Bead Shaping

Elisenda · #1 2010-07-28, 1:53pm

So, I'm very new to Lampworking, and I love it. A friend lent me a hothead, and gave me a little glass to play with, along with a a few mandrels and some bead release, so I've been able to jump right in.

But I don't have much of a budget for my new obsession. What little I have will likely be spent on gas and glass.

Which means no tools for me for a while.

All I have for tools currently are a few pair of random tweezers/ pliers, a sharp pointy tool, and two small graphite paddles.

No shapers at all. So while I am starting to get decent results with shaping rounds in the flame, and I can make an ok barrel fairly easily, that's about all I can manage. I have some ideas for beads I'd like to try that would require a more flat/ lentil shape. But so far getting anything like a well shaped lentil has eluded me.

I've tried to look for tips threads involving shaping, but haven't had much luck. Does anyone have any advice, tips, etc. for shaping using just a graphite paddle and/ or tweezers?

Thanks!

LyndaJ · #2 2010-07-28, 2:23pm

I've seen people use spoons to help with the rounded shape. or two spoons to get more of a lentil shape.

Three Muses Glass · #3 2010-07-28, 2:24pm

At Target and/or Bed, Bath and Beyond they sell (or used to) small stainless steel ice tongs that will make a lentil shape. They're maybe $5 or so. Lots of stainless steel and brass kitchen tools make great lampworking tools and can be found at garage sales and goodwill too.

SadiesJewels · #4 2010-07-28, 3:33pm

With your graphite paddles you should be able to make bicones, cubes, and even flattened tabs - use some washers between the paddles. The handle may get into the way, but hang the end of the table and tape down the graphite part. Place your warm bead between the washers (find 1/4" thick or combinations of) and that should help you get the bead evenly flat.

cgbeads · #5 2010-07-28, 3:41pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Three Muses Glass

At Target and/or Bed, Bath and Beyond they sell (or used to) small stainless steel ice tongs that will make a lentil shape. They're maybe $5 or so. Lots of stainless steel and brass kitchen tools make great lampworking tools and can be found at garage sales and goodwill too.

What she said. That's what most of us started out with. Shopping around kitchen departments is a great place to start. Puts a whole new spin on the answer for a clerk who asks if she can help you...

Here's a great thread for you.
http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=127665

-D

tammydownunder · #6 2010-07-28, 3:55pm

I went 3 years before I bought a press. Improvising is often much more fun. Head to a kitchen store or department and go wild with the stainless steel. An ice cream scoop makes nice large barrels and holds frit and stainless steel measuring spoons have a nice round shape. Head to your local welding shop and buy a piece of tungsten. Cut it in half and then glue it into a piece of pre drilled dowel and you have a fancy pick.

Buy with a friend. Split a package of stainless steel rods from the welding shop and cut up your own mandrels. Share the postage for your glass order. Split frit, silver foil etc...
Check out your library for glass books.

Watch the garage sale here for a while to get an idea what prices are going for before you jump into the deep end. Also, figure out what shapes you really like. About the only shapes you can not achieve with a couple of graphite paddles is a lentil and the crunchy. Plus, presses aren't as easy to use as you would think. You have to have the perfect amount of glass wound around your mandrel to get the exact shape.

Read everything you can and spend your money wisely. Cheap imported glass might seem too good to be true. Wait for a sale on the good stuff from the USA, Italy, Germany, China or New Zealand. As a newbie, stick to the same COE. 104 is the most common and, hence, often the most economical.

Best of luck.

Elisenda · #7 2010-07-29, 10:38am

Some great ideas, thanks for the advice, and the link to the other thread.

Elisenda · #8 2010-07-29, 10:50am

I'm loving the homemade tools thread! Some wonderful ideas there...

alb6094 · #9 2010-07-30, 6:07pm

I still use a graphite paddle and stainless steel to mash. I have a piece of stainless steel on my workbench. I just lay the hot round bead down on the stainless steel and mash it from the top with the graphite marver - it reminds me of squishing play-doh, lol. Takes a little practice but you can get some really big, thin, flat beads that way. It's important to have your bead balanced (hole in the center and not caddywonkers - that's a techy beadmaking term BTW, caddywonkers) before you mash it.

Also, find old stainless steel butter knives, they're great for moving glass. Ditto old solid brass letter openers when you can find them. I have an old solid brass statue of a lizard with indentations in it's back and I mash beads on that to give them texture. Basically just think stainless steel and solid brass and then grab anything you can find made out of those to use on your glass.

Inventive glassworkers are inventive.

Nitadee · #10 2010-07-30, 7:26pm

Goodwill's, St. Vincent De Pauls, A.K.A. "goodie" stores are all a super good way to go also! For little to next to nothing, you can get things like Cheese Knives! These are awesome for lines, indents, tapping down dots, etc.! I have a pie server too that I use a lot. And as the other mention, stainless steel butter knives! Almost everyone has a razor tool laying around, even the cheapies from the dollar store work well! Good luck and welcome to the addiction

Hugs,
Nita

Lisi · #11 2010-07-31, 2:31pm

Since you are so new to this, those are all the shaping tools you will need for a while. Mastering the basic round donut bead is the most important first step. along with practice making those you can use the graphite paddle to shape barrels and bicones.

If you don't already have a handheld parallel masher, I would get one of those so you can make tab beads. Take your time and learn with these basic tools first. There are so many things you can do with them, so there is no need to worry about lentils and other brass press mold shapes right now.

Lisi · #12 2010-07-31, 2:36pm

Oh, I highly recommend getting a Cattwalk Crunch tool for your first brass press when you are ready to move one to those types of tools. It's the easiest shape to learn. You can also get the same shape from Zooziis Kalera XLong. I believe Corinabeads.com has the bead squeeze too, so you have those three to choose from for essentially the same shape.

Shrimp · #13 2010-07-31, 4:36pm

Here is a great thread to read:

http://lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127665