greg11 Posted March 9, 2014 Report Share Posted March 9, 2014 can you remelt a sulphide without destroying the figure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hdesousa Posted March 9, 2014 Report Share Posted March 9, 2014 Heard (at least 20 years ago) a guy by the name of TC Robertson (http://www.dvsglass.com/) over-fired a bunch of sulphide marbles which were sent to him for restoration. A collection of figures and melted glass was all that was left in the bottom of his kiln. He proceeded to pick up each figure and enclosed it in glass, remaking the marbles practically from scratch. Then again, I've also heard sulphide marbles can blow up when reheated. Hansel (not a glass worker) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted March 9, 2014 Report Share Posted March 9, 2014 I believe Rich has had fairly good success with sulphides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBlock Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 Yes, although overcoating is more common. I'm not a glassworker, but maybe it is easier to overcoat than to remelt. I've seen sulphides overcoated in clear, as well as various colors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richsantaclaus Posted March 11, 2014 Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 I have repaired at least 75 sulphides with only 3 exploding in my kiln. None of the figurines in the 75 were harmed in any way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'llhavethat1 Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 Is there a consensus that the original sulphide figures were enclosed in glass, or were they inserted (and is there a way to tell the two methods apart)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richsantaclaus Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 My understanding the figurine was dipped into a crucible of clear glass. This usually causes a small bubble of air around the figurine. Sometimes this air gets moved and trapped as a big bubble of air. I have been able to get the glass very thin near the bubble but not exposing the figurine to room temperature air and getting it to pop and go away, then getting the glass to center the figurine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg11 Posted March 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 what was done to the pontils of these 75 and was the surface smooth or wavy after the remelt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldmarblenut Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 When I made a couple sulphide paperweights I did it by... pre heating the figure on a poker in the glory hole, as the figure was heating I gathered a medium amount of glass on a punty then inserted (stuffed) the figure into the glass and then back to the glory hole to re-heat the glass to around 2000' and close the spot where I pushed in the figure in, then cased again and continued with color/decoration etc. I found when the figure is pre heated to about 2000' (about 200' hotter than the glass) it left little if any bubble on or near the figure, just a nice silvery surface of air trapped at the surface of the figure, a colder figure would hold air and when exposed to the hotter glass it would grow a large bubble in just about any direction around the figure. Hotter figure better result, the figures were made of high fire porcelain, I've also seen zircar used for the figures, I never tried it but the technique would be the same. Ray Laubs is probably the best modern sulphide maker, I learned a lot from him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richsantaclaus Posted March 18, 2014 Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 Pontils go away almost all of the time. I am a lampworker and use a torch. The glory hole artists have an advantage because of the volume of clear glass that can be applied in one dip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manylittle Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 This is a great thread. I have learned a lot just by reading it.!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ann Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Ray Laubs is probably the best modern sulphide maker . . . . I agree. I have an airplane sulfide from him that's only around 1/2 inch in diameter. One of my favorites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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