 foot trailer for two benches and a few fans. Started blowing glass, little mushroom pendants then I made really simple millis. My first pipe had tons of millis all over it. It was all gold and silver. We only

used three colors of the, well I don’t know how many colors were around but most of them were crappy. So we used ruby, cobalt, and amber purple. Then fuming gold and silver. Soo that’s what he taught me was old school, side car hammers, bubblers, all Snodgrass style things. But was a little different because Clinton learned from Arik, Roaddog , and Red,. He paid Arik Ak or whatever, but hes just a tripper. Hes kind of a jer,k, but Clinton paid him even though he didn’t really learn from him he learned from Roaddog and Red. Why he has the same style as them. But um so yea I learned that style of pipemaking, just kind of did my own little thing. I was with him for like almost 3 year or whatever then after that I moved to Ventura, California. And I lived in a bread truck for about 3 years and traveled around and skate

I think we did well together. Im

collabing with Robert Mickelson now, well right now as we speak im about to go back to the shop ha.

That’s been fun Robert Mickelson is awesome, were definitely on the same page of things. Umm I like working with my boyfriend Aaron. But I don’t know I cant remember everyone I have done work with. I think Eusheen We would put equal amount of work into a piece, boarded like crazy Until I had well sometimes a little more or my son. At that time I was 24. I a little less, but yeah. kind of just moved around from Colorado to New Mexico and then moved back up here to Eu- Do you enjoy incorgene in 2002, and uh you know I’m porating neon in your still blowing glass. I just moved back up here because I missed it work? and liked it so much. It was good The neon thing is cool. to come back. I haven’t moved You know I did it before and in since 2002. like 2006 . but everything had like electrodes on it. They were projects but know its been You do a good bit of fun getting into this whole um RS collab work , who has situation so its, wireless, the is wireless so you can sit been some of your fa- neon it down and it will light up and vorite artist to col- then you pick it up and use it and sit it back down and its lit again, lab with? so that’s really funny. The whole Who have been my favor- new thing so more people are inite collab pieces to work with? spired to mess with it because it Hmm im trying to think who all doesn’t have to be a fixed thing. I have worked with…haha Umm I The piece im working on right now with Mickelson has NEoon liked working with Eusheen. on it. Haha he was like

What do you think of the Oil industry? Do you like the oil glass With that said are scene? Personally I love. I thinkg you liking all of the its cool its transitioned into mini rigs that are something different. I feel like coming out or staying a lot of it got a little stale because it was just the same. You to larger scale? cant really smoke flowers out of a big huge piece , or like this crazy gnarly thing. You have to I mean I used to do tons of stay in a certain limit. But as far “why do you want to do that on it?” haha. So its fun. It is fun that everyone can inspire each other.

mini tubes. People wanted them all of the time back in the day for flowers you know? So its not really anything different for me. You know what I mean? Just to put a new little attachment , so its nothing new as far as im concerned. Just a different attachment . It just brings on a different crave, That’s cool whatever. You never know what’s going to happen in twenty years you know haha. You’re like Ohh Noo haha.

What are you working on now?

Umm as far as my self or collab work? I guess I’m still working on different sculptures . Always just trying to switch it up, make different things and just look at it . What’s cool about the oil is that you can have a small space to really bring in the sculpture aspect of it compared to the snap and bowl piece.

as that goes it just brought in another whole element and excitement. That I think brought in you know just more different stuff and ideas and that’s what I like about it. People over do anything but I think some people are just scared of change.

Do you think that the art of pipemaking is going to stay under ground in the art world forever?

Noo. Its already been changing. You know? I don’t feel its underground. Its not up to the statures or whatever in the glass art world but its getting there. You know? Its being recognized slowly but surely. I mean we have Robert Mickelson that’s all wanting to work with us. And make a bad ass pipe. He doesn’t smoke, and doesn’t know anything about smoking functions but he’s learning a whole lot, well different aspects of things and bringing them into his own art . So you know you have a lot

of that Open Consciousness happen with these people who you know were like , “ Oh you know, pipers, go make a spoon.” Ha Its slowly coming around, and I think with more legalization its going to become more of an art, and less of a craft or a functional thing. I think people with that stigma of things being illegal will now be interested because theyre not.

Do you have any words for any up and incoming or beginner artist out there? Ohh, umm, Don’t give up?.. haha and Keep on Spinning.. Because its definitely tough in the Beginning.

Safety

Tanks

Safe Handling of Gases, Cylinders & Apparatus Brought to you by General Air Safe Handling of Oxy-fuel Apparatus Description/Function Typical Oxy-fuel workstations normally include the following items, each designed to perform specific function: Oxygen and fuel supply, regulators, hose, torch and operator safety equipment. Regulators Oxygen and fuel pressure regulators are attached to the cylinders or manifold outlets to reduce high cylinder or supply pressures to suitable low working pressures for cutting and welding applications. Never use high pressure gases directly from the cylinder without a suitable pressure-reducing regulator. Become familiar with the external parts of a regulator as follows: inlet connection with filter, pressure adjusting screw, high pressure gauge, low pressure gauge, outlet connection, relief valve (where provided).

Inlet Connection Regulators are attached to the cylinders or manifolds by their ìinlet connectionsî. All inlet connections conform to specifica- tions and standards set by the Compressed Gas Association (CGA) and are marked with an identifying CGA number. CGA numbers identify the cylinder valve/gas service for which that inlet connection designed. Examples: CGA 510 has been designated for standard fuel gas cylinder connections such as Acetylene, Methyl Acetylene and Propane. CGA 540 connections are designated for Oxygen service only. Fuel gas inlet connections usually have left-hand threads. Those with left- hand threads also have a ìVî notch around the inlet nut to further designate the connection for fuel gas service. All oxygen connections have right hand threads. All inlet connections must have a clean filter. Pressure Adjusting Screw The regulator adjusting screw controls the delivery pressure of the gas to the hose. As previously stated, the regulators

function to reduce high supply pressures to a suitable working pressure range. When the adjusting screw is turned clockwise, the regulator allows gases to flow through the regulators to the hoses and to the torch. The threaded adjusting screw applies mechanical force to a spring and diaphragm which controls a pressure valve in the regulator. If the adjusting screw is turned counterclockwise, tension on the spring is released and the regulator does not allow the gas to flow.. Pressure Gauges The high pressure gauge indicates the cylinder or supply pressure entering the regulator. The low pressure gauge indicates the delivery pressure from the regulator to the hose. All gauges are precision instruments, handle with care.

