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Brian Bowden | profile | all galleries >> Marble and Glass Demos >> A Marble is Made - by Josh Sable tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

A Marble is Made - by Josh Sable

12-10-2005 Today I had the pleasure of watching Josh make a 2" UV Retticello marble with a gold-fumed pinwheeled backside. I was able to capture the process almost step-by-step, and got some great pictures of the interaction of the flame with the glass.
Josh, me and Cal
Josh, me and Cal		 My buddy Ray, Josh and Cal
My buddy Ray, Josh and Cal		 Setting up shop
Setting up shop
Flame on!
Flame on!		 Prepping the tube, then into the kiln to stay hot
Prepping the tube, then into the kiln to stay hot		 Pulling the UV stringer for the ratty; cobalt blue stringer was next
Pulling the UV stringer for the ratty; cobalt blue stringer was next
Cool shot - looks hot to hold, huh
Cool shot - looks hot to hold, huh		 Out of the kiln, getting the tube hot
Out of the kiln, getting the tube hot		 Applying the cobalt stringer, first round
Applying the cobalt stringer, first round
Next the UV stringer goes on
Next the UV stringer goes on		 First round of stringer complete
First round of stringer complete		 Melting the stringers in, getting it hot
Melting the stringers in, getting it hot
A few breaths, a slight twist is applied
A few breaths, a slight twist is applied		 Laying on round 2 of the stringer, ratty begins to form
Laying on round 2 of the stringer, ratty begins to form		 Round 2 complete, ratty pattern is laid
Round 2 complete, ratty pattern is laid
Top of the tube is twisted and removed, bringing the ratty to a fine point
Top of the tube is twisted and removed, bringing the ratty to a fine point		 Finished pattern - how hard is it to FOCUS, darn!!
Finished pattern - how hard is it to FOCUS, darn!!		 But it's still a tube
But it's still a tube
Let's get it hot again
Let's get it hot again		 Sweet heat
Sweet heat		 Sweet heat, part deux
Sweet heat, part deux
The view through the didymium lens - it really does help the eyes! (Sweet shot, huh!)
The view through the didymium lens - it really does help the eyes! (Sweet shot, huh!)		 Time to remove the extra tubing
Time to remove the extra tubing		 Blow tube is attached to end of glass tube, leaving 2 hands free
Blow tube is attached to end of glass tube, leaving 2 hands free
Excess glass gone, disc left, and I STILL can't focus
Excess glass gone, disc left, and I STILL can't focus		 Heating the disc
Heating the disc		 Red hot disc
Red hot disc
Gathering the clear to attach the lens
Gathering the clear to attach the lens		 Hot hand again - BIG fiber optics at work!
Hot hand again - BIG fiber optics at work!		 Getting ready to bring disc and hot gather together
Getting ready to bring disc and hot gather together
Glass smush
Glass smush		 Time to heat it all together
Time to heat it all together		 Blue to orange.....
Blue to orange.....
Hmmmm, looking good methinks
Hmmmm, looking good methinks		 Heating a gather to add to the backside
Heating a gather to add to the backside		 Ready to start rounding
Ready to start rounding
Gotta get it good and hot
Gotta get it good and hot		 Taking off some extra clear
Taking off some extra clear		 It's cool to see the ratty pattern in the flame
It's cool to see the ratty pattern in the flame
Rounding it in the graphite marble mold
Rounding it in the graphite marble mold		 Aaaah, there's that sweet ratty!
Aaaah, there's that sweet ratty!		 Puntying up on the other side
Puntying up on the other side
Adding the dark (almost black) base for the backside
Adding the dark (almost black) base for the backside		 Backside is covered
Backside is covered		 Will I never get this thing focused....
Will I never get this thing focused....
Adding the dots which will become pinwheels
Adding the dots which will become pinwheels		 Melting the dots in
Melting the dots in		 Another layer over the dots
Another layer over the dots
Dots on!
Dots on!		 Fuming 24K gold on to the backside
Fuming 24K gold on to the backside		 A tiny dot of gold will spray a layer of gold when placed in the flame
A tiny dot of gold will spray a layer of gold when placed in the flame
Fuming complete - my gosh, did I get it focused?!
Fuming complete - my gosh, did I get it focused?!		 A thin clear rod is used to twirl between the dots and produce the pinwheels
A thin clear rod is used to twirl between the dots and produce the pinwheels		 The final heat and round-out
The final heat and round-out
Time for some cool flame shots
Time for some cool flame shots		 Sweet pattern, can't wait to see it cold!
Sweet pattern, can't wait to see it cold!		 The ratty side
The ratty side
Loooking goooood
Loooking goooood		 Cool shot, errr - HOT shot
Cool shot, errr - HOT shot		 Allllmost done
Allllmost done
One last punty switch
One last punty switch		 One last application of flame
One last application of flame		 Flame polishing the punty mark
Flame polishing the punty mark
Finisimo!
Finisimo!		 Time for the kiln, cold cool marble viewing tomorrow morning!
Time for the kiln, cold cool marble viewing tomorrow morning!

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Kevin Wartel 21-Jun-2013 00:50
Wow this is unbelievable. Thanks for the photos Brian, and of course thanks Josh!
Guest 06-Jun-2006 21:23
Really cool photos guys! Where's the pix of the finished mib?
Ro 03-May-2006 11:59
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! great tutorial!
Ro
Chris Utter18-Dec-2005 01:31
This is a great photo story! It shows just how they are made. It must take great skill to make such works of art. Hats off to all those who did the work.
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