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Home at Last!

We're home! It's cold! It WAS cold! The pump on my furnace is pouting but maintenance fixed it....now I'm just waiting for it to warm up.

We had a fun week back in PA. Good times with my Mom. Sadly she got sick Tuesday (ear infection) and I had to bully her into seeing her doc Xmas eve. He gave her antibiotics that kinda walloped her so she spent most of the afternoon on the sofa "supervising." Mike and I did the remainder of the cooking (Mom's a pro at pre-cooking whatever she can so there really wasn't much to do) and we got great compliments on "her" potato filling at dinner. I also made a yummy cranberry compote I saw on FoodTV (and was a success at Thanksgiving) and my traditional brandied raisin sauce for the baked ham. We all made pigs of ourselves, had fun visiting (my brother and his 4 kids also came) and it was honestly one of the best Christmases I can remember for many years. This was Mike's first with us (he bailed on Xmas Eve last year because of work, the weasel) and I know that made me a lot merrier.

Wait, this isn't all OT!!!!

Tuesday I got to go to Wale Apparatus and harass my favorite pushers, errrrrr, suppliers. Poor Elliot injured his foot and was in a wheelchair. I got some boro I've been pining for, more Vetrofond clear so I'm back to encasing whatever I can, a graphite multi-marble mold (6 sizes!) and a "hush" tip for my torch which basically gives me a whole new second torch....the equivalent of a National 3A with all that lovely concentrated heat for boro. Woohoo! I also got Bandhu Dunham's latest edition of Contemporary Flameworking and Mike got me a book on fusing so maybe I can do something with my kiln even when it's too windy to torch. (He also treated me to the hush tip. I loooooove a man who buys me tools & gadgets!)

Elliot was such a sweetie. I was asking him about oxy generators and my Midrange, and he gave me a very honest rundown. Basically he feels that the OG-15 by itself isn't suitable for the Midrange. But after some back & forth questions he got on the phone to THE guy at OGSI and passed on my questions. The end result...with the optional holding tank I can get the pressure I need for reasonable amounts of working time (reasonable for me being roughly an hour at a time, with short breaks). So now I'm saving my pennies for a generator, for serious. Elliot will be getting the tank for a setup at his place soon, and promised to keep me posted on whatever he finds out hands-on. I think I see a nice birthday present in July!

The other VERY beady thing was a wonderful dinner party last night in Philadelphia. We drove to Philly from Harrisburg yesterday afternoon because that's where we were flying in and out from here. One of my former customers, now an upcoming beadmaker all on her own, has a delightful hubby who is a VERY talented chef. His restaurant is ranked 3rd by Zagat in Philly. Not bad!!!! OMG the food was to die for! Barb invited any WetCanvaser's who were interested in attending, and I think we ended up with around 18, including spouses. The conversation before and during dinner was delightful, it was fun to meet some of the "names" on WC and oh, did I mention the incredibly GOOD FOOD??? LOL

We had a godawful night at a rather cheap motel (yeah, you get what you pay for) so Mike is snoozing already. I'm just enjoying being HOME.

The only sucky thing....LOL....I took my regulator for rebuilding just before I left. Probably wont' be done til the end of the week. I'm really tempted to beg for a loaner. But the kids are home all week so I guess I'll find other stuff to do. Like actually posting here more than once a week!

Happy New Year just in case I don't!

Reply to
Karen_AZ
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Reply to
Tinkster

Karen,

Since you were just up the road from me, I'm going to have to tell everyone - it wasn't *that* cold. Be glad you aren't visiting next month. We get our worst weather in mid-January. BRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

Reply to
JL Amerson

Have you considered running two oxy cons together? The power is *very* respectable - I'm talking LARGE HOT flame on the Midrange - and you can't beat the price with a stick.

Reply to
Kalera Stratton

and my traditional brandied raisin sauce for the baked ham.>

ohhhhhh

I want your recipe!!!! LOL

Cheryl of DRAGON BEADS Flameworked beads and glass

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Reply to
Cheryl

Sounds like you had a good one. And it sure does improve the family get-togethers to have new people there too.

Tina

Reply to
Christina Peterson

everyone - it wasn't *that* cold. Be glad you aren't visiting next month. We get our worst weather in mid-January. BRRRRRRRRRRRRR!<

LOL true, it really wasn't all that cold. But the rain Xmas Eve made me achy. What is it about cold and damp??? (Almost as bad as hot and humid!) Saturday night was chilly and yesterday morning dawned (literally) at 26. Made Mike and I both ready to come home.

And I hear you about January!!!! In central PA it's known as "Farm Show Weather" because the week of the big agricultural show is always bizarre....ice storms, torrential rain, snow, even thaws that cause the river to flood. You name it, it can happen!

Me, I'm ready to hole in, wait for my Xmas loot to arrive by UPS (presents all over again!) and count my dollars for Quartzsite and Tucson. Last year it was so warm I was wearing shorts.

Reply to
Karen_AZ

of PSI does the Midrange require?<

Not a clue! LOL I've seen folks running it at 20-40. I work quite contentedly at 8-15 (and 2-4 propane). I'm always a little boggled by folks who call this an oxygen hog. OTOH, we worked at Bill's preferred pressures in his class, which were much higher, and there was a definite (niiiiice) difference.

Oh, as a side note....I got Doug Remschneider's DVD on colored boro beads while I was gone (nice treat to be waiting for me!) It is SOOOO good!!! I could lust after a Carlisle very very easily.

Reply to
Karen_AZ

respectable - I'm talking LARGE HOT flame on the Midrange - and you can't beat the price with a stick.<

I'm contemplating that, too. The thing that concerns me is that the concentrators are kind of a crap shoot, longevity-wise. Although I assume (dangerous thing) that the ones being resold for lampwork are reasonably low hours. Still contemplating the whole mess.

Do you have a premix or a minor top-mounted, or just a plain Midrange?

Reply to
Karen_AZ

many years. <

I'm so happy for you, Karen!!

Carol in SLC My newest creation (12/5):

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Reply to
Carol in SLC

Sounds like a great holiday and now you will be primed to make great stuff in the New Year!!! Sarajane

Sarajane's Polymer Clay Gallery

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Reply to
Sjpolyclay

I have a Minor top. I usually use just one con with the top burner, and both with the bottom burner, but if I want to do small boro I run both with the top burner for a very concentrated flame. I don't *want* more fire power, but I've been idly wondering just how much "hot" I could get with three...

I got two on eBay for under $200 each, including shipping, and I figured that at that price I could replace one every six months (though I do expect to get at least a year out of each) and still be saving money. They each have about 25,000 hours, which I think is probably a lot even for a used concentrator, but you can get them with far fewer hours... it usually says in the auctions. There are a few eBay folks who sell these regularly and are *reputable*, and you can kind of tell who is who from both their listings and their feedback... and there's always Paulette.

My Airsep is a workhorse, but my Devilbiss prefers not to run in cold weather... go figure! :/

If I really wanted to splurge, I could buy two *new*, warrantied concentrators on eBay, still be paying less than an OG15, have more power, and not need a holding tank. The thing about the oxygen "generator" is that it's exactly the same technology as a medical oxygen concentrator, but with a little (only a little) more potency, and built for a differen market. I think the most bang for the buck is in the medical concentrators.

Reply to
Kalera Stratton

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