Outlet Connections Welding hoses are attached to the regulator outlet connections. Fuel gas regulators have left-handed threaded outlet connections to mate with the left-hand hose connections and have a ĂŹVĂŽ notch around the outlet connection to further designate the connection for fuel gas service. Oxygen regulators have a right-hand threaded outlet connection to mate with the right-hand hose connections. Relief Valve (where provided) The relief valve is designated to protect the low pressure side of the regulator from high pressure. Relief valves are not intended to protect downstream equipment from high pressure. FLAMMABLE Propane is a flammable gas. If this gas mixes with air or Oxygen, the mixture is subject to ignition or explosion if exposed to an ignition source. The low level of concentration needed for propane is 2.2% in air. Store cylinders containing flammable gases outdoors or in well-ventilated areas. Away from oxidizers and never near sources of heat, flames or sparks. Never use a flame to detect for gas leaks. Propane is much heavier than air; therefore, it will flow to low points, to be ignited at distances that may be quite far from the source or leakage.

Hose The welding hose transports low pressure gases (maximum 200PSIG) from the regulators to the torch. Proper care and maintenance of the hose assists the operator in maintaining a safe, efficient shop or work area. Industrial welding hose is color coded for gas service identification. The hose that carries the Oxygen gas is green and the hose that carries the fuel gas is red. All approved domestically fabricated hose are flame retardant. They will burn, but will not support a flame if the heat source is removed. Welding hoses are often exposed to severe abuse. They can provide efficient service with proper care. Molten slag and sparks can burn into the hose exterior. The operator should frequently inspect the hoses and replace if necessary.. Never allow the hoses to become coated with oil, grease or dirt as that could conceal damaged areas. Flashback Arrestors Flashback arrestors are designed to prevent a flashback from reaching upstream equipment.

They are usually installed in the gas system between the outlet of the regulator and the inlet of the hose leading to the torch or between the hose and the torch. Storage of Cylinders State and local building and fire codes will apply to the installation and storage of compressed gases. The following information cov- ! ers some of the major requirements for the storage of compressed gases. Store all cylinders in designated areas that are secured. !Flammable, toxic and Oxygen (or any other Oxidizer) shall be separated from each other by a distance of at least 20 feet or ! by an non-combustible barrier at least 5 feet high having a fire resistant rating of at least one-half hour. Inert gases (Argon, Nitrogen, Helium and Carbon General Precautions In most instances, improper application or mis- use of gas or its container causes accidents by inadequately trained personnel.

3Other major causes of accidents in the use of industrial gases are 1) improper installation, 2) failure to provide proper and adequately maintained equipment, and 3) failing to follow the suppli- erĂs instructions in the operation of regulators and other compressed gas accessory equipment. Proper training is essential. You must be able to recognize emergency conditions, knowing what action to take under circumstances, while preventing exposure. Never identify contents by container color, except in the case of medical gases. Color codes are not uniform throughout the compressed gas industry. If an identifying label on the cylinder is not legible, return the container to the supplier unused. Do not store or transport compressed gases in closed vans or automobiles. Always secure cylinders in transit or in storage to insure against their tipping over.

Always secure cylinders in transit or in storage to insure against their tipping over. Never attempt to lift cylinders by the valve protection cap. Always use a pressure reducing regulator that is properly conditioned for the gas being used. The internal working parts of the regulator are precision units. Only qualified technicians should clean or repair a regulator. Always keep the regulator free of oil, grease and other flammable substances. Never use oil or grease on the regulator, cylinder or manifold connection. Do not tamper with the relief valve or remove it from the regulator. Do not change the inlet connection on a regulator in an attempt to use the regulator for a different gas service. Never attempt to transfill gas from one cylinder to another, or mix any gases in a cylinder.

Always use a pressure reducing regulator that is properly conditioned for the gas being used. 42

Dioxide), since they are compatible with all other gases, may be used within the separation distance. Outdoor storage shall be kept clear of dry vegetation and combustible materials for a minimum distance of 15 feet. Cylinders stored outside side shall not be placed on the ground (earth) where water can accumulate. Storage areas shall be provided with physical protection from vehicle damage. Do not store cylinders near elevators, truck loading platforms, gangways, or under operating cranes, or other areas where they can be damaged by falling objects. Cylinders shall not be exposed to temperatures in excess of 125oF. Smoking and open flames shall not be permitted in oxygen and flammable gas storage areas or within 20 feet of such smoking areas. Observe local code limits set for the storage of flammable gases in buildings. Setting up Equipment for Use

Cylinders Secure the Oxygen and fuel cylinders. Cylinders are highly pressurized. Always handle with care. When moving cylinders, always be certain that the valve protection caps are secured in place. Replace cap when cylinders are empty. Store fulls and empties in separate locations. Do not use a cylinder that does not have a label telling you the contents of that cylinder. Regulators Carefully inspect the cylinder valve and regulator threads and mating surfaces for traces of oil or grease. Make sure the regulator has the correct pressure rating for the cylinder being used. Do not use the regulator if oil, grease or damaged parts are detected on the regulator or cylinder valve or if the inlets filter is missing or dirty. Momentarily open and close (called ìcrackingî or ìdustingî) the cylinder valve. This dislodges any loose contaminant that is present. Open the valve only slightly; stand behind or to one side (not in front) of the valve. It is not recommended practice to do this to Acetylene cylinders in that you may exceed the minimum 15PSIA and the fuel could spontaneously combust.

