Does anyone *sell* silvered stringers?

[aoturoa]

Just curious because I'm dire at making stringers as it is without wasting silver leaf attempting it.

[Mary]

You could try wrapping silver leaf/foil round bought ivory stringer and using it direct, withot melting it first, I've read of folk doing that. Apparently if you dampen the stringer the silver sticks fine. I know that silvered stringers are very brittle, might be hard to post.

[Trudi]

I have to say that there are so many different ways of making stringers – here's a way I like to make the "thicker" ones

Have a cup of water ready if you don't have one already

Heat up about an inch of an ivory rod – while it's still warm roll it on to the silver leaf/foil – and rub it with another tool just to make sure it sticks. Then heat it till it balls up at the end (like a pea)

Super heat the end of an uncoated 2.6 mm (thicker) mandrel  - when it glows attach it to the ivory – give it chance to all heat up

The slowly holding the ivory higher (about 45°) with the mandrel opposite and lower – give it a couple of seconds and pull a little apart to gauge how thick it be (this just takes practice) – start to pull – pulling a little faster as it cools


I then usually flame cut the mandrel end  while it's still warm – then super heat the little gather of glass that's still on the mandrel and quench in a cup of water to remove the glass – NB I keep these mandrels for the purpose of making stringers in this way as there maybe little bits of glass stuck to them that will ping off if you're not careful. If the mandrel with the small bit of glass cools down – just introduce this to the flame very slowly (if you do it too fast it will crack) – get red hot and quench.


To be honest – I'd try this before adding the silver just to get a feel for it. It won't waste much glass and sometimes you just need to practise!

Have a go!

[aoturoa]

You could try wrapping silver leaf/foil round bought ivory stringer and using it direct

That's a very good idea! *feels dumb*

shine-on - I know how to make stringers in theory, I'm just terrible in practice 

[Bumpy Beads]

shine-on - I know how to make stringers in theory, I'm just terrible in practice 

"Practice" would be the key word there 

[beadysam]

The trick to stringers is to take a deep breath and slooooow down!  Easy when you know how!   Gave you watched Corinas Stringer Control DVD?

[Trudi]

Sometimes trying different ways helps too - as does leaving it for a while if you get pi**ed off with it then going back to try again!

[DI]

Just curious because I'm dire at making stringers as it is without wasting silver leaf attempting it.

Hi Helen
Youre not a million miles away - come on Sunday 7th and we'll get you doing silvered stringers or failing that make you some to take home... (Mnm would help you loads on sat 6th)
x
Di

[Kaz]

Sometimes trying different ways helps too - as does leaving it for a while if you get pi**ed off with it then going back to try again!

I struggled with this for a while and my stringers were either 10 feet long and so fine they just evaporated or about 3 inches long and not much thinner than a rod  It is just PPP Helen - and plenty of it, I'm afraid! It is very frustrating when your ideas and aspirations exceed your technical ability and I'm pretty sure everyone on here feels exactly the same no matter what stage they are at. You could try applying foil to a bead to get a similar effect and then placing transparent stringers or dots on top which gives a great effect. I have to say that having now been doing this for very nearly a year - it certainly has its highs and lows and then sometimes things just click. As Trudi suggests, a back to basics approach will give you more confidence and more knowledge of the glass and how it responds - which is essential for stringers and anything else more complicated. I'd say it took me 4 or 5 months to understand how to use a press - and I still don't always get it right!
Kaz

[aoturoa]

Youre not a million miles away

Where from?

[LittleMoo]

If you want to buy stringer i'd say Jolene was your girl. She has a shiny new banner doing the rounds on FH so you'll see it at the top of the page soon i'm sure. I know she advertises as making custom twisties so stringer should be a doddle for her 

[Lush!]

Youre not a million miles away

Where from?

Click the Studio 19 banner at the bottom of Di's post ...

[aoturoa]

I can't get her site to load for me Julie - must be my slow connection 

[Trudi]

Di's studio is in Leicester - round the corner from Fosse Park!

[StudioMarcy]

Aw come on, you can make them.

Cut your silver foil sheet in half (with the orange paper still on it, so it doesn't stick to your scissors.)

Fold it to the size of the gather  that you'll make with your dark ivory rod. (You can remove the orange paper now)

Heat your rod and get a small gather.  Marver it just a tiny bit so it's like a barrel and let it cool a bit.
Heat the glass just a bit, but not droopy hot and roll it over your silver foil, but don't put it back in the flame yet.

take your marver and rub the silver foil so it's stuck really well to your barrel gather.  Keep it barely warm.

Take another rod of dark ivory glass and gently heat the end and stick it to the end of your silvered barrel.
now while they're both stuck together with the silver barrel in the middle, gently head your gather while rotating it.

when it starts drooping and is evenly heated, take it out of the flame and wait.

and wait

and wait

and wait

Now start gently pulling.  Both hands and slowly.  You'll have a great stringer and be so proud of yourself. 

It will be lumpy because of the silver, but oh so satisfying that you did it.

Good luck!
Marcy
ps  If you need a little video, let me know.  I might be able to make one.

http://www.studiomarcy.blogspot.com