Metallic Glass ?

Rosenquartz · March 18, 2009, 07:33:29 PM

I don't very often look at the beads on Etsy but I did today because I was talking with my mates at work about whether you could make a living making glass beads. I couldn't, but I digress... I saw some interesting beads that were trans green with gold swirls. I was wondering what the gold was because it wasn't aventurine as it was a smooth gold sheen. I think it claimed a "metallic" glass - but I cannot find it this evening.

I can find this http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22421862 and this http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22414215 and this http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_1&listing_id=22388567 that look similar.

I'd like to know more about fuming - could anyone add anything to the Wiki?

And has anyone used this Aurae glass - I found something by the same name on the DH site but it doesn't sound like it goes silver and gold.

Any ideas?

sparrow · March 18, 2009, 08:12:36 PM

Hi Neil,

fuming is one way to get a metallic effect, great if you want it on the whole bead. Easier (especially for stringer stuff) is using one of the silver-rich reducing glasses - I haven't done much, but trawled through my photos (forgive the pants beads in some instances!)

This rose is DH Triton, reduced.

I think these wings are Black Nebula (GT Glassworks)

Triton again:

There are others on here who do tons more silver glass than I do - no doubt they'll be along shortly

Jolene · March 18, 2009, 09:18:00 PM

The first, Shari Slonski's bead, *might* be reduced Dark Silver Plum (an Effetre Handpulled). You can get some great metallic effects with this glass on a HH

garishglobes · March 18, 2009, 09:24:51 PM

DH's Nyx goes very nicely metallic if reduced, and Aurae will probably give lovely gold effects - I know the odd lots it was kind-of based on do.
Neil, if you want to mess around with a couple of the 104COE metallic glasses, give me a shout and I'll stick a couple of odd ends in the post for you. They would only be scrag ends, but would certainly give you a taster

Trudi · March 18, 2009, 09:43:50 PM

the golden arms (1st one) base looks like it could either contain GT Mountain Honey or iris gold / amber green (see beady sam for the iris ones!)

but I've just tied the DH Aurae and it reduces very easily (I hope that Martin will stock this one soon!)

there's a tiny bit inthe murrini on this bead

Aion will probably reduce like it too!
Anouk / Troll Lover is a big user of silver glass and could probably tell you lots more!

Redhotsal · March 19, 2009, 12:38:13 AM

Looks like Reichenbach Iris Gold stringer to me, which is applied and then reduced.

The second photo isn't though - that's just ordinary raised stringer which has been fumed with gold.

Did you reach a decision on whether you could make a living selling beads?

I do just that - but - I can also make a fiver last a whole week these days.........

by the way - fuming is where you have a quartz rod with a little dimple in the top. In the dimple you put a small glob of either fine silver or 24kt gold. You hold this in the bottom of your flame at the hottest bit. The gold/silver will melt and start to vapourise and flow up the flame. You hold you bead in the flame about three to four inches up and let the vapour coat your bead.

The quartz rod is used so that you can hold your precious metal in the flame. Quartz rods don't easily melt.

You need REALLY REALLY good ventilation to do fuming as you end up with a lot of heavy metal vapour flying about in the air. This is really dangerous to breathe in.

squirsygirl · March 19, 2009, 06:48:40 AM

I have some shards, which I pulled into stringers.

I applied them, then really reduced them and they go the most beautiful gold / bronze. I can send you some to have a play with, if you like?

Kirsty

Rosenquartz · March 19, 2009, 07:22:45 AM

Quote from: Redhotsal on March 19, 2009, 12:38:13 AM
Did you reach a decision on whether you could make a living selling beads?

I do just that - but - I can also make a fiver last a whole week these days.........

Well I couldn't - fivers seem to just disappear from my wallet - consumed by kids or my toys! But our ours sums suggested you could - based on making a couple of dozen real beauties every day.

Kaz · March 19, 2009, 07:32:31 AM

A couple of dozen big beauties per day

That's a big ask! I had a special order the other day and managed to make 7 large beads in just over two hours but that was really going some. And then don't forget you have to clean them, photograph them, list them, oh and not forgetting actually then sell them (that equates roughly to 125 beads per week every week!) I think that's OK when your name is Sarah Hornik or Dora Schubert but you couldn't just do that from scratch, it takes years to build the skill and the profile to do that!
Kazx

Trudi · March 19, 2009, 12:20:50 PM

and you have to factor in time if you're making a set and one goes wrong ...........

Rosenquartz · March 19, 2009, 02:00:03 PM

... yeah, that's kind of what we thought - if you "could" make that then you might make a comfortable living but if you can't then you might need to readjust your idea of "comfortable".

Dee Dee · March 20, 2009, 01:32:32 AM

That's funny Neil, I was looking at those beads yesterday as well!

I made some gold fumed ones the other day - they are in this week's S&T. I really like the effect, although I am cautious about making them - I hope my ventilation is OK (seems to be), and I was wearing a fume mask.....I hope no-one with a camera catches me!

Also, I meant to say, there is a You Tube video of someone gold fuming a bead - that's what made me want to try.

Metallic Glass ?

squirsygirl