Attach the Oxygen regulator to the Oxygen cylinder valve. Tighten securely with a wrench. Do the same with the fuel regulator. Before opening cylinder valves, release the tension on the regulator Stand so the cylinder valve is between you and the regulator. Slowly and carefully open the cylinder valve until the maximum pressure regis- ters on the high pressure gauge. Now open the valve on both cylinders completely to seal the valve packing. If your fuel cylinder requires a wrench to open, do not open it

more that 1 1/2 turns. Keep the wrench on the valve in case you need to shut it off quickly. Connect hoses to appropriate regulator and tighten with a wrench. Attach torch to hoses and tighten with a wrench. Adjust regulator pressure settings for your application and you are ready to start.

Blowing Glass Is His Day Job, and His Other Job, Too

VINCENT M. MALLOZZI

By day, Mr. Ford is a scientific glass blower for a large pharmaceutical company, creating and repairing medical apparatus — full-jacketed two-neck flasks, custom-jacketed reactors, reflux condensers, hydrolysis tubes — vital to researchers combating diseases like cancer. By night and on weekends, Mr. Ford is usually in his garage, working on his own personal creations — glass goblets, Champagne flutes,

flower vases — to sell at art shows or online. “I must admit, I’ve become a bit of a glass hermit,” Mr. Ford said. Mr. Ford, who grew up in Milford, N.J., “dreaming of something fun to do with my life,” found it at Salem Community College in Carneys Point, N.J., where he earned an associate’s degree in scientific glass technology through the only degree program of its kind in the country. Historically, glass blowers have been drawn to South Jersey — considered the birthplace of American glassmaking — because the area’s pure sand and abundant forests provided natural resources vital to the glassmaking industry. In 1739, a man named Caspar Wistar immigrated from Germany and founded the country’s first successful glass factory in Salem County. Many scientific glassmakers still remain in the region. “Most people do not know about our profession, but we are in demand,” said Bob Pontoon, a former president of the American Scientific Glassblowers Society — Mr. Ford is one of its 650 members — which was founded in 1952.

On this night in his garage, Mr. Ford was squinting through a pair of Didymium safety glasses, repairing a glass vacuum manifold.

be able to understand,” Mr. Ford said. “The best part of my job is seeing some of the pieces I have made being used to test a brand

“Chemists use these manifolds as a way to control their chemical reactions in an inert atmosphere,” Mr. Ford said, reaching for a blow hose. “The stopcock is broken off this manifold and needs to be sealed back together.” Mr. Ford, 28, works at Roche Pharmaceuticals in Nutley, N.J., where chemists, researchers and scientists rely on his works to extract, distill, store and test chemicals used in laboratory and university experiments. “To me, the scientists are the real heroes because they can manipulate molecules to create new drugs in a way I would never

new cancer drug or something of equal significance — it’s neat to know that I play a role, albeit a small one, in the whole medical discovery process.” Mr. Ford removed his Didymium glasses, which he said he needed to “filter out the yellow sodium flame, which is difficult see through during the heating process,” and carefully laid the vacuum manifold in what looked like a box of cat litter but was actually vermiculite, a clay mineral used for thermal insulation. His work complete, Mr.

Ford began tinkering some more, breathing into decorative pieces scattered across a large table; it is a pastime that in recent years has become more of a business than a hobby. “Every morning is like Christmas for me,” Mr. Ford said. “I really love what I do — it never gets old.” Before closing up shop for the evening, Mr. Ford, squinting again through his Didymium glasses and reigniting his hand torch, went about the business of attaching a glass base to the stem of a goblet. “It’s a rite of passage as a glass blower to be able to make a technically well-crafted goblet,” Mr. Ford explained. “To make one that is technically acceptable, you sometimes need to throw out about 1,000 of them.” Mr. Ford held his goblet up to a light to check for any technical errors. He could not find one. “Looks like a keeper,” he said.

Crossi

sing Over

Crossing Over:Learning to work both hard and soft glass By Lance McRorie of FlameTree Glass, Inc. Just like yin and yang, there are two main classifications of glass types: soft glass and hard glass. For one to pick one glass type and to stick with it throughout their glass career is of course far easier, yet I feel the rewards are far greater when one learns to work both. Some nights, I work hard glass, and some nights I work soft glass, depending on the orders I have, or the dictates of what mood I’m in that evening. I now am able to flip-flop back and forth from working soft glass, and hard glass with ease. This accomplishment of being able to “crossover” back and forth took some time to get used to. Let me first start out with what I’ve discovered to work for me; my personal psychology of how I think about each glass type before I sit down to work it. When I sit down to work borosilicate glass I first set up my work station for boro (putting aside my Moretti glass so that none can get mixed up or misconstrued, especially the clear). ). I bring out my “borotools” which are generally

for working Moretti; such as larger marvers, high end Japanese cutlery knives, my borosilicate glass press, etc. I always pause for a moment before each flameworking session to remind myself of the differences I need to keep in mind when working which ever glass type I have chosen for that night.

Many times I work both hard and soft glass on the same night. When working both glass types on the same night I do my best to keep my station organized so as not to “mix-up” each glass type. Of course it is relatively easy to discern hard color from soft color, but there are a few colors that look so similar that in a rush one could make a mistake. Whether one is using Moretti/ Effetre or the Murano/Vetrofond soft glass; both of these soft glasses are totally compatible.

