Press Recommendations

[*rowanberry*]

Good words Kaz!

I'd get yourself a good masher, the coonvallyb is ace - that way you can do handshaping etc and learn good techniques for that - but press them into interesting shapes (ie an oval bicone when pressed makes a lovely marquis, a shorter rugy ball shape will give you a round tab etc etc).
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BEAD-PRESS-Masher-Polished-Faces-Affordable_W0QQitemZ150304338786QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item150304338786&_trkparms=72%3A1301|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14
(his other presses are very affordable and good, I have a fair few myself).
Get one of them and then a possibility of shapes can be achieved.
Other than Lentils, I am a big handshaper - it allows you to get a better relationship with glass and how it moves and behaves - essential knowledge when you start out in my opinion!

[garishglobes]

Coonvalley's hand-held marvers are nice for tubes and bicones too, and again quite affordable. But I'd get a marver first (one that you can shape on, not one of the hand-held bicone/tube ones). You can go a long way with a flat marver and a masher!

[aoturoa]

Unfortunately I can't buy from abroad unless I ask my mate to get something for me.

I've got my eye on Martin's HH mounted marver (try saying that drunk!).

And a load more glass 

[sublimekate]

What Kaz says is very wise indeed 

After I got my first lentil press I spent weeks making nothing but lentils, and when I got around to trying to make I round bead I couldn't for the life of me get two the same and had to practice all over again, and really think about what I was doing.

I got a thin lentil press and a tab press from Maria Louisa, the lentil press is fantastic, but I have to admit I'm still struggling with the other one and have shelved it for now, I obviously need to get a bit better before I have another go.

They're great fun though, but boy do some of them use a lot of glass!!

[*rowanberry*]

A handheld graphite marver is a must in my opinion - I have a torch top one but to be honest I rarely use it! BUT if you use it with your handheld one you have a masher But as has been said, i think a good marver and a masher should be your first tools
Shame you cant get stuff from abroad as I got a fantastic graphite marver for £5 on ebay once! Twas from the usa.

[Steampunkglass]

What Kaz says is very wise indeed 

After I got my first lentil press I spent weeks making nothing but lentils, and when I got around to trying to make I round bead I couldn't for the life of me get two the same and had to practice all over again, and really think about what I was doing.

I soooo agree!!! I felt it made me lazy, and when I tried making 'normal' beads again felt I had to re-learn everything! So frustrating.

I prefer mostly non press beading at the moment, but the one press I wouldn't live without is the triple straight spree from Sandy's Spheres of Glass - I've got to a point where I've used it so much it's too hot to touch! I love the chunky feel and neat edges you can get. I have a 'normal' triple lentil, it's easier to get the amount of glass right, but I hardly use it.

A marver of any type is a must! I have loads of bits of flat metal I use, although I still come back to the little double sided metal one I got from Tuffnells when I got my first hot-head beginners kit. I think Martin has them seperately for £5, well worth it too! If you do get a graphite maver don't drop it on the floor.....I speak from experiance! Doh!

[Soozintheshed]

Come to Carlisle and play with all mine, I have a few     It's only up the M6

Hm, I wonder if the OH needs to go up that way? 

Here is something to tempt you    I just bought another 11 presses from Dora, fun fun fun 

[clasicat]

Come to Carlisle and play with all mine, I have a few     It's only up the M6

Hm, I wonder if the OH needs to go up that way? 

Here is something to tempt you    I just bought another 11 presses from Dora, fun fun fun 

11  flipping eck sooz I think I will come up and have a play lol

[TheJanie]

I have one press - the only I've tried so far.  It's the square tile press from Cattwalk and with the benefit of hindsight, I wish I'd gone with the lentil - I think it would have been a much easier press to learn with...

[Soozintheshed]

Everyone welcome, kettle is always on

(Bring cake)

[deeko1968]

One question about presses is the lentil press the easy one to start with,
thinking of getting one soon.

would like the pillow or nugget press.

[aoturoa]

11  flipping eck sooz I think I will come up and have a play lol

Hey Claire, do you want a passenger? 

Pay half the petrol and most definitely take goodies. I make mean shortbread and scones.

[turnedlight]

I think straight sided lentils are easier still than lentils! I think the nugget is the easiest though, as it has a thicker amount of glass over the hole, so you don't get so many problems with it being even when the glass squeezes towards the holes. That's just me though!