Swizzle Sticks

[Verre Manie]

Does anyone make cool swizzle sticks with things (animals, beads etc) on the top?

I have absolutely zero business asking this.... I'm so new that I barely make a bead that should be shown in public!!

But.......fools rush in:wave:

Verre

[Iwantonetoo]

I don't yet, but I have had a request for some. I'm not real sure what I want to do, so I look forward to any replies you get here.

Shall I make a twisted stick with a fancy bead? Animals, or boring lollipop? (I say animals like I have the talent to whip them out quickly)

[menty666]

I did simple clear with a colored twist on top and a ball of the same color at the bottom. I made some but lost one when it bent in the kiln. Ooops.

It's still usable, just not sellable. I use it for cocoa.

[acmegirl]

pictures of any that have been made would be great! People would use boro I imagine, right?

[Bruna]

I used to have a few, with horses, unicorns, roosters, etc. If I find them, I'll show a pic, I didn't make them though, I got them in a curio store around here

[Just Nancy]

I have some a friend brought home from Mexico. No clue if they were made there or in China.

I did some twisties with a ball on one end. I ran them through my kiln and everything but never used them. I wasn't sure if they would be ok since they were made with soft glass.

[LaurieBSmith]

I've made them...and it's fun. It's off-madrel work without the pain of transfering to another punty. I annealed the whole thing.....

Forgive the picture quality:

97396

97395

[menty666]

My only concern about doing them out of soft glass is that if they happen to be chilly for some reason and someone plunges them into their cup to stir up some hot cocoa (as I do with mine, incidentally) they run a slight risk of shocking and leaving more than just a tasty well mixed beverage. Of course I get paranoid hearing the boro ones slapping against the side of the mug too.

[LaurieBSmith]

In all honesty...I don't love them for actual use. I've never seen any ...mine included ...that I'd totally trust on a bar.

[Verre Manie]

Thanks everyone, for answering, pictures etc. A few people have asked me about making them....

I don't trust thin glass sticks in super hot or icy cold clanging situations.:biggrin:

I love the fish! Very cool


thanks again,

Verre

[menty666]

I don't think I make mine out of anything less than 4mm rod, good and strong. I vary the length though, shorter for cups and longer ones for pitcher sized rods. Due to the size of my kiln though the longer ones need to be annealed in two parts.

Pardon the lousy picture, it was just a quick snap. That's a blue heart on top of the longer one.

http://munkinarts.com/images/stix.jpg

[Dreamscapes Studio]

When I do them ... I use around a 6mm rod of Pyrex (or Northstar or whatever you prefer that's boro coe). I cut the rod about an inch longer than I actually want the swizzle stick to be. From that rod I put in the flame and make a ball on the end of it and then put it in the kiln.

Meanwhile, I make a sculptural something off mandrel ... like a bird or fish. Using hemostats, I reach in the kiln and grab the rod and lock them in so the rod doesn't slip and you get burned. Bring the rod end without the ball into the flame and heat up until it's "sticky" (all the while you are keeping the sculptural thing warm in the back of the flame) the heat up the bird or whatever bottom until it is sticky on the bottom ... attach the rod and bird together in the flame ... keep the "attachment" in the flame and make sure you have a good bond. Then pop the whole thing into the kiln to anneal.

Good luck and have fun!
Cheryl