Hi All,
I have a dilemma. I need to make a long bead (stretched bicone) but I need the hole to go horizontally and not vertically. Am I missing something or is this going to be virtually impossible?
I tried a small one to experiment (am putting 'Dragon scales' on it) and ended up with a bit of a toothlike affair! :-\
Ideas and solutions anyone?
Thanks :D
So you want a bicone with a hole at the very top just going front to back? If I have that right I would start off with a small cylinder bead add a bit to the top, shape it and then add the rest to the bottom shaping as I work if I was adding blob by blob or if I added all of the glass in vertical stripes, building up on itself I would then melt it all together and shape in something like a spoon?
1.---- is mandrel () is bead.
----------( )---
^
^^
2..........( )..... ^ is additions to the top of the cylinder.
3. ^
^^
---------( )-------0 are the rows of blobby add ons.
000
00000
000
00
0
Shape in a spoon and decorate but you will have to remember to keep flashing the top part in the flame while you are building up the bottom part
The other way I would do it is the same as one and two but at stage three I would smoosh the bottom of the orignal cylinder bead, heat it and the top of the rod, attach the two, pull the rod down to the desired length then use the original pull to build up more hot glass on.
maybe i am misunderstanding your dilemma but doesn't the hole go horizontally on beads made down the mandrel ???.....
you could you make a bead at the far end,heat and let gravity do its thing holding the mandrel downwards so the glass flows down the mandrel then shape and neaten up the ends ...
or make like you would an implosion bead adding wraps to make a large disc then melt round so it kind of collapses on its self
but having read tans reply not sure i am on the same page ::)
Hi Sarah, Tan has it right....I thought that's how I would have to do it. It was all going quite well until I had to heat the blobs for the scales, then I lost the shape again...oh well, looks like it's PPP! Thank you! ;D
Strikes me as a bit ambitious ;D
I have to agree Kaz! I will get there in the end...or adapt the design! The offending artical....I am quite happy with the scales as it is only a test bead and like the 'organic-ness' of it but....
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6111/6231605582_3294901cae.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/31235634@N03/6231605582/)
009 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/31235634@N03/6231605582/) by quirkyatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/31235634@N03/), on Flickr
You could use mashers to smoosh it into a cylinder type shape and then you could round off any edges?
I am going to play with this more - what I am wary of, is manipulating it too much after the scales are on as I don't want to lose the pattern. Will have to be very gentle and very slow! :)
I think the decoration is going to be the problem, each dot and consecutive dot is going to require melting in and then the bead will need reshaping. I see you have used a base of ivory, that is one of the softest glasses to try and do this with.
Is there anyway you could use a stiffer glass as a base, say transparent blue that would hold its form better for you.
Either that or you could cut up rods and fuse the bead?
Thanks for the advice. I will try another colour.... could you elaborate a bit on the idea of fusing the bead? Do you mean put the scales on a separate rod (not on a mandrel), then fuse it on (holding it on a punty)? if I don't find a solution soon I will have to adapt the design somehow of the piece of jewellery completely! :o
I meant cut the rods to size, glue them together, leave to dry then spread the top with glue and add the decoration, I guess I would use a murrini cutter to get the intial base of the dot then I would sit a chunk of frit on top of that, melt the whole thing together and then drill the hole. Sorry, edited to add.........fuse in the kiln to clarify on the vague melt it together bit ;D
It would be flat backed this way though with the decoration on the front, you are essentially making a decorated cab and then turning it into a bead/pendant by drilling the hole.
Ah, I see! It's one solution, although I wouldn't be able to match the round beads unless I made them the same way...something to bear in mind though. Thanks! ;D
I saw a press for this shape once, with the hole where you want it, but I have no idea where ??? Sorry. But it may be worth looking?
Quote from: awrylemming on October 11, 2011, 05:03:12 PM
I saw a press for this shape once, with the hole where you want it, but I have no idea where ??? Sorry. But it may be worth looking?
http://www.zooziis.com/bi-conequad.aspx
Oh wow! Thanks, that would be perfect! Lets hope I do ok at the craft fair on Saturday! ;D
Quote from: princess pink on October 11, 2011, 05:41:53 PM
Quote from: awrylemming on October 11, 2011, 05:03:12 PM
I saw a press for this shape once, with the hole where you want it, but I have no idea where ??? Sorry. But it may be worth looking?
http://www.zooziis.com/bi-conequad.aspx
Thanks Shahlaa, you never let me down ;D
The other alternative would be to make the bead off mandrel, decorate and then make the hole wherever you wanted it using Peters tweezers. The final step would be to hold the bead at the hole end with tweezers and melt off the holding rod used to make the base of the bead.
Thanks Pat, I thought about that - don't have Peters tweezers. I might get the press. It would be easier for me at this stage - and then I could put it up for a swap around, I am sure a few people might like to try it out and I would like to try other shapes! ;D
Quote from: Kaz on October 10, 2011, 06:51:50 PM
Strikes me as a bit ambitious ;D
I think you have hit the nail on the head Kaz :-*
On second thought, what about making the bead as normal, annealing and cleaning the bead. Re-introduce to a cold kiln and heat up to 520C. Use a punty to take out and cover the bead hole top and bottom with glass of a toning colour. Make a loop at one end so that the bicone will hang vertically. Would that suit. It would save the cost of a new press.
Here's a very quick off mandrel bicone with a loop at the top.
(http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1426/5604171/22750186/398903168.jpg) I just grabbed the nearest bits of ends of glass.
It sounds like it will be easier to make an off mandrel shape then drill a hole - a loop doesn't fit in with the design of the piece of jewellery unfortunately....but because I don't want to compromise the pattern and the other (round) beads are to match, I am worried about this approach. It might be worth getting the press in the long run as it's a really elegant design overall. But there are plenty of ideas there to try for other bits and bobs! ;D