What tools are you using?

[FireLilyGlass]

I haven't made many focals... just beads and sculpture. I want to do focals, both flat that taper at the ends and cylinder with tapered ends. What are the best tools to get? Can you post pictures of the shape you got with the tools?

Thanks!
Erin
Firelily

[Cosmo]

The only tools you need are a torch and a flat marver.

[evolvingBeau]

All you need is some mashers and a handheld marver for most shapes aside from the pressed lentils etc. These two things will give you long flattened beads, cubes, tabs, bi-cones, cylinders, tapered cylinders, cones etc.
You can use a torch mounted marver or graphite table pad, and another marver to mash between also, but most people like to squash stuff at eye level to see the progress and not over-mash..

I don't have any pics handy of flattened beads but if you wanted a long flattened bead (like a surfboard shape) you just make a long tapered bead with the marver and flatten it..
Here's a couple of beads made with a simple marver..like this one..heat what you want to shape and roll away..ppp
http://www.frantzartglass.com/index....oducts_id=4448

[FireLilyGlass]

Ok! I will give it a shot. Does the same go for the cubes? The ones I have seen look so perfect and I have tried mashing cubes with marvers and they are always more than wonky... any suggestions?

[evolvingBeau]

You can make nice cubes with parallel mashers like the BBQ mashers or the tweezer mashers (can only make smaller <11mm cubes with the tweezer mashers)
Like the ones on this page
http://www.arrowsprings.com/html/mashing_tools.html

Shani used the tweezer mashers for these...(not the tiny mini-mashers) BBQ mashers are nice for bigger cubes and larger flattened beads/tabs etc.

Make a round bead, let it cool a bit, heat briefly to soften the outer glass, mash carefully once, then heat the other two sides evenly turn 90degrees and mash once more.
Simple enough, just takes some practice.
Just try to be as even as possible from laying down the glass, to heating to mashing..careful not to pull left or right when you mash or your cube will be uneven with one sharp hole and one nice puckered one, rather than two puckered holes.

[scoutycat]

I really like my stump shaper for doing bicones and tapered beads (and actually just about any shaping) - it's not required, but it sure helps!

[Sherry]

My favorite tools are needlenose pliers, (ancient but beloved), a big old hunk of raw brass for a marver, and my Jim Moore press. Stump shaper is pretty handy too.

I only use my graphite marver to hold silver foil after the application of a bit of spit.

[Sherry]

Originally Posted by Cosmo

The only tools you need are a torch and a flat marver.

Well, yeah. Unless you ever want to poke, or rake.

[evolvingBeau]

The brass stump shapers are great for all sorts of things but I prefer graphite marvers for simple roll-shaping of cylinders, bi-cones, torpedos etc.. Brass is neat for dragging surface designs due to it's "grippy" effect but if you want to shape a bead that already has a design and you don't want to distort it, graphite is more ideal for this.

[anne225]

Based on the fabulous work of Sherry and Kim I would take their recommendation as gospel!

[Cosmo]

Originally Posted by Sherry

Well, yeah. Unless you ever want to poke, or rake.

The original poster was asking about shaping bicones and cylinders, not raking or poking.

[FireLilyGlass]

Beau... Those cubes are fabulous! So are your beads.

Are you guys also just using a marver to make rolo beads? I haven't been successful at these yet either. I have a small paddle marver and tried rolling them against the side and my technique must have been off.

Do they make a torch mount marver for the Barracuda? Do you know where to get them?

[Cosmo]

What is a "rolo" bead? But, I never use any other tools than a marver and the torch to shape my beads, so I'm pretty sure whatever a "rolo" is it can be done with just those tools.

Generations Glass has the torch mounted marver for the Barracuda in either a standard or L configuration. I much prefer the L shape.

http://www.generationsglass.com/Torch_Accessories.html

Go down to the UTM - Universal Torch Marver and then select Barracuda and either standard or L.

[Tink]

Originally Posted by evolvingBeau

The brass stump shapers are great for all sorts of things but I prefer graphite marvers for simple roll-shaping of cylinders, bi-cones, torpedos etc.. Brass is neat for dragging surface designs due to it's "grippy" effect but if you want to shape a bead that already has a design and you don't want to distort it, graphite is more ideal for this.

Exactly!

So many people don't realize that graphite and brass marvers have completely different functions, due to the material qualities Beau mentioned.

[Sherry]

My marver is solid, 1/4 inch thick brass, it's about a foot long, and three inches wide. I don't think it's intrinsically less functional than graphite when rolling a bead into shape.

[Tink]

Not less functional: Differently functional.

Graphite glides smoothly on the glass. Brass grabs the glass.

[Sherry]

Originally Posted by Tink

Not less functional: Differently functional.

Graphite glides smoothly on the glass. Brass grabs the glass.

I hear ya. But I use it to roll. I just like the weight, coolness, and smoothness.

It took me the better part of a day to bring down the surface to mirror-smooth, and it's a lovely tool.

[evolvingBeau]

Erin, I'm not sure what you mean by a rolo bead either..do you mean a cone? (Rolo chocolates are kinda cone shaped, maybe that's what you mean?)
Cones are done with a plain marver too. You just need to place the glass right to help the shape along..make a cylinder, add an additional thick coil of glass off center heat and roll at an angle.
Torch mounted marvers are awesome, especially the L marvers, they're right there, they're pre-warmed by the torch (just allows for a little bit more shaping time) and fast since you don't have to pick up a tool while your glass is cooling.
OTOH I like to be able to shape beads at eye level to more closely monitor the progress..I'm just more comfortable making things like cones and bi-cones this way. Turn your paddle inward and point it at your face so you are on a viewing plane with the marver, then it's easier to see and square things up..

Sherry it's not that brass is "less" functional, it's just performs differently and is better for moving "surface" glass, the differences between the interactions of brass on glass and carbon/graphite on glass are very different.
Graphite marvers don't grab the surface glass the way brass ones do. They're both smooth and can be used to do the same things but, graphite is a slippery surface for hot glass where brass is quite the opposite. If you roll your bead on a brass marver and the motion of your hand matches the speed that you turn the mandrel you will shape a cylinder etc without distorting the surface designs.
Ideally you want to do shape beads the same thing on a graphite marver but it will be more forgiving and won't pull on the glass as easily, allowing for a little bit of "peeling out" or spinning in place on the paddle.
There are just things that you can do with brass tools that you cannot do with graphite.

[evolvingBeau]

Tink hit you with the short and sweet while I was rambling on
I'll add that graphite polishes just as smooth in minutes It is a bit messy to do though I'll give you that.

[FireLilyGlass]

These are rolos...

[Sherry]

I feel as though I'm caught up in a circular discussion, lol. I'm aware of the different properties of these materials.

I do enjoy making my own tools though, even if they're not traditional, so to speak.

[Cosmo]

Originally Posted by SteveandErin

These are rolos...

Yeah. You can make those with a regular marver.