richsantaclaus

Basically, Make a cane. <--- this is one way. Heat twist and pull until very small in diameter, break into tiny pieces.<--- very true but sometimes they melted the cane carefully Heat pieces while moving around on a flame proof surface.<--- most of the time, they used wood. Today we use graphite or brass. Pieces almost become round on their own <-- not true. It's the rotation process that makes them round. Glass will gravity flatten when molten if you don't move it - remember it is a liquid. Here are 13 little marbles I make last night because of this very interesting thread.

Went to 2 tropical fish stores - no cateye footballs around my area.

Here are some I made - the largest is 3/8" in diameter. I use really small parts of the Infinite Rim Mold. Rich

Come here and see them David - you are welcome in my home...lol And Sue, send me a few of the "gems" and I'll melt them into one marble for you!

I don't know anything about them and can't think of any use for this shape. Usually small dome/flat bottom or regular round marbles are made for flower vases. Not only the lady behind the counter nor the other 2 people that wished they'd found the container first knew anything about them but they looked "cool!"

Now - should I melt a few of them back into round? Maybe take 1 of each type????? What do you think?

The lady behind the counter had no idea what they were for. Neither did the other 2 customers that wished they had seem them first!

I got these today - kinda fun!

ziggyzora - good question!

I had a lot of fun talking to the clerk about marbles - it makes the shopping adventure more fun!

That's ok, I only paid $8 for all of them after taxes. I just liked the way they looked!

the next 2 bags.....

See what I got today...lol

Here are 2 of my handmade marbles, one I took 3 pix of getting closer and closer using my cheap photo set-up. There is no sun or light bulb shining on the glass surface of the marbles. I shot this in full sun at 11:15am, close to noon sun too - bright light is the beat. If you try this system using light bulbs, the light is not as evenly spread as in full sunlight.

The nature of the glass makes it very difficult to keep the original shape of the cateye marbles. One reason I swirled the creation was to help hide the different glass touching each other. There are 7 or 8 little marbles in this big one! Also, I did another one but didn't swirl it and the glass was not compatible and it cracked.

This came out of my kiln this morning... like it? It's made from several little cateye marbles, remelted into a big one!

Tomorrow in the full sun, I'll take pix - fun stuff!

The natural sunlight that generally is very bright and leaves light spots on the marble. This bright sunlight is filtered into soft light so there is an even covering over the marble with no light spots whatsoever. This same light spot effect shows when people use lamps to brighten-up the shot. The opaqueness spreads the bright sunlight evenly over the objects that are inside the bucket. After you use the materials to set-up the shot (picture 3), you place the bucket (picture 4) over the set-up (picture 1) and stand over the hole with your close-up lens over the hole in the bucket (picture 2) and take the shot (of course after focusing your camera...lol. You are NOT dense, just asking a very good question! Rich

Use a opaque pickle bucket with a big hole cut into the bottom of it that is the size of your camera lens. I use my Macro lens on my Canon camera. Go outside IN FULL SUNLIGHT to shoot your pix. Set-up the shot (I use little blocks of wood for height inside the bucket, a white felt cloth, and sometimes, a marble stand. I put this all on top of a little work table that matches my height for ease of shooting. Here are some visuals for you to check-out. I got the opaque pickle bucket at Smart and Final (a store in California).

Wait a minute here people, I make marbles and I am collecting too - it's ALL good!!!!! Why can't the attitudes be friendship and fun for all involved without personal bias getting in the way. I am happy and willing to help the vintage collectors learn about contemporaries and, so far, you ALL have taken me into the fold of vintage collecting!!!!! It' fun and I am learning a lot!!!!!

ok Sue, what is Wheaton and when is it?

May I show you one of my handmades I think is most interesting to me? Not only did I make the marble, I made a matching stand! I hope new handmades are interesting to you guys too...lol

I guess I am so new at this, I am missing something....?????

Ok, today I can't get in either?

I just had to empty my cache and it's all better now...lol