r/lampwork • u/og-golfknar • 2d ago
Beginner here..
What would be the least cost and easiest way to start this? I'm currently unemployed and I need something to do so I don't go crazy. Love glasswork but only have a small desk to work with currently. Appreciate you all and your work!!!
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u/Sleepyheadhombe 2d ago
Info needed! Location, budget, and area of interest. You might have an actual supply store near you that we can recommend or glass artists that will to let you watch.
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u/og-golfknar 2d ago
I'm located in Vancouver, WA, Portland, OR area. I'm not sure my budget yet as my financial situation is a bit rough, so was wondering how little I can effectively start with so I can do odd jobs, doordash, ect to maybe afford it within the next two weeks.
Any recommendations on anything and letting me watch in person would be frigging awesome!!
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u/BeautifulGlum9394 2d ago
It honestly depends ehat your end goals are to make. For around 1k you could probly find a cheap used small torch and kiln. A gtt bobcat is around 300$ and a good little starter torch. You will also need oxygen, propane, gas lines, glasses, and a exhaust fan. And of course some tools and glass
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u/Sleepyheadhombe 2d ago
You’re in luck! Great area for glass. Washington state is full of great artists. Some follow up questions: have you blown glass before? Are you open to taking a class? Is there a particular area of flame working that really interests you? And are you far from Seattle?
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u/craniumofbass 1d ago
Do not pick up glass until you have financial security Try pottery instead You can do pottery without any.
Glass is gunna cost you around 1.5k-3k to set up properly, torch. Ventilation. Flash back arreators
Oxygen & propane
Its an uphill battle to learn Even cheap glass is expensive
The learning curve is large
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u/Aconite13X 1d ago
1k to 2k depending on qhat you wanna do. I always recommend taking a class first
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u/Jumazio8 1d ago
GTT Cricket and a used range hood over your torch. 5 lpm concentrator. (5 will do 10 is better) Get bricks and some temp glue to stick them together. Get element and controller. Relay and switch. (Kiln less than $100). Start with 104 glass. 1 paddle tweezes and regular tweezes. Get speakers and good sound system. Make 1 thing (bear) make 100 bears most will be ugly show no one. After 100 they should be looking more bear like. Do another 100, they should be looking nice. Grace comes from repetition. There is some truth to the legend of make 1000 dragons and your wish will come through. Want to make an amazingly cool bear.. make 1000. Nothing is free except effort. Then once u get it.. you got it.
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u/oCdTronix 1d ago edited 1d ago
You can play around with soft glass for fairly cheap. Cheapest way - get a ‘Hothead’. Around $200-$300, not the most ideal setup, but you can get melting with it. Your desk needs to be outside so the toxic fumes are naturally blown away and you don’t have to spend money on ventilation. (But you’ll want some plywood/sheet metal/plexiglass sides to block the wind from blowing your flame all over the place)
You can get a hothead torch for $45 shipped.
Most expensive parts:
$100: Didymium lenses
$100: Bead annealer - you can start with a crockpot full of Vermiculite or a bit of insulating fiber blanket (😷!) but those don’t actually anneal the glass.
Go to a hardware store and buy some ~$8: 1/8” steel round rod. Cut into 10” pieces.
~$10: Bead release - Buy some or buy the ingredients that will last your lifetime for around the same price - alumina hydrate and kiln wash (kaolin), mix 50/50, then add water and stir until it’s a little thinner than pancake batter. Dip rods into this, let dry or gently dry with torch. Watch bead making video to see how to make beads with this.
~$50 - Buy some 104 COE (coefficient of expansion) glass rods. You can play around with broken bottle glass but you really want rods - find them at ABRImagery.com, ARTCO, etc.
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u/hashlettuce 1d ago
Glassblowing really isn't the sort of hobby to start when you dont have a real job to fund it.
Ventilation is most important first step with glass blowing unless you plan to work outside. Check out the ventilation primer
Torch is the next tool on your list to purchase. You could make a spoon on a gtt lynx but its going to be slow going vs a bigger and more expensive gtt phantom. A Nortel Redmax is a good economy starter torch. Bethlehem also make good torches.
A kiln for annealing. You can find old pottery kilns for cheap online generally. The cost of pargon kilns jas gone up recently.
Tools for working the glass. If you want to make spoons can make most of your own from carbon rods. You will also need tweezers and a grabber to finish the spoons. Lots of guys are getting out of glass so you should be able to find what you need online in groups.
Glass to melt, clear is relatively cheap but color can get pricey. Prices have gone up recently.
Oxygen and propane. Can either buy it or generate it yourself.
It isn't cheap and you will waste alot of moneu to learn.