Long Day! First impressions was that this Glass shop down on Harstine Island doesn’t have much inventory of perfect tubular glass by Golden Gate Glassworks in Eugene. They are well supplied for lamp workers, not glass flute makers. They are really busy all the time. I asked about a source in Denver. I wasn’t there so much for the glass as the knowledge. Mike took the time to examine Robbie’s flute and appreciated the poster I made of Laurentian flutes. He said that I need to talk to Eugene (GGG) but to send me specs.. He regularly works with some of the Prague glassworkers and they can make tubing out of anything, not just Boro. I am kind of turned off by Boro - it felt too light (11% less dense) but it also doesn’t refract as much as the Leaded crystals and 104 glass. So I may be back to the Hot Shop scenarios.
Where will I put them? I decided to grab the other smaller pantograph mill as well. $1800 for both. I am realizing that this is about the base cost of a Covington Glass Engraving lathe before tooling. I will actually be able to execute the grooving and faceting of the surface easier and quicker with this machine and a good dividing head. Actually with either machine!
I might pour a slab just south of the woodshed and get a 12 X 18 metal garage put in. This would run about $10,000. I am also looking for an industrial space in one of the many mini-office parks that would have heat, power etc. $400 a month and it would cost me less for 2 years of rent and it is nice to be in a park surrounded by other craftspeople. There are some women who do Neon in one. Just around the corner is CB’s Nuts. (This has nothing to do with mine) But we have other Islands to talk about, including the one that had a hurricane run right over it yesterday,
Thus the current woodshed won’t have to be dismantled at this point and I can set up my kilns and other hot shop goodies. This might involve a glass lathe and torch for tube pulling.
Reality Check: On the way home a dear friend and I ran through my book selling scenario and he suggested that I plan it at the Nadir of my cycle. It will take me that long to work up a budget of what I need and its cost, when I will need it and how much I’ll need to live on - and building up a reserve as well.
(UPDATED) I am writing a book on Flute Making but I am not promising it as an exchange for donations to my flute making project. So simply send me money. I will treat this as income. You will get the satisfaction of helping a worthy cause. IF I finish the book I would like to send my donors a copy as an Ebook.
On the way home my new friend Mike was selling fresh Coho in Suquamish. I came back to pay him. He’s the guy that King5 always shows of the “Struggling Tribal Fisherman Hero hauling in his catch in the worst weather imaginable." Weather coming right up after this word from our Sponsors.” Next on the tube you see Alicia Silverstone asking if Horse Dewormer is right for you? Ask your Alternative Natural Practitioner”. I went to several of these who were convinced that I was going to die from Lyme Disease and I nearly did - from the treatments. All it was was simple Sleep Apnea. There seems to be a link between the number of Lyme diagnoses in town with the number of AMPs and Naturopaths who have never heard of Sleep Apnea (some probably suffer from it even) who declare their patients have it, based on a splitting toenail. The Dewormer is easier to drink with Koolaid.
Mike and I stood outside really enjoying each others’ companionship. He excused himself for a moment and brought out his amazing drum which is the size and shape of the Irish Drum and sounds just like one. He just gave it to me like that and it has an amazing sound that modulates depending were one plays it and with what. He makes these. Nancy and my friend Michael and I need a great drummer in that pitch for our occasional Galician band Os Terribles do Olympico
I might go out on the boat with him as a guest sometime soon!!! Wow! (I am not allowed to participate in the fishing except by eating it). I’ll bring a GoPro which will be under water, and my Gaita. He loves the bagpipes and said that the curious Whalie Boys should come right up to us as an audience. The fishing season just begun and he is firing up his smoker soon. Some is done without any brining!
Speaking of fish he recently saw a 6 gilled shark (Hexanchus sp.) that was 40 feet long and big enough to Eat a Honda Fit. Apparently they will occasionally swallow a snorkeler which explains why these go missing - and he knows someone bitten by one. Good luck sleeping tonight Lila after you read this! The females from all over the Pacific come here to have their babies in the deep water between Point No Point and Alki.
This year my Svoboda Peppers are perfect. The Heat Dome caused every blossom to fall off leaving 5-6 peppers per plant which is what one wants. Then. these blossomed again recently and there is a new crop that is about 1” or less in size.
Am too tired but for a few pictures and video links.
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