Glass billet table top- nearly finished.

Well, here it is, the finished table top. The whole project is done. I will say that at present the glass billet chunks or blocks simply rest on the rails and thats not working well. They tend to shift and drop through... I think a trip to the dreaded Home Despot or maybe Ace or Lowes will get me a very thin piece of plexi or some other clear plastic type sheet and that will go underneath all the blocks. Maybe even a drop of clear silicone to "glue" each block down to the sheeting.

Photo looking down through the glass



Im happy

welding table/cart project

Part homegrown brain child part inspiration from the miller welding site, projects area.

This welding cart has 2 wheels up front. Its got 3 removable welding shields on 3 sides. In the photo only the back side is up.

Top is 1/4 inch plate steel unpainted so you can weld without having to clamp each piece. Under the table top is a ground pin and 2 pipes for metal bending.


On the wheel end there is a "holster" for the mig gun and loop for pliers

The chain is welded to the card for holding in tanks of gas.

Fire table project

OK this is next up....

Here is a link to spark fires

Their outdoor linear burner system is kind of what I have in mind only down the center of a table.

Call it the modern smores table or something like that......

The glass top table

Been holding onto this idea for a while....

Here is a photo of the table all formed up, welded and rough ground.

I have some glass billet samples from Bullseye glass.
The idea was/is to have a small coffee table with the billets on top.
Initially I was going to make a small grid with a "tray" for each block of glass.

I drew this out a number of times, measured, pondered and mulled it over for a while.

Finally yesterday the idea burst forth and I didnt sketch or plan.




Just grabbed the metal, welder, cutter, grinder and went to work....

Here it is after a coat of black satin krylon paint. I will let the paint dry over night and then put the glass blocks on top to finish it off. I even was able to get some small plastic "feet" or end caps from Ace hardware. I will also pound those in just near the end.




Hope you like - it will be even better with the glass blocks on top... I will try and post a photo tomorrow of the project done....
Im kind of proud of it soo far. Maybe there is a future for me in making some furniture stuff...

Crazy goblets

OK so I am trying to make goblets. I have some here that I made a while ago.... using the same tube as the chandelier.




My sister give me some pointers over the phone, and I studied up in the glass mags to refine my technique.

I want to get decent enough at this to make an actual functional goblet.... or at least one that doesnt look like it was made by a craay person.....

Still they are getting better but kind of like a bunch of crazy drunk glass fairies made them.

The ones with the clear feet are the newer ones with better technique.

I want to get decent enough at this to make an actual functional goblet.... or at least one that doesnt look like it was made by a crazy person.....

Not bead related but poetry

A well known local kid reading her own poetry at the local elementary school......

Chandelier Project Finished

Well, after a long wait and 2 weeks off to make and work on this... its done.

This is one of the longer projects I have undertaken. I had to remove the old chandelier, and remove the electrical wires.

Then I put in new wires, and a new bulb.

Then I finally assembled the whole chandelier and hung it.....

Im very pleased with is and happy that the project is over....

Must be well over 200 individual pieces of glass in this thing !

Chandelier project wip

So, its been a while. Here is what Im up to.

Chandelier project- I want a Dale Chihuly style chandelier for the house on my budget. So, why not make one.

Here are some photos....






Cremains project- I had a special contact who asked me if Id make beads and marbles with family cremains. Sure, Why not try it.

The cremains project was a hit. Actually worked out well, the cremains made very nice inclusions.

Moved and set up- running again

Well if you are still out there in cyberspace following the saga of stoffobeads...... we have finally gotten the studio up.

We moved in September and it was a sea of boxes and takes about 6 months to settle in.

The staff electrician, and carpenters were busy doing a retrofit on an existing structure in the rear or our "grounds".

A few weeks ago, workers managed to get things wired up, and installed in place- the studio was opened.

I made a few ceremonial beads which I cast about the neighborhood as a signal to future archaeologists that this was the site of a bead studio.

Today, I made the third or fourth batch of beads. Its been a while but like riding a bike the flow of glass in the torch was a welcomed feel, like welcoming an old friend back.

Sierra Vista, AZ is now the new home of our studio and we are already very happy with the weather and anticipate many more bead making days here than we had in Ajo, AZ. Cooler climes, about 10-15 degrees cooler are what we are expecting.

Sierra Vista has a great bead shop, Barefootgirls Bead Emproium on Wilcox st., Sierra Vista, AZ (520-459-5400) and we have some beads for sale there. I will begin taking on students for one on one beadmaking instruction. Email me if interested.