Now you really will think I'm tight - uses for cracked beads?

[TiaraHelen]

I was wondering just how many gorgeous beads that cracked in half get thrown away every day.

I thought of fish tank decoration, cabs (if you're clever with silver) and garden or flowerpot mulch, or frit (if it's very expensive glass I guess it might be worth it).

Any other ideas?

[saffie]

clean the bead release out and slump them in kiln make cabachons!

[Amber]

I've laid mine out in a pretty pattern on the garden wall! 

[julieHB]

fire them up until rounded and scatter them among the gravel on your garden path - ever so pretty when the light catches them - just be aware of small kids picking up "sweets" 

[Steampunkglass]

I think there was another thread like this a while back, someone suggested making a nice beaded flyscreen curtain out of the duff ones that are still whole, which I quite like the idea of

[Soozintheshed]

clean the bead release out and slump them in kiln make cabachons!

Snap 

[TiaraHelen]

Perfect, thanks.  I've never done fusing so didn't even think of it.  So do I just put the beads through a "full fuse" program on kiln paper, or do I need a mould?  Once  I've got it sussed I'll never throw a cracked beadie away again (wish I'd thought of asking this question before!!!)

[hollergrafik]

I have made cufflinks from mine. Cleaned them, slumped and glued onto blanks for cufflinks.

[Sarah]

Perfect, thanks.  I've never done fusing so didn't even think of it.  So do I just put the beads through a "full fuse" program on kiln paper, or do I need a mould?  Once  I've got it sussed I'll never throw a cracked beadie away again (wish I'd thought of asking this question before!!!)

Yes - full fuse, kiln paper and no mould. But make sure you clean out all the bead release  And make sure that they are right at the back of the kiln to get an even fuse.

Sarah
xxx

[Redhotsal]

You can fix a broken bead with PMC!

[sandie]

You can fix a broken bead with PMC!

This is probably a daft question, but when you fired the pmc, would the glass not crack? I got a beautiful lampwork vessel that arrived with a tiny bit out of the lip. It occured to me that I could give it a pmc collar, but I'm worried about breaking the bead.

[Scubeadoo]

Perfect, thanks.  I've never done fusing so didn't even think of it.  So do I just put the beads through a "full fuse" program on kiln paper, or do I need a mould?  Once  I've got it sussed I'll never throw a cracked beadie away again (wish I'd thought of asking this question before!!!)

Yes - full fuse, kiln paper and no mould. But make sure you clean out all the bead release  And make sure that they are right at the back of the kiln to get an even fuse.

Sarah
xx
Not had my kiln long so I'm new to all this - Whats a full fuse? Is there a programme for doing this in a Paragon SC2?

Thanks

Marion

[xtweeksx]

I made some of mine into cabs yesterday - I popped them in along with some float glass I was slumping and they turned out fine 

You can find all the fusing/slumping schedules here: http://www.frit-happens.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=12.0

[Scubeadoo]

Thanks for that , didnt think to hunt around the forum a bit more