Time saving spacer making!

[melzip]

How many spacers can you jam on one mandrel?

Even, continuous heat so they dont crack!

It saves me lots of time and mandrels doing it this way.

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[ellyloo]

Do you do them one after the other in a row?

[KEW]

Wow, you're good. I've never done more than 5 and prefer to do no more than 2. But then I stress a lot over little beads, they have always been very hard for me.

[melzip]

Yes. Doing them next to each other works great because the heat is there, and makes it easier to keep the beads warm while moving down to make another.

[melzip]

Wow, you're good. I've never done more than 5 and prefer to do no more than 2. But then I stress a lot over little beads, they have always been very hard for me.

I dont think I can do anymore than 8. I start getting nervous. hehe..

[Raven Wylder]

Wow!

[Miss Kate]

Any tips for us that are in the Perfect Bead Exchange? I have to make 5 spacers all the same size, perfectly centered! Why, oh why did I sign up to torture myself? :lol:
Cause I'm anal and want to improve.
I've made 5 spacers on a single mandrel before, typically lose 1 to cracking, and clearly not all the same size. So then I try adding & taking away glass to even them out. Still haven't got it.

Miss Kate

[melzip]

Wait until each bead is cooled to the point where it's not glowing, before you start the next one. Once each bead is even and level, you should try not to get it glowing again or it will distort. Keeping it warm can be done without getting it orange. Sometimes while one bead is still orange and melting down, i'll flash the other beads. Some of the radiant heat is even enough to warm two beads next to each other. Just keep flashing the mandrel from left to right, in long passes. If you continue turning the mandrel while as you're shaping, it should keep everything still, so as not to distort.

Hopefully that's not confusing. :)

[Miss Kate]

Thanks! Nope doesn't sound confusing at all. Now if I could just get my hand, and my eyes to work in sync with what's in my brain!

Miss Kate

[melzip]

Once you do a few, it'll be a cinch! :biggrin:

[Miss Kate]

glad you have the faith Girlfriend!

[Dia-T]

The most I ever did with out loosing one is 9. usually is 5 or 6 depending on how much bead release I dip.

[Sherry]

I can do six. But they never look that perfect....geez.

[Bev.B]

I sell packets of 10 spacers at our major bead shows in Aus. so I make thousands. I try to make 5 packets of every colour (except the really expensive). I make 8 to 9 normally, up to 12 with EMS per manrel.
With normal glass I keep the rod in the flame, once I have made a bead I NEVER GO BACK, just keep adding beads along the line. As I make I move the new bead to the side and by the time it has cooled sufficiently the rod is melted enough to make the next.
For beads that need to be flashed - when I make the third in the row I go back and flash no 1, make no 4 flash no2 etc.
If I'm on a roll and all goes smoothly I have no breakages. If I stuff around now and again (Losing my rhythm) I see that the third bead I made in the series maybe cracks in the kiln. I don't worry what's one or two in a few hundred.
Bev.B

[Tobias]

What do single color spacers like this sell for generally each or a set of 6-10 for an unknown glass maker if they are made with good quality?

[melzip]

Maybe $1.00 - $2.00 each. Some may charge even more, depending on size. The ones I made are about 6 X 9mm, and I charged I think, $1.00 each.

[playswithfire104]

I can't get more than 3 on a single mandrel and then I usually lose one. Sometimes when I make 2 I still lose one! Especially if I'm using BE. I will not chance more than one BE bead per mandrel.

[bubblebabeuk]

I do that to, must be coz I'm short of mandrels, most I managed was 9 I think but I tend to be held back only by the bead realease area! I have yet to loose a spacer bead doing this as well!
I had a bash at doing proper beads in multiple on one mandrel, more tricky I did them in tandem in the end, see my avatar! that looks cool, and not one breakage either!

bugger wrong avatar!
one sec will attach a pic instead!
DOH!

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[maisyjoe]

Hi Everyone
I made a bunch of spacers last night, as it seems this is the only thing I can do pretty well!
So my tricks are:
The gather on your rod should be the about size of the bead you want to make. I make a small footprint on my mandrel and immediately pull up and let the glass flow flow like a little waterfall down while turning and not stopping at all!
Once you have used most of the glass (enough to have gone all the way around or you will have an uneven bead) take it from the flame and let it settle all the while turning turning turning.
While all this turning is going on, I am heating my rod up for another gather to make the next bead. Once your bead has lost the molten glow you can start your next bead once your gather reaches the size you need.
NOTE: This is the only time you can stop turning your mandrel when you put your footprint down to start your bead! But once that footprint hits that mandrel start that turning!
YAY now you have two beads and are ready to make that third one... but you say... what about the other two they are going to break... are you still turning that mandrel??? The trick here is the second you have your bead made in the molten state and pull it out of the flame letting it "settle" you start "sawing" back and forth starting with the first bead you made up to the next to the last bead you just made (of course all the while turning turning turning) and keep flashing it in the upper part of the flame. So while the bead you just made it settling the other beads are keeping nice and warm and won't shock off.

