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Re: NEON- Slow Curves
Tom,
I also agree with Morgan and Kenny about not overheating. Work as cool
as possible to get a soft and smooth bend. I like to teach to bend cool
and splice hot. One trick I use that I learned out of necessity with
some of the very fast cooling glasses like the rare Germans and even
worse the Taiwanese glasses is to put some small weights (I use 2 and a
half circular barbell weights) on the edge of the last part of the curve
that was on the pattern as a reference. Then what you do is heat up the
next part and simply "click" the tube in place against the weight stops
to find where you should be on the pattern. I know it isn't easy to
describe and if you still don't understand I will try to simplify. The
point is that because you aren't' heating as much the glass will get to
the stiff phase much quicker so I have this system to help me locate
where the bend should be on the pattern. I can keep my eye on the part
to be bent without being distracted by the alignment problem. One other
tip about the weights, I used to use plumbers lead before I wised up.
steel or iron works just as good and is certainly safer.
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