shell beads ;-(

[flowerjasper]

help!
i have been making shell beads, but the frills keep coming off in the vermiculite!
am i making the frill too thin?
sandy

[saffie]

Sandy, sorry can't help you but thought i would make you chuckle instead. I made 1 shell bead and i was right chuffed with it not good but not bad first attempt. i showed it to my daughter who said oh dear mummy did that one go a bit wrong then!!!
I thought it looked just like a shell!!! kids eh!!! Hope you get some advice, maybe a picture would help!
Saffie

[beads-on-toast]

sounds like they are too thin, mine are usually 1-2mm thick and very close to the original bead, but i anneal as i go so i'm not sure if mine would do that in vermiculite

[Stacy]

the bead you made at mine went into verm Anna and it came out fine.

[beads-on-toast]

AH! yeah that's true....

post a pic and we'll have a look see if we can resolve this

[flowerjasper]

its happened three times, i threw the others away, this one broke the morning after!
i have one left for the swap which i will anneal and hope for the best!

[beads-on-toast]

which glass are you using?

Do you flame anneal through the whole bead again, it maybe getting too cold when you are shaping creating a stress on the thinned out glass...

not sure tho

[flowerjasper]

that one was pale pink effetre and 104 frit, but it happened with other glass,
will have another go tonight and make sure i warm it all through ,
sandy

[beads-on-toast]

Do you add the frill on after shaping the main beads? or do you scupt out the frill?

does that make any sense?

[flowerjasper]

i followed the tut that jo posted , and pull the frill out of the bead,
yes it made sense!

[beads-on-toast]

try making the frill a little thicker next time and give it a good old flame anneal next time.

HTH