[Makerspace-keymembers] Costs for a glass lampworking starter kit

[Gergana Slavova]

We have no other plans to purchase things in Jan/Feb/Mar and no major
events planned.  I'm ok with spending the money.

~Gergana

On Sun, Jan 25, 2015 at 9:01 PM, Emily Knox <emilyknox at gmail.com> wrote:

> At the moment we have $500 in the budget for 2015Q1, just FYI.
>
> On Sun, Jan 25, 2015 at 8:57 PM, Dena Strong <dena.strong at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Hi, all! Gergana and Jeff asked me to mail out a list of what it would
>> cost to put together a glass lampworking basic kit for the Makerspace. My
>> hypothesis is that it should be doable for under $100 and that everything
>> should be available at either the hardware store or the grocery store
>> except for the actual glass rods and mandrel release. Let's see if that's
>> an accurate guess...
>>
>> (Some Internet investigations later...)
>>
>> OK, it looks like a pair of didymium glasses are the break point between
>> "could get going under $100" and "over $100."
>>
>> Here's a kit for $99 that would need the gas, glass, and a table
>> protecting aluminum tray added; it contains a set of didymium glasses.  (
>> http://www.sundanceglass.com/kitslamp1.htm ) Adding the gas, glass, and
>> aluminum tray would take the total to about $140.
>>
>> I've got to admit this is a pretty good deal, because the lenses by
>> themselves start at $60 and go up from there. If the Makerspace wants to
>> own a set of those lenses, this kit is definitely the way to go because
>> adding them on to a piecemeal order later would end up costing about $20-30
>> more overall. (Getting the kit and adding glass/gas would total about $140.
>> Getting the components separately and adding the glasses would cost
>> $160-$170, without factoring in multiple shipping costs.)
>>
>> But it is possible to hit the "under $100" target if the didymium glasses
>> aren't in the equation.
>>
>> If we wanted to piece it out and not get the didymium lenses to start
>> with, here's how the math would go:
>>
>> Fire:
>> MAPP gas - $7.50, Menards
>> Mag-torch aka hot head torch - $15, Menards (currently on sale for $12)
>>
>> Table anchoring stuff (the Makerspace may already have some of these for
>> other purposes too):
>> C-clamp - $3
>> 4" angle bracket - $3
>> Hose clamp - $1.50
>> Aluminum baking tray for table surface protection:  $3
>> Vermiculite - (I've got a partial bag of the stuff, I'm happy to donate a
>> gallon-ziploc of it for bead use)
>> Wide mouth can or clay pot for holding the vermiculite - (I bet there's
>> something kicking around we could reuse; if not, we should be able to find
>> something suitable under $5)
>> Regular non-didymium safety glasses - (the Makerspace has some, right?)
>>
>> Glass stuff:
>> Sampler set of 30 rods with assorted colors: $30 from Sundance
>>
>> Mandrel release bottle: 4 oz - $7 from Sundance
>>
>> Mandrels - $7 per dozen from Sundance, or $33 per pound; alternatively, 1
>> pound of stainless steel welding rods would be $15, in 36 inch lengths that
>> would need cutting down but would give you several dozen. (Given how easy
>> it is to have a glass item adhere to the mandrel, a few dozen would be a
>> good idea.)
>>
>> So the without-glasses version works out to $90ish by making our own
>> mandrels from the pound of welding rods, or $108ish by buying a pound of
>> already-made mandrels from Sundance along with the glass and bead release.
>>
>> What do you think of the options?
>>
>>
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>>
>
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