Both Moretti and Murano have a c.o.e. of ~104 and thus react to a reducing flame in just the same way. Note that as a general rule, Moretti’s transparents are the hardest of the palette, and the opaques are the softest. Moretti black is the main exception to this rule, it being a super dense transparent purple. When I begin to work hard or soft glass, differences emerge in my mind; such as, heat base differences, timing differences, tool choice differences, flame tolerance differences, and thermal shock differences. (Remember: Hard glass’s c.o.e. is ~32-33, and Moretti’s c.o.e. is ~104.) I also keep in mind the different flame chemistry’s that are needed to bring out the various colors I want to achieve will be fundamentally different as well. It has been my experience that borosilicate can tolerate much more in the way of a reducing environment than Moretti ever “thought about” in the way of the colored borosilicate glass, especially the clear borosilicate. A simple test to perform in order to get a better understand- ing of how hard and soft glass respond

differently to a reducing flame environment is to get a rod of borosilicate clear... say 5 or 6 millimeter, as well as the same millimeter of Moretti or Murano clear and set your torch to a reducing flame atmosphere. Then proceed to work both the boro clear and the Moretti/Murano soft glass clear in that same reducing atmosphere. The boron based clear will of course be unaffected by the reducing flame, while the Moretti soda- lime based clear will show definite signs of being reduced. Namely, a reducing “haze” will develop on the surface of the soft soda-lime clear. 55 A reducing flame chemistry can cause ill-effects in boro glass also, creating the usual unwanted effects; such as, causing even for the more reducing flame tolerant of the two glasses the colors to deviate away from palette. One borosilicate reduction example is the red-streaking that occurs when one works a plain opaque green borosilicate glass color in too reducing of a flame chemistry. On the other hand, let me conclude this discussion on how hard and soft glass differ in terms of their

respective abilities to tolerate a reducing atmosphere, by making clear that “regardless of whether one is working the colored boro glass, or the soft soda-lime based colored Moretti glass; a reducing flame can be used to achieve “decorative” pleasing results. Although, one should, in my opinion as regards where to start with one’s flame chemistry when first learning to “crossover”, first learn either color palette thoroughly by working “neutral”, because it is supposed to be a perfect balance of fuel to oxygen which should provide the middle “balanced ground” for one to start to understand which ever color palette is new to them; hard or soft. Then, after taking good notes on your results with all your colors in a neutral

flame environment, one can can start their embarkment on the next test; working in an oxidizing flame environment, then a reduction environment, and once again log all your results. Next, you can start to track each color’s respective behavior as it is subjected to the annealing process, record those findings as well. A reducing flame burns Moretti glass, inducing carbon into the matrix of the glass, and causes Moretti’s color to deviate away from palette A reducing flame chemistry in Moretti glass should only be used for selective decorative purposes or of course when using reduction frit; a glass product that is solely designed to be reduced. Remember: In Soft glass, namely Murano or Moretti glass: The soda-lime soft glass category of glass likes a neutral or an oxidizing flame as your normal everyday working flame choices. Yet, many borosilicate colors will also muddy, and deviate from palette as well when reduced. My point here is that the hard glass is much more “forgiving” in the area of flame chemistry than that of the soft soda-lime Moretti glass. The answers of which flame chemistry to use in order to produce which color lies in experience, and the learning of the color palette’s of both soft and hard glass. Now, let’s address the color palettes between soft and hard glass for a moment, and how they differ

I can sum up the myriad of differences regarding color palette between soft and hard glass in one sentence. The color palette of Moretti and Murano glass is mainly comprised of “what you see what you get colors” with just a few striking colors, and borosilicate’s color palette is just the opposite: boro’s entire color palette is mostly comprised of colors that strike (either with a flame chemistry induced strike or the annealing induced strike which is contingent on two main factors, time and temperature.) Borosilicate colored glass has only a handful of “what you see is what you get colors” available in its color palette when compared to the color palette’s of the Soft Moretti or Murano glass; namely borosilicate glass’s cadmium based opaque colors.

Borosilicate’s colors strike in accordance with not only flame chemistry and time in the kiln, but also one must regard the “amount of heat used” when working the color as well. One must also keep in mind that all the striking boro colors work on a type of “chemistry-timing” that governs the resultant color strike or “bloom” in many colors of the colored borosilicate glass. The basics of this “chemistry-timing” are this; nuclei forming gives rise to the number and/size of the crystals that form, which in turn give rise to the resultant color. 56 Borosilicate is again very different in this regard as well, for boro can tolerate and even happily accept reduction.

In regards to the flame chemistry choices for Moretti glass: For the “what you see what you get” soft glass color palette... an oxidizing flame keeps the colors from changing and keeps them “true to palette”. On the other hand, as regards the “boro” color palettes available on the market today, one can adequately use the reducing flame environment without much distress to the glass, especially boro clear Keep in mind while working borosilicate glass that any changes in the 1) amount of heat, 2) flame chemistry, or 3) time the borosilicate colored glass is actually exposed to any particular

flame chemistry or annealing process can change everything for the better or worse. For example, of course the ruby family of borosilicate colors if over-struck in the kiln can change to an unwanted liver color, due to the over production of crystals. This is the reason most people take borosilicate’s ruby family to transparent prior to the annealing process, and then time that family of colors to come out of the oven first, or at least prior to those pieces made with, say “less temperamental” colors. Now, let’s talk about regions of the flame, and where to work in the flame with either hard or soft glass and how the placement of your glass in the flame differs immensely between these two glass types. The placement of one’s piece in the flame is extremely important. Soft glass with its much more temperamental nature forces a lampworker to learn how to use all the subtle regions of the flame when working their glass. Whereas, hard glass does not require near as much “pampering” regarding one’s heat base. For example, when using boron based glass in order to make a “proper weld “or seal one must be “white hot-to-white hot” in order for the two respective gathers to flow together as one, while Moretti is much more forgiving in this area when “welding” two pieces of glass together; for instance, placing an arm on a human figure when sculpting. The timing of how one “keeps-alive” hard and soft glass, as well as how one seals two parts/gathers together are very different. Flame chemistry is very important to understand how to adjust properly.

