Mandrel implosion beads

[Bob Torbett]

I'm trying to make mandrel wound implosion beads. I have been able to get a few made, but I'm having trouble keeping the disk from falling apart. It appears that the layers of glass are not bonding and when I attempt to melt the disk in, it just falls apart. #-o What am I doing wrong? Any suggestions please? I'm using a HH if that makes any difference.

Bob

[Tanya]

Bob - when you say "fall apart", what exactly do you mean? Does it fall over? Or, do the wraps go in different directions. After applying the wraps, they need to be melted together enough so that the lines between them are gone. You can use tweezers to keep the disk shape from collapsing while you're doing this. I don't know why you couldn't do this on a HH, might take a while depending on the size of the disk. The thing you'll have to watch out for is melting the disk down when trying to melt the wraps together.

[donna322]

Hi Bob..I'm on a hot head also and these are a little challenging in the begining.Are you using clear? I've actually had better luck with a real pale transparent color. It sounds like you might be letting the main disc get too cool before adding on another wrap and/or not letting the layers melt together enough before adding on another layer. Its quite the little balancing act for sure!!:-k I would err on the side of having it more hot than cooler... and you can shape up the disc with tweezers as you go along. I also only made the disc a little over an inch instead of trying for the 2 inch disc right off the bat. They aren't as impressive looking but a heck of alot easier in the begining. Thats all I can think of at the moment...I'm about to go out to the torch and I'll do a few to see if I forgot anything. I hope I helped some:)

[Bob Torbett]

Thank you both. I think I may be letting the base cool too much causing the problem. The wraps seperate and pull apart. The ones that worked were made on my old Fireworks torch before it started acting up. The flame on it was sharper and more concentrated than the HH. I think I may need to turn the HH down some and work closer to get the wraps to bond. I'll keep trying. Thanks again.
Bob

[Tanya]

Bob - Disk beads are not necessarily that easy since you have to balance getting the bead hot enough to melt the wraps in with keeping the disk shape. I see pictures of some people's AMAZINGLY regular and beautiful disk beads and wonder how they manage it (I know, PPP). Anyway, I'm sure you can do it on a HH. I started on a HH and managed all sorts of things with it. There are plenty of people who work for years on a HH and make gorgeous beads. Check out the 2005 bead review - there's an example in it. I actually really liked it and only switched because, at my age, I couldn't afford to lose so much time waiting for the glass to melt.

[MistyCherie]

Mary Moth has a tutorial on these, not sure if you are using it or not. Just in case:

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4608

=)

[CharleneN]

Bob I worked for a little while on a HH but never tried this type of bead on it. The one thing that comes to mind is maybe you could melt the glass a little more as you are wrapping it. If it is too ropey then each subseqeuent wrap isn't hot enough to adhere to the one under it. Does that make sense? If you have lots of little gaps between the wraps I bet that would make it shatter on you. I know it's slow on the HH. What type of glass are you using?...specifically what clear?

[Palestrina]

Hi Bob:
It has absolutely nothing to do with your torch. It kind of sounds like your disk is thermal shocking but I'm not positive because of the way you describe it. As you make a disk, you should be holding the rod above the flame pointing down & "pushing" on each layer. (Not really PUSHING otherwise you'll break the realease. Your rod should be molten enough to glide on.) I'm not sure exactly what you're doing to wrap the glass around the mandrel to make a disk, however, if you're wrapping glass correctly, you should not have any gaps in between the layers. As you're turning the mandrel to wind on each layer, the rod you're adding glass with should be molten at the point where it is touching the previous layer of the disk. This is enough to melt these layers together. Honestly, if you're winding on glass & it's NOT melting together, I don't understand how the glass is winding on to begin with. Also, while you're wrapping the disk - if you're wrapping very slowly because you're practicing, be sure to stop & flash your disk in the flame so that it doesn't thermal shock. You can then pick up where you left off. Does any of this make sense? Hope this helps.

[Bob Torbett]

Thanks everyone. I think I have figured it out with your help and Moth gave me a few more tips that seem to have worked. I just did one before supper and didn't turn out to bad. I was holding the bead below the flame and trying to push the glass on it. Mary said to hold behind the rod in tha back of the flame when using a HH. The bead was not hot enough for a good bond with the next wrap.

As I've said before, This is a great group of people who are willing to help one another without question.

Thanks again

Bob