how do you make a spine bead

jammie · October 23, 2010, 10:08:19 AM

well I have searched here and looked in my books but cant find the answer. I would really like to have a go at one but cant work out how to do it.

Redhotsal · October 23, 2010, 10:21:11 AM

Very quickly:
Make a core barrel in a darkish colour - shape like a very long lemon. Marver until smooth.
Take a clear rod and add a thick spiral of clear from one end to the other. Don't let the coils touch each other. Alternately - add sepearate rings of clear around the core.
Melt in slowly. Don't marver or reshape - you want the clear to sink straight down into the core.
When smooth encase properly with clear.
Squash gently to emphasise the "spines".
Job done

Lush! · October 23, 2010, 10:25:50 AM

Bish Bash Bosh

fionaess · October 23, 2010, 12:10:51 PM

Its also known as a tornedo bead

kathsd · October 23, 2010, 04:58:09 PM

thanks for the nice simple instructions, I was thinking about giving one of these a go, and now I know how (rather than guessing! ) I'll head back to the torch and give it a shot.
Kath

Kaz · October 23, 2010, 05:21:54 PM

And for serious gorgeousness make the base colour a silver glass one!
Kazx

Blue Box Studio · October 23, 2010, 07:18:27 PM

Anyone have a pic of what these look like? Not heard of them before and being a newbie I like to know what the end result is supposed to look like before I tackle something new.

Shame I don't apply the same criuteria to my cooking - DH eats some strange things and sometimes asks 'is it meant to look like this?'.

Princess Peggy (Priscilla McGirr) · October 23, 2010, 08:10:37 PM

Thank you Sal.....I've been puzzling about how to do these for a while, now I can have a go. Pris

Teddie · October 23, 2010, 08:18:22 PM

There is a lovely picture of one of these beads on page 3 of this weeks gallery.

Dragonfire Glass · October 23, 2010, 09:03:15 PM

my avatar is a tornado bead

beadysam · October 23, 2010, 10:26:30 PM

Archived page of the Margaret Zinser Tutorial - no piccy here, but I have it saved somewhere if you are desperate?

http://web.archive.org/web/20080526012925/http://www.mzglass.com/twistytutorial.htm

Blue Box Studio · October 23, 2010, 10:38:35 PM

Oh wow! They are stunning.

Princess Peggy (Priscilla McGirr) · October 25, 2010, 06:15:13 PM

Well, I had a go and here it is! Thanks Sal for unraveling the mystery!

spine bead with Aurae by Princess Peggy1, on Flickr

awrylemming · October 25, 2010, 06:17:54 PM

I made two lovely beads, but neither survived

Perhaps because I used a frit base, still the next one will survive and now I know how - thanks everyone

All the beads are lovely, I've always liked this particular style.

jammie · October 25, 2010, 11:03:15 PM

Thank Sal!

Thats a lovely bead Peggy!
Mines were poop, but it was fun trying. My second one was better but cracked on the inside as i think it took so long to get the clear on.
Will try again though. It was fun making them. Thanks for the link too Sam.
It was your avatar pic that set me wondering how they were made Fallariel