When I work either hard or soft glass, I am constantly adjusting my flame chemistry as well as how I posi- tion my glass in the flame in order to suit the color and immediate situation. So, always have an internal dialog with yourself when you work your glass, asking yourself questions; such as, “Am I in the correct region of the flame for this technique and color?”, and, “Is this flame-chemistry correct for this technique, for this particular color?” What does a reducing flame look like on your torch? A neutral flame? An oxidizing flame? I personally only use triple surface mix Glass Torch Technology torches. In my opinion, Glass Torch Technology torches are “the Ferrari” of all glassblowing torches in the world today, and there is simply no better torch technology on the entire planet in which to work either hard or soft glass. ., G.T.T.’s patented triple surface mix technology helps one to get the most out of both hard and soft glass palettes. In conclusion, I don’t feel anyone should ever have to decide to choose which glass type is better, hard or soft. The truth is neither one is better than the other, just different. One might be more appropriate for a certain job per se, but neither one is better over all; both have their inherent strengths and weaknesses. Once again, one can learn so much more from learning both mediums, and letting that subsequent knowledge “crossover”. Hard teaches something about soft, and soft teaches something about hard. I want to conclude this article with an old Chinese saying, “In the landscape of

About the author; Lance McRorie is founder and President of FlameTree Glass, Inc; a full service hot glass supply company, and state-of-theart flameworking school all rolled into one. Lance can be contacted at his studio at 1-888-FLAME- TREE, www.FlameTreeGlass.com or flametreeglass@aol.com. Many techniques work equally well with hard or soft glass. In some cases, the properties of the particular glass will either hinder a decorative technique. For example, soda-lime glass melts at a lower temperature and is generally more fluid throughout its longer working time than borosilicate. This is helpful for decora- tions that involve twisting or feathering the surface of glass objects. It can be detrimental in circumstances in which you want colors to remain crisply defined shapes or stand out in relief from the surface of your project. Generally, you can perceive the temperature of the glass by its color, or how brightly it is glowing. At the same time, we should note one of the differences between soft glass and borosilicate: Soft glass (that is, soda-lime or lead-based) is a bit goopier than borosilicate at the same level of brightness. You will find it helpful to be aware of subtle differences like the one just mentioned. If you ignore the difference between these two categories of glass, you will tend to overheat soft glass and underheat borosilicate. Experience and practice will teach you how to com- pensate for differences like this. 57

Key d = the maximum thickness of the glass Rf h = the rate of fast heating AT = the annealing temperature tsoak = the soak time at annealing temp. Rsc = the rate of slow cooling End = the end of slow cool Rfc = the rate of fast cooling 58

These annealing cycles are an excerpt from Contemporary Lampworking, A Practical Guide to Shaping Glass in the Flame, Third Edition, Vol. 1 written by Bandhu S. Dunham. Chapter 8 contains a much more detailed explanation of calculating annealing cycles.

Wig

What?

Terminology of Flameworking (lampworking)

By Glassblowers.org

I would like to call attention to the fact that when I type an article about lampworking the computer constantly tells me it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t recognize the words Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m using. This is proof that our skill set is infinite. We are creating new words. As we all know a lot of boro flame workers have very little standardized instruction. Most of us just picked it up and ran. We all have different names for some of the same technique. Industry wide standardized terminology will be essential to our continued success. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m offering these terms as a starting point. If you have suggestions please contact us.

W Wig Wag

(sometimes called a reversal) - a line pattern consisting of spirals - This is when one takes rods of color and handmakes solid color tubing. It is made with an endless variety of color patterns and twisted back and forth, creating a distinctive look. A higher level of skill is required to use this method. A specific type of wig-wag is called a reversal where the solid color tube is made and the axis is switched during the blowing process. The result is a stunning visual treat.

T  Ti -

Slang term for a titanium pad, usually on a metal swivel attached to a GonG bell curve that is heated up until red hot then used to vaporize oil extract

Tetrising - getting reversals to line up smoothly

S Spoon -

A dry pipe used to smoke that is shaped similarly to a spoon.

Sandblasting - High-pressure air

mixed with sand applied to the surface of glass to carve texture.

R Regulators -

Brass fitting complete with gauges that control the flow of gas and fuel from the tanks to the torch.

Retti/Rettichello - a design of two opposing spirals layered on one another

Millifiori- also called mur-

rinni, these canes have patterns of color from one end of the rod to the other, when sliced like bread each chip will have an identical picture.

Vortex Marble -

a style

of glass marble

Sig Marble - a glass marble

with the artists signature or initials inside

L Lampworking -

Lampworking is a type of glasswork that uses a gas fueled torch to melt rods and tubes of clear and colored glass. Once in a molten state, the glass is formed by blowing and shaping with a variety of tools and hand movements. It is also known as flameworking or torchworking. Lampworking differs from glassblowing in that glassblowing utilizes a blowpipe to inflate a glass blob known as a gob or gather, thereby inflating it by blowing air into the blowpipe, whereas, lampworking manipulates glass either by the use of tools, gravity, or by blowing directly into the end of a glass tube.

Kiln -

device used to anneal and cool glass slowly

Keck Clip - Small plastic clip used to secure a GonG down stem to the tube so it doesn’t accidentally get pulled out when removing the slide

Implosion - a glass blowing design pattern created by pushing the color inside the clear glass

Inside Out -

This style of glass has the color applied to the inside of the pipe creating two layers of glass. The layer of color on the inside shines vibrantly through the clear outside

Inline - Refers to a “sideways stem”

in the piece found in ashcatchers and waterpipes, the stem normally has d-cuts or piercings throughout

Casting for the

he Flameworker An Introduction by Milon Townsend I’m sure that one of the first questions you’re asking yourself is, “Why should I even be interested in casting glass in my kiln? Why should I step away from what I’ve been doing so long and so well? Why do I need that?” I suggest that we ask ourselves a couple of other questions first. Am I a “flameworker” or am I an artist who works with glass? Am I willing to experiment, explore, and look at different ways of doing things? How long has it been since I learned a completely different technique, and what would the effect of doing that have on my artwork? We cannot quantify what it would mean to not know and have been exposed to any of the friends who have been important to us and who have had an influence on the way that we think and interact in the world. In just the same manner, we cannot imagine what new directions and approaches working with glass in a totally different way would open up to us if we were to take a step on that path less traveled. The Essence of Casting Casting is different from flameworking in many ways, but one

