Lampwork Etc.
 
Send a PM to CorriDawn!

LE Live Chat

Enter Live Chat

No users in chat


Jelveh Designs - Glass Beads Torched One-by-One

Beads of Courage


 

Go Back   Lampwork Etc. > Library > Tips, Techniques, and Questions

Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 2015-07-29, 1:55pm
ccaronn's Avatar
ccaronn ccaronn is offline
Christine
 
Join Date: May 16, 2015
Location: Chatham, Illinois
Posts: 272
Default I am working on encasing...

Leaving the dimples exposed when encasing is a flaw, correct? Is there an affordable tool that I can use to push the clear glass to the holes? Then, if the core gets wonky when I'm encasing, that's also a flaw, correct? Are some colors in soft glass better for me to practice my encasing? Finally, what technique do you like when encasing - big gather or winding the glass or using a paddle of glass? TIA!!
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 2015-07-29, 2:51pm
ESC ESC is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 02, 2010
Posts: 3,370
Default

Yeah, dimples should be encased. Big PITA, but there ya go. I just use a cheapo Ace brand exacto knife; heat the encasing a little, push toward the hole with point or edge, either one.
On the core getting wonky issue, the trick is to heat the encasing just a little, just enough to get the surface moving, not the underneath layer, and push the glass to where you need it. It's a tricky dance.
I tried all the different maneuvers for encasing when I was learning and finally settled on the 'around the world' system, where you start at one side (I use left to right) and wind on till you get to the other side. Then you heat it in reverse, turning toward you to chase all the air bubbles out as you go (I go right to left).
__________________
ESC
Soft glass on a Minor/concentrator since 1996
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 2015-07-29, 3:17pm
Speedslug's Avatar
Speedslug Speedslug is offline
Phill
 
Join Date: Mar 21, 2009
Location: Winnebago, MN
Posts: 2,489
Default

Aye. It's the dance of waiting for the core to cool enough to solidify and then heating the encasing enough to move but not so much as to get the core soft again.

Then waiting for the core to cool again and reheating the encasing again.

Turning down the flame size can help put the heat just where you want it without bathing the whole bead.

Getting heat to the outer 'equator' is one of those 'heat it above the flame or below the flame' deals.

I find using a small mirror off to the side of the torch helps me better see when I am above or below the flame.
Its a trick I got from watching Bearfoot Arts youtube video ( the electric mandrel spinner guy)
__________________
The Zombie Apocalypse is Upon Us.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 2015-07-29, 4:11pm
ccaronn's Avatar
ccaronn ccaronn is offline
Christine
 
Join Date: May 16, 2015
Location: Chatham, Illinois
Posts: 272
Default

Much appreciated!
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 2015-07-29, 4:38pm
alb6094's Avatar
alb6094 alb6094 is offline
I'm kinda biz-EE
 
Join Date: Aug 08, 2007
Location: Arlington, TX
Posts: 3,610
Default Another way



Excuse the down and dirty illustration.

Here is another way you can try.

Make a barrel of your bead and decorate however you wish.

Put a stringer on each side of the barrel (represented by the straight lines)

Apply heat gently to the outside edge and the stringer will cover your base glass. Do this on both sides.

Fill in the body of the encasement with a back and forth swiping motion. Heat the ball of glass (about pea sized) on the end of the encasement glass, swipe one way - reheat another ball -swipe the other way, lather rinse repeat all the way around the bead.

Do your best to go all the way to the stringer on either end and lap the back and forth swishes over each other to prevent bubbles.

Note: When doing around the world encasement on a spacer shaped bead:
Apply your glass in a swish all the way around.
Touch up any area (like where you stopped swishing) that doesn't go all the way across the bead.
Take a stainless spoon or other curved stainless object and mash mash mash GENTLY as you go around the bead. This will press the encasement glass out to the sides.
Use the same spoon to encourage that mashed out glass to tuck into your puckers.
Practice, practice again, then practice some more.
__________________
Astrid


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
*
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
*
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 2015-07-29, 7:57pm
ccaronn's Avatar
ccaronn ccaronn is offline
Christine
 
Join Date: May 16, 2015
Location: Chatham, Illinois
Posts: 272
Default

I will give it a try, alb6094, thank you so much!
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 2015-07-30, 12:39am
Starrr Starrr is offline
a pox upon an idiot :..
 
