What is a window bead?
 

NEVER MIND

Question answered

Okay, so what WAS the answer?

oh!
Well.. take a mandrel, wrap a clear bead with perhaps a few squiggles here and there... cover it up with an opaque colour... anneal it, and then GRIND it down partway so you can peer through the 'window' at all the layers of the bead. Looks really nifty.

I would find a pic of this fo ryou but it's late...

I thought it was something else... and i was wrong, which is why i was confused. :)

Thanks Ellyloo. I've seen these before and know exactly what you are talking about.

Mona

You mean this one ;) :

http://www.patriciasantana.com/image.../Portholes.jpg

http://www.patriciasantana.com/Porth...d_Tutorial.htm

grinding
 

What do you use to grind it?
ann

The term "window bead" is also used for a type of bead that Michael Barley developed. He makes an interesting center of some sort, encases it in clear, and puts dots of very pale aquamarine on the surface and melts them in. He then covers the whole bead in silver leaf, burnishes it in, and burns it off (melts it in -- whatever you call what silver leaf does on clear). The clear reacts with the silver and turns yellowish but the very pale aqua does not, so you get little windows that let you see into the center. Very cool.

For the cold-worked type of window bead, you need a "flat lap," which means a lapidary grinding machine with a flat horizontal surface. They use diamond grinding/polishing disks of different grits for the various steps. You have to use water when you're grinding and polishing.

Here's a link to a page with pictures of some flat lap machines. (No recommendation or anything for these particular machines -- I was just Googling for pictures.)

http://www.gemworld.com/FlatLaps.asp

Here's a link to a page on Lauri Copeland's website that has a picture of some window beads that she's done, as well as some more complicated faceted beads.

http://www.wildfire-designs.com/focalbeads.html

Well in beads in general, a window bead is one that has its center exposed. Often it has a contrasting exterior and then the bead is "sliced" to expose the center. Here is an example of a more classic style of window bead...
http://artweardesignsinglass.com/ima...ages2/98_2.jpg

And here is a more exotic one ;-)
http://artweardesignsinglass.com/ima...ages2/10_2.jpg

Wow! Thanks for the tutorial Margriet!

Mona

www.ameritool-inc.com

They make the best lapidary machine for the money.

Gorgeous beads! Thanks so much for the tutorial. I was struggling with finding the perfect style of beads to make a necklace with for my mom-in-law. I'm thinking of lots of color and design possibilities now!

Muchos Gracias!