Where I Left Off

Dreaming of a Furnace

I miss having the option of blowing glass pretty much whenever I want. Now I have to pay per hour to blow, and I've never used a public access hot shop before, not to mention there's only one in Rochester. I really wish there were somewhere around here where I could exchange shop assistance for blow time. I was just starting to make some interesting things, and I was really getting into these corset vases:

New Torch

As it turns out...

The day after I discovered the widespread lack of GTT torches for sale, someone on Lampwork Etc. (a handy little lampworking forum I've recently become a part of) sent me a message that she had a used Bobcat that she was going to put up for sale, and asked if I might be interested in buying it - to which I, of course, replied "yes please!" So with a torch on its way after all, I am concentrating on making my studio space ready and also compiling a nice mix of music to have on hand for whenever I can get blazin'.

In the past I've noted that Primus and Reel Big Fish are two excellent bands for accompanying lampworking. Ska and reggae in general are great. I find that energetic music is often optimal to lampwork to, but occasionally something more mellow does the trick - I think this time instead of just one giant random mix, I'll make a few different playlists to accommodate for mood swings. Some winners going on the "break in the torch" playlists so far, in no particular order:

(besides Primus & Reel Big Fish)

• AC/DC
  
• DeVotchKa
• The Clash
• Crystal Castles
• The Toasters
• The Black Keys
• Fugazi
• Gogol Bordello
• Chemical Brothers
  
• Django Reinhardt
• Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad
• Johnny Cash
• Portishead
• Santogold
• Pixies
• Red Elvises
• Peter, Bjorn and John
  
• Thievery Corporation
• Bloc Party
• Gorillaz
  

and yeeeah maybe a little Snoop Dogg... :)

Backorder

I guess I wouldn't have had any way of knowing this without ordering one first, but apparently at this point in time GTT torches, GTT being a very small company, are in short supply. The lovely folks at Mountain Glass Arts, whom I ordered through, gave me a call to break the news - on a related note, they are very good about taking care of their customers!

So, unfortunately, it might be a bit of a wait until I get my hands on glass again. In the mean time, perhaps I'll busy myself with drawing...

Torch

I ordered my first torch today! I am super excited and I hope it arrives this week, although it probably won't come until next week. It is called the Bobcat and it is by GTT (Glass Torch Technologies), a very popular brand of lampworking torch that is widely claimed to be very well made and excellent all around:


I figure I can't go wrong with GTT, and the price was right - for a starter torch anyway, I think it was a good choice.