Join Date: Jul 01, 2005
Location: in the real world...
Posts: 1,298
Default

Use a good soft clear, either of the Double Helix are fantastic for encasing and after you've figured out the way you like best to get the clear to the hole a CG bead roller will move that encasing around so it's perfectly even all the way around your bead. If you're having problems getting your encasing all the way to the holes a small stringer of clear dabbed around the hole, not touching the mandrel,will help round out the bead ends.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 2015-07-30, 11:29am
ROC's Avatar
ROC ROC is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 01, 2007
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 1,749
Default

Also, you want to get the clear as close to the mandrel as you can WITHOUT touching. Then use heat to pull it the rest of the way for a nice dimpled hole.
__________________
~Rachel

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 2015-07-30, 11:38am
ccaronn's Avatar
ccaronn ccaronn is offline
Christine
 
Join Date: May 16, 2015
Location: Chatham, Illinois
Posts: 272
Default

Thank you so much!
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 2015-07-30, 11:43am
Speedslug's Avatar
Speedslug Speedslug is offline
Phill
 
Join Date: Mar 21, 2009
Location: Winnebago, MN
Posts: 2,489
Default

I have to really emphasize the need to try different brands and types of clear as you are learning to encase.

The Double Helix clears are quite a different creature in the way the behave in the flame and although a bit spendy the change is huge.

We won't go into the "best clear" because that is a lot like politics; everyone has their own ideas of what best means.

But some clears are much stiffer and less cooperative with learning how to make it happen than others.
__________________
The Zombie Apocalypse is Upon Us.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 2015-07-30, 3:33pm
ccaronn's Avatar
ccaronn ccaronn is offline
Christine
 
Join Date: May 16, 2015
Location: Chatham, Illinois
Posts: 272
Default

I have Effetre and Zephyr and will heed your advice, Phil, thanks!
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 2015-07-30, 5:58pm
glvz glvz is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 22, 2010
Posts: 405
Default

When trying to move the glass to the edges with a tool I use a cheap paring knife and think of the glass as clay that is being manipulated. Don't soften it completely and move it a little at a time and then reheat and move again- I move all the way around the bead and then around again if needed.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 2015-07-31, 4:26am
Charmaine's Avatar
Charmaine Charmaine is offline
lurking on LE since 2005
 
Join Date: Sep 18, 2005
Location: williamsburg, va
Posts: 326
Default

Just be careful to really look at what you're doing pushing clear to the mandrel, I've had the results look like pinking shears were used-little triangles of "not encased" around the hole thinking it would all just move down together.
__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
J-55

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


Check out my Encasing and HOLLOW tri-color Tutorials in my Etsy shop-and my NEW encased, layered, feathered bead!

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 2015-07-31, 6:44am
AVTrout's Avatar
AVTrout AVTrout is offline
Bohemian Bead Peddler
 
Join Date: Feb 12, 2007
Location: Lancaster, PA
Posts: 1,206
Default

I use no tools when I encase except a marver. I put a clear wrap around the middle, melt it a little, marver it flat (but not melted in). Add a little clear to each side of the wrap, making sure I only put the clear on top of the clear wrap already there (prevents a joining line), then melt and marver flat.... I continue this until the clear is smooshed a few millimeters over the sides of the bead and then I melt one side at a time and use gravity. Sometimes I'll add another small wrap of clear over top of the clear that's already hanging over the side if I feel like it won't be enough clear to melt down and cover the base. I've tried manipulating the hot glass with a tool but I always tend to also manipulate the base layer of glass and booger it up. Gravity and marvering and of course, time. That's what works best for me!
__________________
Alexis

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 2015-07-31, 2:49pm
ccaronn's Avatar
ccaronn ccaronn is offline
Christine
 
Join Date: May 16, 2015
Location: Chatham, Illinois
Posts: 272
Default

Invaluable advice, thanks one and all.
Best group on the web.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump




All times are GMT -7. The time now is 6:46am.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Your IP: 34.230.35.103