Page 1 of 1
(sorry for my English)
Hi, I'm Italian, in Europe there are different glass bending techniques between nations. European techniques are different from American techniques,
burners are different, and suppliers are different.
I would like to discuss with you to find the best among the various diversities.
Thank you very much

Hello and welcome to the guild!  I am always interested in the subject of tools and techniques from around the world and their origins.  Some time ago, I wrote a blog post on the subject of torch names and in that I briefly addressed some of the background of why the different techniques exist.  It is by no means complete, but may give you a starting point and some insights.  https://www.novioljourneys.com/?p=1435

Glenside, PA

Hi Gianluca. Yes, I have seen that neon making process is a little different over in Europe. Here in the United States, I think the process is the same throughout the country but I have noticed that different benders prefer using certain torches over others. I use a 5 point crossfire for all my double backs but other benders prefer to do it with their ribbon burner. I like to make all my splices with a hand torch, while other benders like to use the crossfire for splicing. I think trying out different torches and techniques to figure out what feels best to you, to help you do your craft well, is a good approach.

Washington DC

Hi! After seeing some neon studios in Asia, one unique thing I observed was seeing benders in Japan using a foot-pedal operated torch! I tried it myself but it definitely takes some coordination practice. It's interesting to see how they can make almost any type of bend with this one torch. Here in the US, I use a crossfire, ribbon burner and hand torch. 

The foot pedal actuated burners are still commonplace in scientific and other flamework shops. Even here in the U.S., there was a time when they were used in neon applications. One of my older ribbon burners has a foot pedal to go from idle/economizer mode to full-fire mode and similar valves were offered for crossfires as well.