Creat Jack

Flameworked figure in opaque red glass. Base cast from stone in water-clear glass with red dichroic/dark gray under layer. • Casting will allow you to create a different class, type, or nature of objects than those that are possible through flameworking. These include large, flat panels with imagery cast into the body of the piece; lighting fixtures; signs; and architectural components. • Casting may be combined with the hot shop, the flame shop, and the cold shop, given an interchangeable, compatible system of glass. • Casting may be useful to flameworkers in supporting and augmenting the work that they’re already doing, such as creating bases and environments within which to compose their flameworked elements. A New Journey When we enter into a new arena of exploration, we bring with us

our preexisting sets of ideas, images, and ways of working with the material. It is natural that we begin by executing work similar to that which we were previously making, or that which which we were previously making, or that which is related to our previous work, and simply producing it by using the new technique. Over time and through experience, however, the new process will begin to speak to us, and our observant internal eye will begin to see in new ways and create a new body of work that is derivative of the new process itself. While our earlier work was central to developing our sense of aesthetic, use of color, and overall conceptual direction, the new work will build on that and ultimately depart from it. Some of us like to have a specific plan for developing new and different directions, while others prefer to just plunge right in and see where it takes us. I like to start with a plan but not be

too attached to it so as to stay open to the happy accident, the epiphany that is a suggestion more than a statement, the whisper that must be listened for in order to be heard. 14 The Flow/Spring 2009 Flameworked figure in white glass. Base cast from stone and convex form in zinc gray glass. Flameworked flower in System 96 glass. Hot-cast in compatible furnace glass. Points of Departure Here are some of the natural jumping off points for a flameworker who is considering casting: • Bases for sculptures. Casting is extremely well-suited to the creation of a wide variety of solid, weighty objects with simple or complex color patterning. Flameworked glass objects to be mounted can even be heated and pressed into the wax from which the glass casting will be produced, creating an indentation that exactly matches the piece to be mounted on the base. • Cast environments within which to display flameworked artwork. This could be architectural settings within which fig- ures could be displayed, a coral reef for divers, or a mountain for climbers. It could be an abstract base or a component to go with a sculpture, an Art Deco–inspired design for a figure, or a casting of a quartz or amethyst crystal.

• Castings of original flameworked artwork. If you have developed a series of images or forms that you are adept at producing in the torch, these may be excellent candidates for casting in glass. You’d be able to work with the magic of perfect symmetry, the repetition and rhythm of identical forms, incorporate a number of images together in positive or negative relief, or use colors in a different way than is typically possible through the process of working glass in the torch. • Combining flameworking and casting in the same piece. You’d be able to make flameworked components, insert them in waxes made from your silicone rubber molds, and end up with a casting that has individual and discrete flameworked parts cast right into the glass.

Getting Ready In the next few issues of The Flow, we’re going to explore some of the many ways that you can easily incorporate casting into your artwork. Here’s what you’ll need: • Kiln with a digital controller • Silicone rubber mold-making material • High-temperature casting plaster mix, called investment • Casting wax • Turkey roaster for melting the wax • Wallpaper steamer for steaming out the wax The only really expensive component is the kiln, which you probably already own.

As we go through the series of articles, explaining step-by-step how you can cast components for your artwork, we’ll list the supplies that you’ll need for each type of project. Once you have begun to get your mind around the possibilities, you’ll find that kiln casting will add an infinity of options to your existing work. Once you’ve gotten your feet wet and produced a number of actual cast objects, you’ll find that new ideas will begin to suggest themselves to you, freeing your artistic and creative self to explore vast new areas that you’d never even imagined existed . . . Enjoy!

GEt

BLOW

AND

Lathed

Using a Glass Lathe with Glass Blowing By DoItYourself Staff

A glass lathe is a tool used by glass-making companies and glassblowing hobbyists. The glass lathe differs dramatically from a traditional wood lathe, and is similar only in that it is designed to rotate an object. Unlike the wood lathe, it contains no cutting tools, and is not used for grinding or cutting. Instead, glass makers use the lathe to expand and shape glass into bottles, scientific glassware, and artistic works. On a standard glass lathe, each end of the device features a rotating chuck designed to hold glass tubes in place as they rotate. Some type of heat source, such as a blowtorch, is positioned along the center of the lathe. This torch heats the glass as it rotates, making it soft and malleable. By softening the glass in this way, craftsmen are able to blend many different types or colors or glass together into a single object.

The glass lathe also features a carriage, which allows workers to shift one end of the object off center as it rotates. This stretches the hot glass out to form different shapes. Workers also utilize a built-in breathing tube, which enables them to further expand the glass, much like in traditional glassblowing. As the glass rotates, craftsmen may apply a graphite block or paddle to the glass, which further shapes the surface of the object. One of the primary advantages to using a glass lathe rather than blowing glass by hand is that it allows workers to perform complex work in less time. The lathe holds the object in place, freeing up the hands to shape and form the glass at the same time. In traditional glassblowing, workers must hold the glass as its heated, then quickly apply forming and shaping techniques before it cools and hardens.

A glass lathe also exposes the glass to even, consistent heat, which makes it much easier to manipulate harder materials, like quartz. Of course, the glass lathe may also pose some challenges and limitations for craftsmen who are used to more traditional glassblowing techniques. The size of each object is limited by the spindle length of the lathe, or the distance from one chuck to the other. Workshops may require several different lathe sizes to accommodate objects of different sizes. Some classical glass-making techniques that are common in hand-blown glass may not be possible when glass is turned on the lathe.

