| Cane bundles prior to pulling:
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 Completed canes: |
Silhuoette CanesThe story behind my silhouette canes is worth a chuckle, so I'll share it with you. I do have a collection optic molds to use in making millefiori. Commercial molds, available from Steinert. But there are no commercial silhouette optic molds that I know of. So I went to a nearby confectioners supply store and found some small stainless cookie/candy cutters. Perhaps you are familiar with the lost wax casting technique used in jewelry making. I was a lapidary and metal smith for 20 years before I ever touched glass. Knowing what I knew I use these cutters to make wax models. The waxes are invested in cyrstobilite (dental investment) and then the wax is burnt out. I then heat the molds to about 1650 degrees and cast glass into them. Now I've got the glass model which can then be encased to create the bicolor silhouette. This is pulled to standard cane thickness and used as the center cane in a bundle which is then pulled to make the finished silhouette cane. Nothing to it. I've been told I shouldn't share these things with others who might then try it themselves. I say go for it. Misery loves company. | |
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