Frit Challenged - Please help!

[TexasGramma]

Having read all the posts about how wonderful frit can be and looking at the gorgeous beads, I placed an order with Spiraldance and bought several jars of this magic stuff.

Bottom line: my beads are ugly! Just rolled and melted, the frit stays in "dots" and the beads look spotty. When I try to marver it, it just seems to smear and the colors turn muddy. What am I doing wrong? I love the 'swirly' look on beads but can't seem to achieve it. What am I doing wrong???

Also, how do you get the frit up onto the shoulder of the beads? Mine seems to stick to the equator, leaving the ends blank.

And I thought this would be easy.....
Can you please give me some tips???

[preciousbeads]

ohhh lucky you with Spiraldance glass (I have been wanting some of those pretty colors!) What torch are you on??? The reason I ask is because I just switched to a hotter torch (Mini CC) from a Hot Head. With the hot head it was impossible to get the swirl effect because the glass just did not get hot enough. My beads with the hot head were just dots melted in. I was shocked when I saw the colors swirl in front of me for the first time as the HOT HOT bead moved (This was on the hotter torch). I am no expert though so I am sure others will have a better answer for you. Good luck!!!

Melanie

[Cosmo]

You just need to get it hotter. Get it hot and the rest will take care of itself.

As for getting it up on the shoulder, you need to get your frit pile deeper. Use one of those curved frit trays or something similar. That way you can dip the bead in deeper.

[DesertDreamer]

My favorite FAVORITE tool for applying frit is a little silver souvenir demitasse spoon. It's just the right size for most of my beads, and the shape allows me to tilt the bead into the frit. I just hold the spoon over the jar and let the excess fall back into the jar. Um, actually I use the nifty aluminum watchmaker cases (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=44948&cat=1,43326) from Lee Valley. I use the 70mm for Val's large jars, and the 53 mm for everything else. Lots more room to work in/around and the edges won't melt. :-o

The swirling happens with heat, though you can also get it good and melty and do some raking or side-shifting. It's especially fun with a contrasting glass stringer.

[DawnT]

I just use stainless steel measuring spoons with a coffee filter underneath to catch the excess. Then I just pick up the filter and pour it all back in the original jar.

A couple of tips for "swirling" your frit.

1. Roll your bead in frit and melt in. Then gently heat your bead up until the glass starts to droop. Turn your mandrel slowly around until you get the results you like and round it back out again.

2. Roll your bead in frit and melt in. Heat a spot on your bead, take a stringer and poke the hot spot and twist. Pull bead out of the flame and blow on the bead where the stringer is and the stringer will break off.

3. Roll your bead in frit and melt in. Heat a spot on your bead and take a rake/poker and move the glass in the direction you want. Gently heat the bead up again and reshape.

Hope that helps 8-) .

Oh I forgot to add that marvering your bead will move your frit around also. If you're marvering alot to shape a bead though, be careful about burning it as some frits don't like the constant reheating.

[lunamoonshadow]

You *can* get swirlies on a hothead...it just takes more time...that's all!
I use a soupspoon that I bent the handle on so it sits like a little tray flat on the table as a frit holder to roll my bead in--that makes a nice "bowl" to get lots of frit on all of the sides of the bead...nice & deep :)
Patience to melt it in...be sure it's good & hot, roll in frit, melt it in, & re-dip for another good dip to get some more...melt that in too..then get it good & hot & swirl!...but yeah, it takes TIME if you're on a hothead...but that's cool, it's like meditation....watching it melt...very soothing....

[Mustang Dawn]

Don't Frit, You'll get it. Be one with the frit :) (just kidding) Great Frit Tips Here for you to follow.

If you need Frit Ideas you can go to my Frit Testing page on my website. Just click on the jars of frit for pictures and how too's.

TTFN, Dawn

[TexasGramma]

Ya Hoo - I am doing the Happy Dance! Thanks to all of you who responded to my plea for help. The suggestions worked! I heated that rascal bead until it was as droopy as grandma's....drawers, and it did indeed 'swirl'. Now I will confess that on the hothead it seemed to take fo-evvvvvvvver. But it was worth it. I put my frit in those little aluminum triangular thingees used to sort beads and mounded it up. Then I got my trusty Toronto souvineer spoon for doing the shoulders. (Isn't it amazing how much weird stuff ends up on the torch table?) Bottom line: the spiraldance frit is just beautiful when it is used properly. Thanks again to everyone.

[DawnT]

Woot! Gratz!

[xtweeksx]

Desert dreamer, thank you for that tip........ I found some in the uk an ordered a couple of doz, they are really handy!

Jenny:-D