Using a glass lathe is just one of the methods of glassblowing, and each can produce an amazing variation of glass items. This article will help explain how you can use a glass lathe along with going over the different methods of glass blowing, types of lathes, and how a glass lathe works. Glassblowing Basics Most people are familiar with the traditional furnace method of glass blowing. It involves inserting glass into furnaces of varying degrees, and shaping the glass by introducing

a small amount of air through a blow tube. This method can also be used to blow glass into a particular mold. Blowing glass on a lathe makes it easier by freeing up your hands because the lathe is holding up the piece of glass you are working on. This allows you to use an additional torch or blow pipe to form the glass if you choose. Types of Lathes Lathes are a common tool used for machining. There are several different types of lathes, including glassworking lathes, woodworking lathes, and metalworking lathes. The basic design is the same for all three types. The lathe is either itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own bench style platform, or a smaller version that can be placed on a table. There are two upright pieces on either side of the lathe, called the headstock and tailstock. The headstock is stationary and will be the section that has all of the power controls. The tailstock is a mirror image of the headstock, but it is mounted on rails. There is a large wheel that you turn in order to move the tailstock closer or further away. There is a second smaller piece on the rails in between the headstock and tailstock, and that is called the carriag. Whatever material you are working on is mounted on a spindle and held by chucks. Chucks are basically metal pieces that have small arms called jaws that hold the material you are working with.Glassworking lathes are extremely common in the

cientific community. They are used to make all of the glassware that chemists use. Nearly every major university will have a glassworking lathe as part of their Chemistry department. Glassworking on a Glass Lathe Now that you are familiar with lathes, the function of a glassworking lathe can be described. The first step is to place the glass piece you will be working on on the lathe by holding it with the chucks on the headstock and tailstock. The carriage part that was mentioned earlier can be fitted with a burner for glassworking, called a carriage burner. There are also circular burners that can be used in this same area. You place the carriage burner under the glass piece and heat it to the degree necessary for the type of glass you are using. You can use the rails to slide the burner up and and down along the entire piece you are working onThe tailstock can be slid back and forth during this process to add material to the glass, or to take some away. You can also use a handheld torch for more intricate work if you prefer. Of course, as with glass blowing by hand, the best method for shaping the glass is introducing air or gas. With many glass lathes there is a tube that is fed right through the spindle that allows you to introduce gas intothe glass piece as it is spinning on the spindle. Depending on the type of glassware, the types of gas will vary, be sure you are following the directions specifically for your project.

In addition to the tubing, you can also use a handheld tube to introduce air yourself. The glassworking lathe is limited to producing products of a certain size based on itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spindle. Larger lathes can make larger apparatuses. The number of different types of glassware that can be made with a glass lathe is only limited by itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spindle size and your imagination.

The History

y of

Dichroic Glass by Howard Sandberg Although the origins of glass are ancient and found in many civilizations throughout history, dichroic-coated glass is a relative newcomer to the glass art world. Many people have heard the story of the artist rummaging through the dumpster looking for cast-off dichroic glass that was being thrown away by the scientific community. So what exactly is dichroic glass and how did it end up in the world of art? The Basics of Dichroic Glass Dichroic glass is actually a coating process that is completed in a vacuum deposition chamber by vaporizing quartz and metal oxides with an electron beam gun and condensing micro-thin layers on the surface of the glass in the form of a crystal structure. This coating that we commonly call dichroic glass today is actually an â&#x20AC;&#x153;interference filterâ&#x20AC;? that is permanently adhered to the surface of a piece of

glass. The technology used to manufacture the optical interference filter has been in existence for over forty years. It is known as “vacuum thin film deposition.” The roots of this technology date back to the late 1880s. The sig- nificant commercial development of thinfilm deposition, however, waited to be spurred on by United States military and aerospace requirements in the 1950s and 1960s. This technology has played a key role in optical coating for a vast variety of optical instruments, lasers and laser systems, fiber communication links, optical record- ing/ storage heads and media, display systems, infrared guidance and detection devices, photoelectric converters, architectural glass, eyeglasses, and many others. It was forty years ago when Jerry Sandberg of Coatings By Sand- berg, Inc., pioneered his first vacuum, vapor deposited, thin-film coatings strictly for art applications. Now when the word dichroic glass is mentioned, the name “Sandberg” quickly comes to mind. The Sandberg Family is the backbone of this high-tech aerospace applica

tion reinvented for the art glass industry. Chance Beginnings Back in the early 1970s, Jerry Sandberg was working for a vacuum-coating laboratory in Newport Beach and happened to take notice of an artist digging in the trash for pieces of dichroic out of spec mirrors and started talking with him. This was the first interaction that Jerry had with the artist community and was immediately fascinated with the creative potential of the glass. Jerry then worked with these artists to create the first three dichroic glass colors specifically designed for the art glass industry (Cyan/Red, Magenta/Green, and Yellow/Blue). It wasn’t long before Jerry also started experimenting with the coatings in the kiln. A third generation jeweler as well as a world class engineer, Jerry used his knowledge to create some of the first fused dichroic glass jewelry. His experiences using the dichroic glass

allowed him to see, first hand, what other artists were now experiencing for the first time. www.TheFlowMagazine.com/ Summer 2010 www.TheFlowMagazine.com/ Summer 2010 For the next twenty-five years Jerry continued to supply the glass art market and continually expanded the pallet of colors at the request of his ever-growing group of artists. A few other coating houses soon started to offer similar vacuum-deposited coatings due to the buzz that Jerry had created and nurtured for many years. For Jerry, customer service and a quality product were paramount. The first distributors started selling dichroic glass during the 80s as it became more and more popular.

glass was created in November of 1996. CBS had to sell directly to the end user, since distributors were not familiar with the company and were unwilling to carry its product. Within the year, some distributors were already requesting to open an account with CBS due to the multitude of artists requesting it by name. As the demand for dichroic glass grew, CBS also began to expand. Not only did the company expand production, it also expanded its product line and developed new coatings and patterns. We invited well-known artists to come teach at our plant and learned about fusing, slumping and manipulating glass. This all helped keep us in touch with what our clients were doing and allowed us to offer extensive technical support to our

