Frit-Happens !

Technical Forum => Studio/workspace/setup/equipment => Tools and Presses => Topic started by: Barnacle Bay on July 05, 2013, 08:01:02 PM

Title: Goddess Bead Press - How difficult are they to use - ?
Post by: Barnacle Bay on July 05, 2013, 08:01:02 PM
Hi folks,

Hope you all are enjoying the start to a super hot weekend - fingers crossed though far too hot down here for any torch work  :(

Anyway, I have spied a Goddess Bead Press and I am wondering how difficult they are to use, and if any free tuts are available anywhere?

Thanks in advance,

Lou
x
Title: Re: Goddess Bead Press - How difficult are they to use - ?
Post by: tinker on July 05, 2013, 08:48:00 PM
Never tried one tbh, found them easy enough to make without. Have a look for some YouTube video on how to make them by hand and have a go. I imagine having to fit it all into the goddess 'mould' would actually make it more tricky than by hand!
Title: Re: Goddess Bead Press - How difficult are they to use - ?
Post by: Les on July 05, 2013, 09:58:37 PM
I didn't even know they existed.  Tbh, my preference is for all goddess beads I make to be unique.  Lentil presses and such like are great for uniformity though :) That's just personal taste though.

They probably are easier to make by hand anyway :)
Title: Re: Goddess Bead Press - How difficult are they to use - ?
Post by: Les on July 05, 2013, 10:02:52 PM
Just out of curiosity,  have you got a link to it ?
Title: Re: Goddess Bead Press - How difficult are they to use - ?
Post by: Enchanted Cobwebs on July 05, 2013, 10:08:45 PM
I have one, they help shape but you still need to create. I found that I got cracks along the legs as the press doesnt allow enough glass but once you know that its nice to have a mould to drop your goddess into to keep bum on target. (wish I could do that with mine!) then build tum and boobs with a rest.

Hx
Title: Re: Goddess Bead Press - How difficult are they to use - ?
Post by: Redhotsal on July 05, 2013, 11:11:20 PM
A friend of mine had bought one and was struggling with it - actually - the bead ended up quite long and she was getting cracking as she couldn't keep all of it hot enough. I had a go with it - you have to sort of make a goddessy shape before it goes in the press. I didn't find it too tricky but it does take up a lot of glass and if you're a newbie to presses I certainly woudln't think it was an easy one to start with. It was a pleasing shaped goddess to end up with, but I'm with Les on this - can't see the point in churning out identical goddesses. I reckon the fun is in adding the anatomical bits and bobs free hand, so to speak. Can't remember where she bought it though.
Title: Re: Goddess Bead Press - How difficult are they to use - ?
Post by: Pegasus on July 06, 2013, 12:16:08 AM
Hi Lou, my advice would be to use your money to buy Teresa Laliberte's goddess tutorial. I saw her make her fantastic goddess beads at Flame Off a few years ago & I made my goddesses from just watching her. Give it a go, they're easier to make than they look!

(http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4055/4584456679_6fe34978c7_n.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/35302800@N02/4584456679/)
Niobe3 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/35302800@N02/4584456679/) by Pegasus Lampwork (http://www.flickr.com/people/35302800@N02/), on Flickr

(http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4040/4585080240_b6b98b6d7e_n.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/35302800@N02/4585080240/)
Isis (http://www.flickr.com/photos/35302800@N02/4585080240/) by Pegasus Lampwork (http://www.flickr.com/people/35302800@N02/), on Flickr
Title: Re: Goddess Bead Press - How difficult are they to use - ?
Post by: spexy on July 06, 2013, 08:58:13 AM
I had one and made these two beads with it.

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8143/7515926580_eae6835c00.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/77735282@N02/7515926580/)
Woodland Goddess (http://www.flickr.com/photos/77735282@N02/7515926580/) by Earthshine Lampwork Bead and Jewellery Design (http://www.flickr.com/people/77735282@N02/), on Flickr

(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5482/9222183926_0aabc74c7e.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/77735282@N02/9222183926/)
Angel goddess (http://www.flickr.com/photos/77735282@N02/9222183926/) by Earthshine Lampwork Bead and Jewellery Design (http://www.flickr.com/people/77735282@N02/), on Flickr

I had problems with the legs cracking on this one but as Helen says as long as you are aware of it you're ok.