Turning and sawing, turning and sawing make that your mantra.... (well that is mine anyway seems to work for me)

As stated in another post.... Don't ever go back! I found when I don't have a large enough gather that doesn't go all the way around is when I have a droop, when that happens, I just finish it off, ignore it and go on to the next one.
I have tried to make this clear, I have never done this before, but as I made all of these last night I had in my mind what I would say. I hope this helps. Let me know if I can be clearer in some other way! Here are pictures of the beads I made.
I started out with 7 the first one, then 8, then 9, then 10. When I went to the larger mandrel they were all either 8 or 9. You can do this! Honest! Now does anyone want to clean these?

Molly:waving::waving:
(sorry my pics are huge this is the first time i have done this)


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[Miss Kate]

Damn Molly! You Rock Girlfriend! I'm gonna try it this weekend. I think you hit upon the key here - size of melted gather = size of spacer.

Thank you, thank you!

Monkey kisses for you! 119195

Miss Kate

[TeresaRB]

Good Golly Miss Molly! I wanna eat them! Those are awesome. Teresa

[Lara]

Molly, I'm impressed!

[AKDesigns]

Dang you all impress me! I think the most I've done is four but then I rarely make spacers because I hate making them.

[nagibeads]

WOW! I bow to all your spacer abilities!! I am in awe!!
I gotta try this!
thanks!!:koolaid:

[melzip]

Very nice Molly!!! You know how many mandrels would have been sticking out of your kiln if you had used one per bead???

Nice job! :biggrin:
Melissa


Hi Everyone
I made a bunch of spacers last night, as it seems this is the only thing I can do pretty well!
So my tricks are:
The gather on your rod should be the about size of the bead you want to make. I make a small footprint on my mandrel and immediately pull up and let the glass flow flow like a little waterfall down while turning and not stopping at all!
Once you have used most of the glass (enough to have gone all the way around or you will have an uneven bead) take it from the flame and let it settle all the while turning turning turning.
While all this turning is going on, I am heating my rod up for another gather to make the next bead. Once your bead has lost the molten glow you can start your next bead once your gather reaches the size you need.
NOTE: This is the only time you can stop turning your mandrel when you put your footprint down to start your bead! But once that footprint hits that mandrel start that turning!
YAY now you have two beads and are ready to make that third one... but you say... what about the other two they are going to break... are you still turning that mandrel??? The trick here is the second you have your bead made in the molten state and pull it out of the flame letting it "settle" you start "sawing" back and forth starting with the first bead you made up to the next to the last bead you just made (of course all the while turning turning turning) and keep flashing it in the upper part of the flame. So while the bead you just made it settling the other beads are keeping nice and warm and won't shock off.

Turning and sawing, turning and sawing make that your mantra.... (well that is mine anyway seems to work for me)

As stated in another post.... Don't ever go back! I found when I don't have a large enough gather that doesn't go all the way around is when I have a droop, when that happens, I just finish it off, ignore it and go on to the next one.
I have tried to make this clear, I have never done this before, but as I made all of these last night I had in my mind what I would say. I hope this helps. Let me know if I can be clearer in some other way! Here are pictures of the beads I made.
I started out with 7 the first one, then 8, then 9, then 10. When I went to the larger mandrel they were all either 8 or 9. You can do this! Honest! Now does anyone want to clean these?

Molly:waving::waving:
(sorry my pics are huge this is the first time i have done this)


61257

61259

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[maisyjoe]

Damn Molly! You Rock Girlfriend! I'm gonna try it this weekend. I think you hit upon the key here - size of melted gather = size of spacer.

Thank you, thank you!

Monkey kisses for you! 119195

Miss Kate


Thanks
i have had LOTS of doggy kisses but never monkey kisses
now my life is complete LOL :lol::lol::lol:
molly

[barbaracollins]

You are all wonderful!! I am aspiring to do five on a mandrel.

[Miss Kate]

Thanks
i have had LOTS of doggy kisses but never monkey kisses
now my life is complete LOL :lol::lol::lol:
molly

You know it! Glad I could help! :grin:

[lavendar420]

Damn! I feel good if I get 5! You all rock!