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Re: blank on block out tubing
Well, if the hint fits <G>...
As for panning out commercially, look in Miller. I believe he says
there that this was the way it was done for years. It does have the
advantage of being permanent...
On getting the precise edge effect:
Splicing on a bend is a great way to use extra glass, squeeze that scrap
=right= in where it fits, make 48" straights, that are actually 48"
long, change colors right on a bend, lots of cool stuff. It's a great
thing to practice. Once you're good at it, it isn't that hard to stick
a section of glass right where you want it and make perfect edges. A
significant number of bends I've ever made had a splice on 'em, I've
made units from fluorescent colors that people swore didn't even have
splices.
Even if the edge weren't perfect, you could just paint out that little
bit. When the paint got old and funky the tube would look lots better
than a whole section going unblocked.
On blok-out causing more harm than mercury, I think you may be right.
Another "yum" is standing over a nice hot unit painting it out...those
lovely, heady fumes...no need to sniff glue with staz-on in the
shop...not that =I= have ever pumped a hot one and let it live <G> but
I've sure worked in shops where the boss was not about to stand for
having the pump zombie reprocess tubes that were "a little warm." Hey,
besides, those repairs are great return business, eh? :-Þ
BB
> Don't know if the hint was directed this way. Kevin Scanlan and I
> used to make a copper based ruby which would periodically strike in
> (reduce) as virtually black. This is a hard process to control so we
> have had better luck just pulling tubes from Zimmer or Kugler glass.
>
> I had some of the old stuff (about 8"). It was deepest shiney black.
> Though very interesting, I think it probably never panned out
> commercially because of the extra effort needed to get
> that precise perfect edge you need for a letter to look right. Paint
> hides a multitude of sins.
>
> I haven't had a chance to try the water based block outs other than
> one from many years ago that sucked. I played with acrylic enamel
> which goes on well but crackles over time. Maybe water based
> lacquers are the way to go.
>
> It may be that block-out paint has caused more harm than mercury.
> Before anyone jumps all over me for that statement, this is just
> based on what the stuff smells like both fresh (yum) and bombarded
> (double yum). I have no technical data and certainly mercury is by far
> more dangerous. I just get a kick out of that word "non-flammable"
> on the label. It's like, oh okay, that's good.
>
> John, I think has been happily using a non-toxic product.
>
> Kenny
>
> > >it was available probably in
> > > the 1940's and hasn't seen any of it being advertised himself...
> > > older neon books but nothing in recent times?
> >
> > Rudi Stern had some of this (old) around, and I'm not sure whether
> > Howard Friedman (Mercury Neon, NYC) might have some squirreled away.
> > I'm =SO= sure that some others must also have some of this saved
> > somewhere...it's always appealed to me as a permanent, non-toxic
> > method of making sure that what you want seen is and what you don't
> > isn't.
> >
> > Someone with access to a furnace should pull some...hint, hint...
> >
> > BB
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