Shaping Bicones - Help!

[laurellanestudios]

Any tips on making bicone shaped beads? I'm following the directions in Corina's book which basically is to make a long barrel, add glass to the center then shape each side on the marver.

As with all techniques, I realize PPP is key but any tips to share? I'm struggling.

Thanks.

[dogmaw]

Kathy,

This one took me a long time, and mine still aren't perfect. PPP is all I can tell you. That and be prepared to squash the bad ones flat, cause we all know that mishapen beads look better flat. :lol:

[kbinkster]

Corina's method will work, but have you looked into Jim Kervin's book on Jim Smircich? It explains heat control and shaping using heat and gravity (if memory serves me correctly). It's a very good resource, at any rate.

[artbyman]

Try Val Cox's bi-cone marver, works great.

[Lisa Jordan]

Hi Kathy! While I am no expert at making bicones, I do make a lot of them. When I'm making an organic type bead I just build up the glass trying to keep centered, but not worrying about my ends at all. Then I use heat and gravity to pull my glass to the ends. I actually hold my mandrel vertically under (for the left side) and over (for the right) the flame to get the glass to pull down and form nice dimples. It also makes for nice movement in the bead. Hmm..I hope you understand what I mean... It's hard to put in writing! If you are making a bead with a design where you can't have all that glass moving around, then I would suggest making two tiny beads (w/dimples) spaced as far apart as you want your finished bead, then fill in the center evenly, marver into a tube...but remember not to heat your ends at all... Then build up the middle area, marvering as you go, just watch your heat and keep a light touch w/ marvering. I don't know if that is Corina's method, Val Cox taught me to do it that way. Of course, it would be much easier to tell you this in person and I could be wrong but I seem recall that you're in PA somewhere. A group of Pennsy people are getting together in New Hope PA on March 19 for the first time. Pm me for info if you're interested...Lisa

[laurellanestudios]

Thanks for all the tips. Will keep working on it!

I didn't see Val Cox's marver on her site? Will look again...maybe I missed it.

Lisa, sending you a PM regarding the PA get-together!

[alissa]

Watching Smircich Makes Beads made all the difference in the world for me. Suddenly it just clicked.

And... you can rent it from TVR for $15 instead of forking out the big bucks to buy it. Watch it a couple times & take notes.

[Cosmo]

Bicones are something I have been working on quite a bit recently. I watched every video I could, and read every book I could find. I have better luck building up the bead in the basic shape to start with instead of just adding glass to the center. Remember also to marver it several gentle times instead of one hard time. I usually marver mine 8-10 times per end to get the shape I want. It's better to take your time and go slowly than to go too fast and mess it up. Also, I work mine a little cooler than most people, so it takes longer.

[Judi_B]

I didn't see Val Cox's marver on her site? Will look again...maybe I missed it.

Zoozii sells the Val Cox marver. I'm still trying to get the hang of it. There is a tutorial for the marver on Val's WC forum.
http://www.zooziis.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=101

[IF-Designs]

I use my torch mounted marver...best investment I could have made as far as tools...It takes alot of practice...but I tend to put a barrel down first then build it up to about the approximate shape I want..I marver it to get the basic shape fire polish it then concentrate on getting the ends good. I use my lil dental spatula to help straighten up any wobbly ends....once I get them how I want I try to keep the heat away from it...and just work on surface design....

[debkauz]

The first bicone I made was perfect. It was the best bead that I have made so far. I haven't been able to make one since! lOL I am taking some very pricey classes at B%B this year and I think I am going to have to be ablet to do it. I need to get practicing! I'll watch SMircich's DVD soon.

[Veda's Beads]

I've been trying to make bicone for over a year and finally found the thing that works for me. I do the two small beads and fill in the center. Instead of filling in with a tube shape, I fill in with less glass towards the ends and more to the middle. Then heat and gently marver into your shape before decorating. This is remarkable easy compared to all the other things I've tried. (I even purchased a bicone marver, I don't think it was Val's, but I couldn't even get enough glass on the mandrel to use this marver.)

[kimberly]

All of the above methods work, and I have tried them all, trust me! Each method will give you a slightly digfferent type of bicone and can be used for different effects. I tend to use the gravity shaped bicone the most.
Here is another method. This is how I taught myself to make bicones:

Make a large round bead in the center of your bead release, just as though you are going to make a big, round focal. Be sure it is centered. Add a slightly smaller round bead on either side of the big one, almost touching (you have three round beads on the mandrel so far). Besure to center these two without loding the shape of the first one! Add another two slightly smaller round beads on each side of the previous beads, again almost touching. Be sure they are centered. You now have five round beads on the mandrel, big one in the middle with smaller ones on the sides, graduating from largest in the middle to smallest at the ends. Now focus flame into the space between the beads and heat until the "beads" melt together, using care to maintain puckered ends. Do not put a lot of heat into the outside of the last two beads as you do not want to lose the shape of the ends. Do this for all of the beads on your mandrel, keeping everything centered and avoiding bubbles. When all of the "beads" have melted together, a little marvering should give you a nice bicone shape, narrow at the ends and fatter in the middle with good ends. I hope this isn't too confusing!

Jim Smircich makes the best bicones ever. I highly recommend his classes, articles and videos.

[one-eared pig]

thank you to all of you for these great suggestions. i've also been working on bicones, and my persoanl struggle is with the ends. i can't wait to try them again next weekend!

[wendbill]

Kathy,

This one took me a long time, and mine still aren't perfect. PPP is all I can tell you. That and be prepared to squash the bad ones flat, cause we all know that mishapen beads look better flat. :lol:

LOL. That's what I always do to my beads that just aren't going anywhere where I can save them!

[laurellanestudios]

Can anyone relate to this? Time at the torch is so precious that I hate spending it trying something newand risk having nothing to show for it!

Guess I need to "schedule" some time just to work on new techniques such as making bicones.

Again, thanks for you help. I'm taking it all in.

[dogmaw]

Well I just made an interesting discovery. For the past month I have been working with Satake. It is much softer than moretti, and I've had to learn to be much more gentle. Today I was in a black and white mood, and went back to morett. It was so stiff! Bicones and barrels popped out with the greatest of ease. So my advice is to learn to do them with the softest glass you have, then switch to harder and they will be a snap! :D

[Lisa Jordan]

Jo, that is a really good point! I usually use a transparent on the ends (usually black) because it's stiffer, holds shape better. I'm going to have to try your Satake!

[Lizabeads]

Try Val Cox's bi-cone marver, works great.

Hell I've got that and don't know how to use it !! lol haven't seen a tutorial anyway... care to tell us how?

[Lizabeads]

Can anyone relate to this? Time at the torch is so precious that I hate spending it trying something newand risk having nothing to show for it!

Guess I need to "schedule" some time just to work on new techniques such as making bicones.

This is kind of what I do... I take the first 30 minutes of each session and spend it playing around with something I can't do. I think it has helped me..

[Judi_B]

Elizabeth, here's a link to the tutorial for the Val Cox marver:
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=301452