Presses

[Megan]

Okay, I have a question..

Do you pre-press your shape to make sure it will fit in your press before you add decoration? What do you do when you have too much glass after you have added your decoration? What do you do when you don't have enough glass for the press to come out right..

I am struggling with getting the correct size after I add dots and such and taking some off will mess up the design and adding some will do the same..

??

[alexm]

With practise you will know just how much glass to wind on the mandrel for pressed beads. I've probably made over a thousand pressed beads and I hardly ever make a mistake in the amount of glass now. In the meantime here are some tips:

1. You can press the glass to check to see if you have enough glass before you decorate. Then you can either decorate on the pressed bead or heat it molten again and decorate.

2. If you have too much glass, get it all molten again and pull some glass off with your tweezers.

3. If you have too little glass, just add more.

4. When you are finished decorating your bead, take it out of the flame, and count slowly to 5 or even 10 (depending on the size of your bead) before pressing it. This will allow your glass to cool and stiffen before you press and will prevent glass squishing out if you have a little bit too much glass on the mandrel. It will also help to prevent distortion of your design. Press slowly and evenly. If you do end up with a little bit of glass squishing out, just fire polish it away.

[sleekbeads]

I think, partially that it's a trial and error thing.
To each his/her own as we shall say!

Personally, when I have 'too much' glass, I just re-heat it and it goes back into shape... but once you get the hang of it, you will rarely put 'too much' glass in it... you'll get very used to it.

Also, if I have too little glass... I just add more glass, reheat, repress until it's right. That works for me.... once you get used to using it.. you'll become a pro at it... you'll just automatically know how much you need.
Especially if you keep using it a lot. Trust me!

I make a slightly smaller bead than fits in the lentil before I decorate it.
Unless I want the decorations to stick out... then I just make the lentil as usual and then add the decor!

Another tip is, you can make a lentil out of the next smallest size than what you actually want... and then, after all your decorations are put on, try pressing it in the larger lentil... you'll be amazed at how easy that trick is!

GOOD LUCK... trial and error... practice and practice... I promise you'll get used to it!

Joanna