Guide for Basic Electrode Attachment

UPDATED!!!

Hello Lightning Tamers!

When I produced Episode 10: Light up your World with Plasma, it was my initial attempt convey what I've learned about Plasma. Admittedly it was way too early for me to try to teach what little I understood. And so I continue to update and improve on how to share this information.

The ongoing collaboration with GEEX, The Glass Education Exchange, has helped with discussing the pile of information, thoughts, and theories I've compiled, and acknowledging the importance of peer discussion as an underutilized part of the process.

In this update, I've rewrote this post for the Beginner to provide a Guide for Basic Electrode Attachment.

The easiest place to start with adding electrodes to your pieces is to use Neon Electrodes made with compatible glass. These are still quite available for purchase, and well a majority of the time you'll be using an electrode to send power to your pieces.

If your are using any of the following soda-lime glass: system 96, Spruce Pine, Cristalica, or Glasma, the typical neon electrode ( both soda-lime and lead glass) have been shown to be compatible, and of course if you are using Borosilicate Glass you'll have to purchase and use borosilicate  Neon electrodes.

Tools

• 
  
• Oxy-Propane Hand torch or Neon Splicing Torch
  • Nortel Ranger Hand torch. Nortel Mid ranger hand torch, National Hand Torch
• Blow hose with swivel

To borrow a term shared in both Neon and Scientific glass, to attach your electrode you will need to become well practiced and familiar with making a Weld. Which is the process of joining two connections, will a smooth and ideally, seamless, transition of even thickness. 

Tubulate Weld
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This method is easiest entry point for this process.

In the Hot Shop, this is done by creating a long thin neck or tube on your vessel and annealing. After it has cooled you can score and cut down the neck to your desired length.

Then you can slowly heat the glass and electrode to stick and blow. 

This approach gives you ample time and positioning to attach your electrode, though you will have to deal with the tube  sticking out of your piece.

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A post shared by Percy Echols II (@taminglightning) on Feb 11, 2019 at 3:45pm PST

*Also note I highly recommend reannealing the piece for structural integrity.

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A post shared by Harriet Schwarzrock (@harryschwarzrock)

Another demonstration of a Tubulation Weld by Harry "Hot Hands" Schwarzrock. 

While pushing the limit in terms of the thickness of her tubulation she also provided an example of the tubulation being integrated into the shape of the vessel.

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Direct Welding
In this method you'll attach your electrode using a blow hose by heating both the opening on your piece and the electrode with a torch.
Then you'll stick and blow to create an even transition between the two glass.

This can be done while the piece is on the steel (pipe/punty) on the final heat or after it has been knocked-off  as demonstrated in the video.

You will typically only get one-shot, so relax, take your time, and make it count!

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A post shared by Percy Echols II (@taminglightning) on Feb 16, 2019 at 5:42pm PST

*In Flameworking you will NOT need to make a long thin tube or neck in your vessel due to having ample control and thermal resistant properties of your glass.