Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[Rod Paradise]

A quick update - the window is now soldered, so I could lift it off the workboard & put it on the lightbox:

Click to see full-size image.

Polishing, grouting, blacking the lead & trimming to go before fitting it in the window. I can see every mistake still, but overall I'm delighted with it.

So the home straight on the window took a fair bit longer than I expected, the blacking polish produces a powder as you polish it - and this powder stuck to the glass, because there are so many small pieces of glass cleaning it ended up taking the blacking off the lead. So after half a dozen tries, using many different tools/cleaners I was about ready to bin it. Thankfully Fiona (my teacher) suggested using enamel paints used by model makers instead - it worked!!

Click to see full-size image.

So then it was just down to the fitting...

Confession Time…
I’ve been really proud of the stained glass I’ve made, and incredibly surprised. I am incredibly lacking in practical ability. As an apprentice in the telephone exchanges a frustrated wireman once shouted at me “Just stop f*£%ing thinking & let your hands do the work!! Your problem is all your brains are in your head!!”.

So that said I’ve gained some confidence having made some nice glass pieces, so I decided to fit my latest one, the lilies, in the window of the back door at my parent’s house. I removed the inside moldings, made sure the glass fit (which needed some spacers) and some padding to protect the glass from the vibrations of the door closing. All good so far. I decided that the replacement molding needed to be a bit wider, to allow it to securely hold the outside lead of the new panel, and if it was going to be wider, make it decorative, effectively a frame for the panel.

To take an 8 foot strip of molding and make a frame of approx. 18x9 inches you need the right tools, accurate measurement & a modicum of ability. 2 out of 3 aint bad…

The First Cut is the Daftest.

Click to see full-size image.

You can probably imagine my language when I noticed my little mistake...

An hour and much bad language later my frame was taking shape:

Click to see full-size image.

Geo the Sarge kindly told me that at least I make good kindling...

So a 60 mile round trip to get a new 8 foot piece, and my mate the joiner will be getting asked to cut it for me, bet it takes the bugger all of 5 minutes, and it'll be accurate.

[RED-DOG]

Well that cheered up my Sunday morning no end Rod.

I love "All your brains are in your head" you know exactly what he means.

I liked "The first cut is the daftest" too. Mitering can has a way of reversing you brain waves. You could build an ark with the wood I've ruined over the years. My grandad used to do miter and dovetail joints freehand, just marking the wood seemingly at random with his thumbnail.

Your piece is looking great now though. I wish I had the patience for something like that.

[booder]

Comeing along nicely Rodders

[Rod Paradise]

Well that cheered up my Sunday morning no end Rod.

I love "All your brains are in your head" you know exactly what he means.

I liked "The first cut is the daftest" too. Mitering can has a way of reversing you brain waves. You could build an ark with the wood I've ruined over the years. My grandad used to do miter and dovetail joints freehand, just marking the wood seemingly at random with his thumbnail.

Your piece is looking great now though. I wish I had the patience for something like that.

I'm far more likely to want instant gratification, so didn't think I'd get into it, but it's funny, I don't think patience is particularly needed. It's a very progressive task, each job must be done and done right before you get to move to the next one, giving you a lot of small satisfactions with some bigger payoffs on the way (all cut & laid out, leaded up, soldered & then finished).

It's also great being in the group (we're so lucky to have a great professional glass maker in the area to start it), everybody seems to find a completely different take on what they produce, so while you all encounter the same problems & can commiserate/advise, there's always something to learn from and admire.

[sonour]

A quick update - the window is now soldered, so I could lift it off the workboard & put it on the lightbox:

Click to see full-size image.

Polishing, grouting, blacking the lead & trimming to go before fitting it in the window. I can see every mistake still, but overall I'm delighted with it.

So the home straight on the window took a fair bit longer than I expected, the blacking polish produces a powder as you polish it - and this powder stuck to the glass, because there are so many small pieces of glass cleaning it ended up taking the blacking off the lead. So after half a dozen tries, using many different tools/cleaners I was about ready to bin it. Thankfully Fiona (my teacher) suggested using enamel paints used by model makers instead - it worked!!

Click to see full-size image.

So then it was just down to the fitting...

Confession Time…
I’ve been really proud of the stained glass I’ve made, and incredibly surprised. I am incredibly lacking in practical ability. As an apprentice in the telephone exchanges a frustrated wireman once shouted at me “Just stop f*£%ing thinking & let your hands do the work!! Your problem is all your brains are in your head!!”.

So that said I’ve gained some confidence having made some nice glass pieces, so I decided to fit my latest one, the lilies, in the window of the back door at my parent’s house. I removed the inside moldings, made sure the glass fit (which needed some spacers) and some padding to protect the glass from the vibrations of the door closing. All good so far. I decided that the replacement molding needed to be a bit wider, to allow it to securely hold the outside lead of the new panel, and if it was going to be wider, make it decorative, effectively a frame for the panel.

To take an 8 foot strip of molding and make a frame of approx. 18x9 inches you need the right tools, accurate measurement & a modicum of ability. 2 out of 3 aint bad…

The First Cut is the Daftest.

Click to see full-size image.

You can probably imagine my language when I noticed my little mistake...

An hour and much bad language later my frame was taking shape:

Click to see full-size image.

