Frosting Glass Fishing Floats

Apologies if this has been covered before, but I have just obtained an onion jar fishing float, and I want to turn it into a lamp. What is the best method to 'frost' the glass?

They sell glass frosting spray in a can. You can also get a paint on type
in different colors, plus frost color.
You can find these at a hobby, craft, or hardware store.
Since you are frosting a jug you will need to frost on the outside
of the jug. If it has a net on it you will need to frost let dry
then spin jug in netting and frost again.
I saw a light in the Mai Kai that was frosted on the outside, and
it looked good.
BUT, Do a small part of your jug first to see if you like it.
After you do small part put a light in it to make sure you like the glow too.
If you don't. The frosting can be taken off with a razor blade.

Excellent. Cheers

kon, i have tried to do it the old fashoned way but i haven't managed to fit the float into my freezer...

Thank you....he's here all week

The best way is with a sand blaster. Local people that may have one...monument shops, auto parts rebuilders, industrial painting companies. Just turn the air down REAL LOW !

I got the frosting/etching "paint" at a hobby shop. It's a translucent white liquid. You'll see it. Then you just squirt it in and roll the jar around until it has covered the entire inside. Then I set it so that the excess would run out the top. After that, you just have to let it dry, which is tough since there is no air movement inside there. I think I set a blow dryer aimed across the top. The movement of the air over the top made for a suction to move air inside. Try some things and see what gets the air moving. Once it's dry, put a small light in it. I also put tape around the neck so that the actual bulb was not visible, just the light coming from it. The bulb and socket are up in the neck of the bottle. The translucent film inside makes the light radiate out nicely.

Wear gloves and eye protection, please be very careful when frosting glass with those gels and liquids.

Glass frosting products contain hydroflouric acid, it penetrates into the skin easily and will cause terrible deep acid burns. After it gets into your system it becomes very toxic. One drop in your eye will blind you.

Please Be Careful using anything contianing HF

[ Edited by: captnkirk 2006-10-31 04:47 ]

On 2006-10-31 04:43, captnkirk wrote:
Wear gloves and eye protection, please be very careful when frosting glass with those gels and liquids.

Glass frosting products contain hydroflouric acid, it penetrates into the skin easily and will cause terrible deep acid burns. After it gets into your system it becomes very toxic. One drop in your eye will blind you.

Please Be Careful using anything contianing HF

[ Edited by: captnkirk 2006-10-31 04:47 ]

The stuff I used is not etching acid, but just a paint or finish. No harm to the skin.

double post.. oops

[ Edited by: beachbumz 2009-10-04 10:54 ]

Aloha Ohana...
I'm planning on frosting this ball I just got and was wondering how good the "paint frosting works... not sure I want to try and get it sandblasted or use acid on it.. how does the paint frosting hold up??

mahalo's

BB

Why do you want to frost it at all? Most of the Float Lamps look best when you can see the character and imperfections of the glass.

And, heres a dirty little secret of the restaurant biz..... all those fish float lamps you see in restaurants and bars, the ones that are frosted like, they are fakes made to look like fish floats.

So if you have a 'real' glass float, show it off in its 'real' state. Instead, get a frosted bulb, or paint the frosting stuff on a frosted bulb. See how the light value works in your bar that way. Make a tube out of parchment paper (NOT wax paper) and put the bulb inside that, see if that difuses it enough for you. Sprinkle Baby Powder over the inside of the float to give it some age.

Or, go the other way and get one of those 'old-timey' looking bulbs where you can see the loopy filament in the center and use that. Like this or this

[ Edited by: Chip and Andy 2009-10-03 08:05 ]

Look at the thread above yours, I believe that was covered .

[ Edited by: 1961surf 2009-10-03 12:30 ]

I just like that "glowing" look of the glass floats that are frosted I guess.... I tried it with just the light inside and it didn't do it for me...thanks though... off to the hardware store to buy some rope to recover it...
I'm sure this has been posted already but here's some dakine instructions re-rope the float.. from:
http://www.olypen.com/elgato/ballnets.htm

[ Edited by: Beachbumz 2009-10-04 17:17 ]

I used spray 'frosting' and they look amazing. Both when lit up and also when just hanging there. I'd try that route first, worst case you don't like it and you can peel the frosting back off the floats.

On 2009-10-04 17:16, Beachbumz wrote:
I'm sure this has been posted already but here's some dakine instructions re-rope the float.. from:
http://www.olypen.com/elgato/ballnets.htm

Those instructions are fantastic!

Except for one thing......

If your using Hemp rope make your knots just a bit closer together than you think they should be. Once you get the glass back into the netting and put its weight against the rope it will stretch out a bit. Not a bad thing, but possibly disappointing when you look at it and then a few days later it seems to have 'sagged' a bit.

Yupp....I used the frosting spray on my float and it looks great. The only problem is that I don't have a light bulb in it yet and I'm not sure how the spray frosting will hold up with the heat of the bulb. Lemme know how it goes!

TikiGabe661 use a 40 watt frosted bulb and you should be ok.

On 2009-10-05 05:51, Chip and Andy wrote:

On 2009-10-04 17:16, Beachbumz wrote:
I'm sure this has been posted already but here's some dakine instructions re-rope the float.. from:
http://www.olypen.com/elgato/ballnets.htm

Those instructions are fantastic!

Except for one thing......

If your using Hemp rope make your knots just a bit closer together than you think they should be. Once you get the glass back into the netting and put its weight against the rope it will stretch out a bit. Not a bad thing, but possibly disappointing when you look at it and then a few days later it seems to have 'sagged' a bit.

Good Idea.. I like when the netting is a little tighter looking... I'll post pics when done...

does anyone know of a link to a, how to video on youtube or something and how to do the rope tying on the floats ive seen written but im more a visual learner any help would be appreciated.