First lentil tool / bead press - which one to get??

[Kaz]

Received my combination press from Sandy (Spheres of Glass) this morning (less than 48 hours from ordering) and I can say it is ab fab as I have been messing with it all afternoon! A bit tricky to learn how much glass to put on to get the shapes right but I am starting to get used to it. If you put too much in you can melt the edges back in to the shape anyway.
Now I curious as to whether if you want to do frit ones you melt the frit into the unshaped bead and then press it or vice versa. Also, when decorating a pressed bead, how do folks avoid losing the shape when heating the patterns?

Thanks
Kaz

[spheresofglass]

Kaz,

When making a bead using a press and you wish to decorate it with frit (and as someone who is totaly in love with Sams frit!) you need to add the frit to the glass prior to pressing, make the mass of glass slightly smaller and then roll the pre shaped glass in the frit and melt it down, then try pressing it, if the bead is too small you can always melt it back into a round and add more frit and then press again. 

You must remember that the frit will melt down and add to the mass of glass making it bigger, you will get used to it over time, all is not lost if you under guess the amount you can always melt it back down and add more frit then re press.  If you add to much you can mel the glass down again and pull an amount of glass of the bead like you would pull stringer and start again.  You'll get some interesting paterns in the serface of the bead but you'll soon get used to the sizes required.

Best wishes and enjoy

Sandy

[Kaz]

I'm lovin' it!
Thanks for the tips Sandy 
Kaz