Hello everyone.
I find that my unstable, shaking hands are a real hindrance in lampworking. Many dots I try to place end up somewhere else and it is difficult to wind the glass onto the mandrels at times. I especially have difficulty handling a thick mandrel (4-5 mm), since it is wobbly in my hand as I turn it. It can be really demotivating - I get very exited when I see bead types that I want to try out, but even simple ones are difficult to make just because my hands won't behave :( (I'm really struggling with the 40-bead challenge at the moment).
Does anyone else have trouble with unstable hands? Or had trouble in the past?
Is it a prerequisite to have stable hands or are there some lampworkers that have the same problem?
Is there still hope for me to become a 'good' lampworker some day? Will it get better with practice? Do you have any tips&tricks?
x Jeske
Firstly, making beads on large mandrels is hard for everyone. Its not just you. Mangobeads sell some mandrels that are large on the end, but smaller at the other end, so it's more like holding a normal mandrel. Here's the link:http://www.mangobeads.co.uk/glass-and-tools/mandrels-bead-release
If you have trouble controlling your hands, have you considered getting a creation station? They aren't cheap but a lot of people swear by them. Alternatively you might benefit from having some elbow rests.
Yes, I came across the term Creation Station today when searching for a thread similar to this one (couldn't find any though). I think it might work :) Don't know if there are any for sale near the Netherlands? I'll have a look at mango's mandrels, too, thanks.
Tuffnells sell creation stations
http://tuffnellglass.com/contents/en-uk/d28_tuffnellglass.com.html#p1213
I'm not sure where you are based, but they are great! Once I realised how much I liked lampworking I bought one. They're not cheap but if you use it a lot it's worth it.
You could see if you could get someone to make one for you, or ask if anyone is selling one ... you never know!
Why not start using a smaller mandrel - 2mm. You will find this much easier to use than a 5mm
Agree with everything the others have said and where there is a will there is a way, I have seen your beads in the 40 bead challenge and they look really lovely so don't give up x
Quote from: Yeske on September 23, 2013, 03:56:38 PM
Yes, I came across the term Creation Station today when searching for a thread similar to this one (couldn't find any though). I think it might work :) Don't know if there are any for sale near the Netherlands? I'll have a look at mango's mandrels, too, thanks.
Yeske, you can buy an Creation Station in Eindhoven, bij Artyco, and bij Kreageja maybe, or Jock's, or Sasiera or FritenGlas. You can Google the names just as I write them here.
These are suppliers that have all kinds of stuff voor glassbeadmaking.
I had the same problem to keep my hand stabilized, but since i bought the Creation Station, the problem is solved!
Dear English ladies, please forgive me for my bad English, I am Dutch.... :-[
I have the same problem. I have to work slowly and concentrate very hard when placing anything precisely. The creation station is a big help. It also helps if I drink less coffee, but I don't like doing that!
Petra, I am impressed that you answered Jeske in English at all, since you are both Dutch!!
I have the same problem and use a Creation Station but when placing dots I rest the tip of the mandrel on the head of the torch and my other hand (holding either rod or stringer) on my torch marver which doesn't seem to get hot, merely warm. It all helps but my dot placement is still a bit off. You could try putting some uncooked rice into a plastic bag and using that as an elbow rest. The rice makes it conform to the shape of your elbow.
I think that I created a bit of confusion about the mandrels that I use :P Currently, I use 2 mm mandrels for most beads. The remark about the 5 mm mandrels was because I noticed that my hands tend to shake quite a lot when handling those mandrels, which is why I prefer smaller ones now. When I'm good enough at lampworking to try making my own pandora-style beads, I will almost certainly buy some of those mango-beads mandrels that Helen told me about :)
Jay, I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one and that people with similar problems can cope with it. I've never noticed your dots being 'a bit off' so now I'm a little more confident that my dotty skills will develop with practice and a lot of concentration :) In fact, I quite like your dotty creations such as https://www.etsy.com/nl/transaction/85652366?
Pat: Hm that sounds a bit weird to me (I've only ever seen dots placed the way that Corina does in her book), aren't you supposed to keep the bead near the flame (under it)? Or is on top of the torch near enough that the bead won't cool to much? And where do you melt the dots on you stringers? Excuse my 'rude' english, I don't know how else to express my wonder about your method ;)
I already place my elbows on the table, but it is a bit uncomfortable because the most optimal place to rest them would be a bit more in front of the desk (nearer to me), where there is only air.. This problem would of course be solved with arm rests that stick out such as the creationstation, so I'll definitely keep a look out for those! The uncooked rice bags sound nice, too, because it will probably make resting the elbows more comfortably, though I haven't experience any pains or so yet.
Petra, you english is perfectly understandable to me ;) I knew about Sansiera and Kreageja and I recently found out about FritenGlas, but Artyco and Jock's are new to me. Thanks for mentioning them! I had a look and they sell the creationstation for 110 euros. And lots of other glassy things as well that I didn't find in the other webshop! Dankjewel :D
I use the elbow support bits of the creation station more than the wrist supports, and have wondered whether working in the angle of an L shaped desk would be an alternative. I think if you are just needing elbow support, you could fix something up with boards and G clamps, for much less cash than a creation station.
I wish that I had the space for that! I currently work at an old desk in a garage that is directly adjacent to the house and is otherwise used for storage and washing clothes (it's really packed with many things). But I think an L-shaped desk would really have worked though :)
I can recommend Jock's - Joyce is really helpful ;D
" Or is on top of the torch near enough that the bead won't cool to much?"
Yes, I apply a few dots, rewarm the bead then add more dots as necessary. You don't need to keep a bead under the flame all the time. I move the bead to wherever makes it easier to do what I want, particularly doing sculptural work or altering the shape using gravity.
I have trouble with my hands too, the creation station is a must, doing the rest on the torch marver thing a bit like Pat, I practice rolling the mandrel even when not torching to get my brain and hands working together, holding your glass rod and mandrel down nearer the flame rather than at the ends, getting the table and stool height good in relation to how you torch to give the best control over what you are doing! Hope some of that helps. :)
I took a class with Larry Scott when he came to Sweden earlier this year. He puts a wooden block on top of his torch marver like this to rest one or both hands on when placing dots. We got to try it too, and it really helps! I'll have to make one for myself, it's just a piece of wood with a couple of smaller pieces of wood glued to the underside at both ends to keep it in place. You can easily remove it if you want to. I've always thought it's a bit of cheating, but if Larry Scott does it, so can I ;)
(http://www.silvergrejs.se/images/woodenblock.jpg)
Thanks for that Noora. I'll try it and see if it helps me.
I am very impressed that you can make any beads, must be dreadful, and you can type far beter than me!