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

[Elizacorps]

WOW... Custom spoke beads! I have plastic ones on one of my bikes.

Can't wait!


Be kind to yourself

On Jan 29, 2015, at 0:20, Jeffrey Putney <quaker at gmail.com> wrote:

> I think it would be a fun activity to be able do anytime. 
> 
> And tonight the bike project invited us to a jewelry making workshop where they want to make jewelry from bike parts. I think it could be fun to include some custom glass beads in this activity ;-)
> 
> Jeff
> 
> On Wed, Jan 28, 2015 at 7:18 PM, Gergana Slavova <gergana.s.slavova at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 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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