Sorry I'd this has been covered before but I have checked the best I can.
I have been encasing beads for some time now but still cannot do it consistently - I get some minor bleeding usually one end of the mandrel. Now I am not sure if its simple my eyesight that lets me down or whether there is something I am missing but I strive to make perfectly encased beads ....with some help.
The method I use is as follows:
Make a small bead and marvel it into a cylinder
Wrap transparent glass over paying particular care to the ends
Press glass using marvel and apply more glass again more around the edgers
Marvel again into a thick barrel shape.
Heat the centre of the bead to get a nice round bead.
If anyone does it differently can you share your technique.
encasing is still my nemesis too ... grrrr
Add an extra wrap at each end only over the clear then tilt the mandrel as you are heating and angle the flame at about 8 o'clock on the left side and 4 o'clock on the right side. Do each side slowly and let each side harden up before you do the other. Are you at FO - I'd be happy to show you.
Kazx
Thanks Kaz, I will be at FO. I have done it this way but I seem to get done excess glass "'spilling" down onto the mandrel making a sharp unwanted spike at the end of the bead!
I'd love to watch too please Kaz, i'd love to be able to encase something evenly!
:)
I have two methods of encasing.
For a smallish, round bead I heat up a blob of clear and then swipe it all the way around the bead in one go, then add a small wrap near the mandrel at either end.
For anything bigger than about 10mm I use lateral encasing - smearing the clear along the bead and pushing out any bubbles. I would then add a wrap to both ends.
To stop bleeding I use a brass pokey tool to actually push the clear glass down onto the base bead as close to the mandrel as possible. This seals in the base. I might tip the mandrel to help with shaping but I don't usually need to.
I mostly try and encase in the way Shirley describes too. I find it easier to do thick encasing, I definitely need more practice at getting a thinner layer of clear!
When I first started trying to make encased beads I found the free tutorials on Laura Sparling's website quite helpful.
http://www.beadsbylaura.co.uk/BBLDownloads.htm (http://www.beadsbylaura.co.uk/BBLDownloads.htm)
:)
Problem is I have tried all of these but I still notice the heart is visible at the ends albeit only a very small amount but I am trying for consistent perfection and presently I can only claim 50-60%. Kaz I would love to come and watch you at FO, you may draw in a crowd so bagsy being at the front :D.xx
I've only tried encasing a couple of times, and the results were quite comical. So thanks for the link - its very clear, I'll give it a try. And I would love to watch a demo at FO if one happens on Friday.
I use the 'get a large gather sloppy hot and drop it on' method, wrapping around the equator of the bead, then I use an edge tool (stanley plane blade) to push glass toward the mandrel at either end. If I didn't get enough glass on at first, I add extra wraps, like wot Kaz sez.
Sean
Oooh can I watch too please - I'd like to see all methods! :) I usually wind round thick stringer, pushing it down with something as I go, with an extra wrap at the ends. It's fairly successful but never perfect
Oh Kaz I think you might have a crowd!
:D
I love encasing!! I have to work really hard not to encase everything i make!
I use the "round the world method", and encase the bead from left to right, then go back and add two wraps of clear at each end of the bead, then melt in one side at a time by pointing the flame at the mandrel to coax the clear right down over the sides and up to the mandrel.
The key to not smearing is to wait to make sure the core is really cool (no glow) before you start, then get your hot good and runny so you dont have to apply much pressure to get it on there. I also use Zephyr because it's so soft you don't even have to try particularly hard to get it moving.
I can't encase, my efforts are shocking, looking forward to the FO :)
Don't forget next month's Soda Lime Times is focussing on encasing - another good reason to subscribe :) :) Out 15th April....
There are quite a few ways to encase - you can dump encase, swipe horizontally, coil it on, dot it, zig zag it on.....depends really on what you're trying to encase. I would use a horizontal swipe I was making a cylinder and I wanted a thin encase or I still use dot encasing for flowers as it won't drag the florals out of shape.
I agree with what has been said on here - use a razor, cheap old kitchen parer or a brass stump shaper to "feather" the encasing down to the bead holes and sometimes heating towards the holes will encourage glass to flow towards the holes.
One thing I discovered with coil encasing - it seems to make a difference in which direction you go - i.e. I used to coil encase left to right but it took me years to discover that I get a better result going from right to left!!
At the risk of SHAMEFUL plugging I do have a DVD which covers five types of encase. You can get it here. (http://lampworkbeads.co.uk/userimages/procart8.htm) (volume 4) ;)
Sals DVDs are great. I bought all of them and still go back to them from time to time. They cover basic beads to creating implosion pendents.
Watching Sal actually doing encasing and talking you though it is better than trying to following it in a book.
Ruth
Sewnthing
Hmmmm I'm taking this all in, thanks for all your input. The only thing I have not tried is (wearing my glasses) is going from right to left. Will give this a go and see if I can get the consistent results I strive for. See some of you on Saturday round Kaz's torch!