Developing the Company In 1996 Nona and Jerry formed Coatings By Sandberg, Inc. (CBS). Their mission was to supply the glass art market with reliable, consistent, uniform, and durable dichroic glass coatings at a reasonable price. Customer service as well as customer support were key and still are to this day. Before Nona and Jerry were able to finish building their own custom vacuum deposition chamber with a price tag of one million dollars, the two had thousands of dollars in artist orders waiting to be produced. The first CBS dichroic

valuable customers. At this point we coined our slogan â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Art of Dichroic Glass,â&#x20AC;? since our products are specifically made with the artist in mind. In fact, the Sandbergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s specifically designed their chambers for the optimiza- tion of art glass as well. Setting the Standard By the new millennium CBS had single-handedly created the standard in dichroic glass coatings. Our colors were understandable. The color shifts during hot working was predictable. The coatings were stable, and most of all CBS was reliable. All of the top distributors were onboard with CBS and carrying inventory. As the leading manufacturer of dichroic glass, CBS has a commitment to the well being of the struggling artist, on up to the world-renowned master, in the supply of quality dichroic coatings. In recent history we have created many more patterns, specialty rainbows, stripes, and images. Imagine, we started out with ten patterns and sixteen solid colors and now have 25 patterns, 23 colors, and over 130 combinations of the two! We have also coated a multitude of glass including: architectural glass, stained glass, blown glass, fused glass, castings, bevels, rods, stringers, tubing, gems, jewels, drusys, cabochons, buttons, earplugs, ceramics, glass block, tile, and more.

We have coated premade items such as sculptures from Milon Townsend, handblown bowls by James Nowak, beads from Sharon Peters, and Swarovski and Waterford crystal,

and have even worked with The Walt Disney Company. Dichroic glass coatings have come a long way in forty years but have many more years in store. Thanks to so much excitement in the art market, dichroic glass is now used for construction in the form of tile, decorative skylights, mood lighting, lighting fixtures, mosaics, sinks, sconces, and sculpture. We realize that the future of dichroic glass is very dependent on CBS and its practices. We are constantly in a state of analysis, research, and development, and we now have distributors all over the globe. We have also hired

in-house artists to help test and provide vital input for future products. We have expanded our sample department in an effort to offer smaller amounts at lower price points. Most recently we have designed a new dichroic surface texture know as Crinklized Dichroic. In the future, CBS will be experimenting with additional surface texture, shadowing techniques, new deposition materials, unique patterns, and more. In addition, in 2005 the Museum of Dichroic Art (MODA) was created, and it now houses the largest known dichroic glass collection in the world. It is currently located in our lobby in Or- ange, California, and is available by appointment for guided tours throughout our facility on a daily basis.

Degenerate Flame Off Event Review

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Since the beginning of the year Cornerstone Glass has been focused on the preparing for the Degenerate Flame Off. Cornerstone was assisted with PR by The Melting Pot (GLDG). A special thanks is goes out to Mer of the GLDG. He was instrumental in engineering the great atmosphere at the event. All of the sponsors gave away a lot of prizes to the audience as well as the competitors. The event was sponsored by Troutman Art Glass, Winship Designs, The Flow Magazine, The Eugene Glass Source, TorchLife, Glass Alchemy, North Star, Create Clothing, and Profitable Glass Quarterly. Friday was basically the meet and greet day, with some awesome demonstrations. The booths were abuzz with activity, lots of great tools, raw color, with tubing being sold.

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Meanwhile, Marcel Braun and crew were getting it hot with a boro glory hole. Their first few attempts to make some large bowls were unsuccessful. Once warmed up, they spun up a couple of really nice bowls using “frit” and the “crackle” technique. They also dipped into a molten pot of Amber Purple that Abe from North Star had brought down and made the day before. History was made when Team North Star showed us all how they dip into a pot and pull out the Amber Purple tubing. This was the first time that full-colored boro tubing was made in public. It was an amazing event to witness. They triple dipped the tube to get a thick gather then pulled about 10’ of tube at a time, within 20 minutes the three pulls they had created 20 pounds and about 30 feet of tube.

Saturday was the competition day. Around 18 competitors showed up to throw down. Historically, flame working is dominated by male artists. It was good to see four, very talented woman compete while bringing their influence to the industry. It was a sunny and warm day — rare for Eugene this time of year. The action started around noon and lasted past midnight. The competitors had eight hours to complete their projects. Artists were working away while grooving to some beats from local DJ’s. As the projects began to take shape the audience became mesmerized by the variety of eclectic styles being displayed. After five o’clock the Ninkasi Brew started to flow, and the night started to wind down a few hours later.

Late in the evening as the band began to play, the atmosphere was relaxed as most of the competitors finished their projects. A couple of competitors had slight setbacks when their pieces broke, but most finished within the allotted eight hours. Nate Dizzle went over the time limit because his piece broke twice. As with any dedicated artist, he started from scratch — three times. He finally finished around 2:00 am Sunday morning. Nate received my vote for the most dedication at this show. Truly, he only cared to see his vision completed; making a huge bubbler with a uranium glass crackle tube and two neon plasma towers. The legendary Scott Deppe made a huge skull and bones pipe with realistic vertebrae. Unfortunately, this amazing piece also broke. As always, Deppe played it cool.

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Sunday was the award ceremony. Buck was the People’s Choice Award winner and the judges agreed declaring him the all-around winner for the Degenerate Flame Off. Buck is local to the Eugene area, and it was exciting to see him win two huge boxes of prizes. There was also a raffle with lots of great prizes donated by the sponsors. North Star and Glass Alchemy have once again upped the ante with the colored tubing they are now producing. TorchLife is also offering dicro tubing on Simax clear, black, cobalt and ruby tubing. While speaking with Henry Grimmett, of Glass Alchemy, he said, “We want to be your [the artist’s] apprentice, and we are positioning ourselves to produce most of the prep work for you. The idea is to assist the artist and give them the ability to customize the prep work for easy integration into their artwork.”

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There were visitors from all around the nation with varying backgrounds and one thing in common; we are all drawn to the fire. Three incredible days brought an unprecedented level of artistry together. This event made it obvious that we are entering a golden age of flame working with more raw materials of a higher quality now available then ever before. This was absolutely the most fun I’ve had all year. I can’t wait for next year, and I’m glad that I was able to be part of it. Keep the fire stoked.

DEMUF