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Old 2007-01-03, 11:05pm
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SadiesJewels SadiesJewels is offline
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Join Date: Jun 21, 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Default Sadie's puffy heart tutorial

First a disclaimer ... I used someones hollow bead cd to discover the easy way to make hollow beads - the method is not my own (Jim Smirichs I believe - cannot spell his name but the method is his). I believe the covered core is someone elses i saw on a forum and that heart part is mine (that is what I would like to claim) but may have been previousl discovered by others so i lay no claim to its originality.

Here goes!

1. Make a simple thin barrel bead about 3/4" long - this one was not quite finished and need a bit more heating and marvering before it was done.
this ensures that you will not have to spend an age trying to clean out your hollow bead. Despite all the methods around, this I believe is the best method to prevent a tedious job! However, the barrel can be seen though a hollow bead. I have not found it to be disturbing to buying customers!!!

2. Add thin discs at each end being sure to keep each end warm to prevent cracking.


3. Keep building up the discs until they are tall enough that you believe they will bend and touch each other. Experience will tell you when - they need to be quite tall!


4.Marver the edges of the discs in from both directions until they touch.



5. Add extra glass around the seam to be sure it is sealed


6.Heat until everything is well rounded ... fill any gaps immediately and be careful to keep moving or you will burst your bubble!


7. Add extra glass at the shoulders if needed (mine usually do - to prevent pointy holes)!


8.Using a brass marver crease the center of the "to be heart".


9. Heat the bottom of the heart until glowing, attach your rod of glass and gently pull to form a point. I like the point to angle sideways, but the choice is yours.


10.Warm the heart well before placing in the kiln for annealing.
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Last edited by SadiesJewels; 2007-01-03 at 11:16pm. Reason: Not finished!
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