I sold it because someone was looking for one and I didn't use it that much.

You can buy them from http://www.bavarianbeads.com/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=398 (http://www.bavarianbeads.com/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=398)
Title: Re: Goddess Bead Press - How difficult are they to use - ?
Post by: Redhotsal on July 06, 2013, 10:37:06 AM
yep - I think it was the Bavarian press that I used, too.  :)
Title: Re: Goddess Bead Press - How difficult are they to use - ?
Post by: arachnia on July 06, 2013, 11:19:52 AM
I was going to buy one but couldn't afford to it at the time I mentioned it on facebook and a couple of friends inboxed me a rough tutorial of how they make them  and I went from there.

This is my first one
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k247/wiccajasmyn/DSC04028_zps4fe2e761.jpg) (http://s90.photobucket.com/user/wiccajasmyn/media/DSC04028_zps4fe2e761.jpg.html)

This is the last one I did
(http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k247/wiccajasmyn/539936_10151502417502777_973116899_n_zps3a5fcb56.jpg) (http://s90.photobucket.com/user/wiccajasmyn/media/539936_10151502417502777_973116899_n_zps3a5fcb56.jpg.html)

Still a bit of PPP to be done I am glad now I didn't buy the press.
Title: Re: Goddess Bead Press - How difficult are they to use - ?
Post by: Barnacle Bay on July 06, 2013, 12:25:54 PM
Thank you ever so much everyone, great information, and stunning Goddess sculptures.

Les, the one I found was from Bavarian Beads,   http://www.bavarianbeads.com/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=398

Pegasus - thanks for the tut info I Will certainly give that a closer look.

I think I will try and make one by freehand first as the press is quite pricey and I worried about wasting glass, though I have read somewhere that that they should be heated up, I presume by placing it on top of a kiln and not inside it lol.

Thanks again folks  ;)

Lou
x
Title: Re: Goddess Bead Press - How difficult are they to use - ?
Post by: Redhotsal on July 06, 2013, 06:05:48 PM
You don't have to heat them up - although it helps to stop the glass shocking. Actually - once you've had the bead in the press for a couple of times it will probably heat up by itself. You will need to keep placing something complicated like a goddess into a press - I think it took me around four pressings to push the glass into all the shaped areas anyway - so by the time you finish it will be quite hot.
Title: Re: Goddess Bead Press - How difficult are they to use - ?
Post by: Barnacle Bay on July 06, 2013, 06:44:45 PM
Quote from: Redhotsal on July 06, 2013, 06:05:48 PM
You don't have to heat them up - although it helps to stop the glass shocking. Actually - once you've had the bead in the press for a couple of times it will probably heat up by itself. You will need to keep placing something complicated like a goddess into a press - I think it took me around four pressings to push the glass into all the shaped areas anyway - so by the time you finish it will be quite hot.

Yep I thought that might be the case though the shocking is what I would like to avoid, though my finances cannot stretch to buying one at the mo, esp when ones not working and cannot get any govement benefits  :(  I should not have worked so hard  >:(
Title: Re: Goddess Bead Press - How difficult are they to use - ?
Post by: the lady with the lamp on July 07, 2013, 01:22:29 AM
Hi,i think if you put goddess lampwork bead in at you-tube there is a tutorial,that wont cost you any thing,Parin.
Title: Re: Goddess Bead Press - How difficult are they to use - ?
Post by: Barnacle Bay on July 07, 2013, 11:50:22 AM
Quote from: the lady with the lamp on July 07, 2013, 01:22:29 AM
Hi,i think if you put goddess lampwork bead in at you-tube there is a tutorial,that wont cost you any thing,Parin.

Yes did that but found them not too be that clear plus they always over dub the video with some awful music  >:(

Made one last night and it has come out not too bad for a first attempt  :)
Title: Re: Goddess Bead Press - How difficult are they to use - ?
Post by: the lady with the lamp on July 07, 2013, 03:16:44 PM
 ;DYes ive seen it,i fancy a go now,Parin.