Geo the Sarge kindly told me that at least I make good kindling...

So a 60 mile round trip to get a new 8 foot piece, and my mate the joiner will be getting asked to cut it for me, bet it takes the bugger all of 5 minutes, and it'll be accurate.

I fitted some fitted wardrobes for my parents a good few years ago now and I was no better at working out which way to cut the mitred joints at the end than I was at the beginning. If you haven't actually tried it you wouldn't believe how much the brain struggles with it.

[Geo the Sarge]

Well that cheered up my Sunday morning no end Rod.

I love "All your brains are in your head" you know exactly what he means.

I liked "The first cut is the daftest" too. Mitering can has a way of reversing you brain waves. You could build an ark with the wood I've ruined over the years. My grandad used to do miter and dovetail joints freehand, just marking the wood seemingly at random with his thumbnail.

Your piece is looking great now though. I wish I had the patience for something like that.

I have every sympathy with Rod, over the years I've done quite a bit DIY in the house, worst two things ever was bathroom and carpet tiles, when it got to the wee nooks and crannies where you had to cut to fit recesses etc I was absolutely useless. No matter how many times I measured before cutting I always had it arse about tit.

Recently my son and I were attempting to put up some coving, even with a mitre block and instructions we gave up after about 4 hours and just paid someone to come in and do it......................so frustrating.

Geo

[Rod Paradise]

Well that cheered up my Sunday morning no end Rod.

I love "All your brains are in your head" you know exactly what he means.

I liked "The first cut is the daftest" too. Mitering can has a way of reversing you brain waves. You could build an ark with the wood I've ruined over the years. My grandad used to do miter and dovetail joints freehand, just marking the wood seemingly at random with his thumbnail.

Your piece is looking great now though. I wish I had the patience for something like that.

I have every sympathy with Rod, over the years I've done quite a bit DIY in the house, worst two things ever was bathroom and carpet tiles, when it got to the wee nooks and crannies where you had to cut to fit recesses etc I was absolutely useless. No matter how many times I measured before cutting I always had it arse about tit.

Recently my son and I were attempting to put up some coving, even with a mitre block and instructions we gave up after about 4 hours and just paid someone to come in and do it......................so frustrating.

Geo

I was getting slagged over this in the pub yesterday & one guy said he'd love to see me trying to fit coving.

[TightEnd]

not sure why, but i thought this might appeal to you

genunely different photography

Abandoned jail in pictures: Photographer Will Ellis visits spooky prison in the US http://goo.gl/rQq3A1 

[RED-DOG]

not sure why, but i thought this might appeal to you

genunely different photography

Abandoned jail in pictures: Photographer Will Ellis visits spooky prison in the US http://goo.gl/rQq3A1 

Thanks for thinking of me Rich.

As you know I love photography but I'm afraid these pics just don't do it for me. As far as I can see he has just pointed the camera and pressed the button, which is fine if the subject matter is strong enough to carry it off. Alas, in this case, it isn't.

[RED-DOG]

I took this point and shoot in Alcatraz, it's one of the escape cells.

Click to see full-size image.

[RED-DOG]

After many years of faithful service, my little frying pan has finally shuffled off it's mortal coil and gone to that great gas ring in the sky. (Well it has if it can get there from the wheelie bin).

Hungry after my mornings exertions, and with a small piece of steak and two free range eggs calling to me from the back of the fridge, I was forced to break out a new, ceramic frying pan that Mrs Red bought in a 75% off sale in January 2012.

OMG!

Have you ever used one of these things? My eggs slid around in there like Torvill & Dean on valium, and when they were cooked to my liking, (Firm white, dippy yolk) I tilted the pan no more than 20° and floated them out on to my plate as gently as a light mist rolling on to a beach from the sea. Then, a quick wipe with a paper towel and my pan was shining like brand new again.

Incredible.

[Rod Paradise]

I found the coating didn't last long on them, but I'm not easy on implements. I've now got hard anodised fry pans from Denby, they've lasted 3 years without showing any effects.

[RED-DOG]

I found the coating didn't last long on them, but I'm not easy on implements. I've now got hard anodised fry pans from Denby, they've lasted 3 years without showing any effects.

Nooo...  Say it isn't so.

Why can't they make a good non-stick pan? It's not rocket science.  

PS- ^^^ I've left the door open for someone there.

[Jon MW]

I got ceramic pans in the Christmas sales after cooking with them at my fiancees parents house - they really are amazing to cook with but I've always had the suspicion that they will be like non stick and eventually wear off.

I noticed that you can get a massive price range for them - I'm assuming part of that is the normal difference between branded and non-branded; but I would have have thought it could also be because some of them are just made better.

I saw a hint by the way - if they ever look a bit grubby then boiling some baking soda in water in them brings out the shininess again

[Rod Paradise]

I found the coating didn't last long on them, but I'm not easy on implements. I've now got hard anodised fry pans from Denby, they've lasted 3 years without showing any effects.

Nooo...  Say it isn't so.

Why can't they make a good non-stick pan? It's not rocket science.  

PS- ^^^ I've left the door open for someone there.

Jon's suggestion might help. And those Denby pans are still non-stick - clean them with a paper towel even after 3 years.