Where now.

[ScarletLeonard]

Had this dwelling on my mind now for a few days, I've had my kit nearly a year now and want to make sure I am not missing anything.

I'm fairly confident at the torch now (few mishaps but who doesn't have them) and wondering if there is anything else I should need to know before I jump from newb making stuff to hey I'm a lampworker!

Pretty much a basic techniques checklist.

So I can..
Make a bead (obviously) nice puckers on both sides
Get uniform sized beads for a set
Add dots with a uniform size and fairly equal spacing
Do poked dots
Use a stringer to make lines around a bead
Pull stringers
Use a stringer to twist a bead without deforming it
Use a press (lentil, flower, tile and pillow so far.)
Use mashers and marver to shape a bead evenly
Encase (still a few bubbles but at least the layer is neat)
Add miliflori/murrini
Control a gravity bead

I think that covers everything I have managed so far (other then one vessel attempt at Colletes)

I know I haven't tried foil and wire in any beads yet nor have I used anything other than a rake (my lonely hand tool that has no friends yet.)

Are there any basic techniques I am missing?

[Redhotsal]

You sound very competent - I'm pretty sure I hadn't got that far after only a year!

Here are some more avenues to explore:

Have your tried making your own twisties/wigwags and murrine? They're pretty straightforward.
And how about a hollow bead or an implosion?
Can you do scrollwork using stringer?
Making bubbles using bicarbonate of soda?
Hand shaping without using a press - tabs, lentils, cylinders and hearts?
And if you really want to learn to control glass how about a foray off mandrel and create a pendant or a marble?

[Pat from Canvey]

Try blowing shards, great fun.

[chipperpottery]

O'h Pat you really should post your picture of your shard....it was awsome !

Rita

[Hules]

Oooh yes, try shards! I tried for the first time on Thursday - it was sooo much fun (if rather scary!)

The BIG misshapened one is a variety of DH. It had a blow out and was much too thin so made loads of tiny shards when I broke it.  The other two rounded ones  (SIS and a variety of twisties) were better, but then I tried to break them in a tin and they were rock solid!!  I totally couldn't break them I'm gonna have to get a hammer out! The less said about the one on the right the better...



This is the tutorial I used http://www.glassgirl.com/shards.html

Lots of fun, I just got some hollow steel tubing (6mm) from Wicks and got hubby to chop it up for me - worked a treat!

Julia x

[ScarletLeonard]

Oh what wonderful people you are.

Thanks Sally, I do need to reattempt twisties (did try once) but what on earth are Wigwags....
Hollow and implosion are ones I haven't tried yet so they are on the list of things to try.

I did try a bicarb bead the other day fun to watch the bubbles forming.

Handshaped hearts still illude me so PPP on them

Off mandrel...oh didn't think about that.

Pat, Julia. Will look into shards, I still have some that I was given that I haven't put on a bead yet so perhaps that should be the first thing to try.

See I knew there was loads I was missing

[Kalorlo]

Wigwags are a bit like twisties except they twist both ways! They look rather cool but I haven't dared try yet 

Sarah Hornik's got a quick tutorial here (there's a picture in the next post down) and I think her mandala bead paid tutorial covers them too?

[Phoenix*]

this is a great thread!

[Jay9]

Great link, thanks!

This is something I haven't tried either yet, perhaps after Xmas when Santa has brought some new tools to play with?   

[GaysieMay]

aaahhh - so that's how to make shards, what a great tut.  Thanks for posting, will def have a try a that!