Help! I can't apply a murrini for the life of me!

[LampworkbyLori]

Hello! I've been pulling some of my own murrini and also I purchased some very nice murrini from Jet Age Studio on Etsy. I can get murrinis onto the bead, but after that everything falls apart.

I've tried melting in very slowly, light tapping, applying a dot of clear, etc. but they always flop over or smear.

I can apply the starburst ones no problem because I poke them in the middle to keep them uniform, but when I don't want to poke them - when I want the interior to show - I can't make it happen.

Any tips?

Thanks,

Lori

[Kevan]

What she said.

Somebody answer, please!!

[Lea Zinke]

First, I use very thin slices of my murrini (the thicker the slice, the farther it has to go into the surface). I barely warm it before applying it, instead warm the spot where it will go. Once in place, tap lightly, apply a little heat, tap again, and repeat slowly with only little licks of the flame until you have it seated down into the bead. Slow, patient, little heat is the key...

Good luck,
Lea

[Libby L.]

I agree with Lea. I also use a hot plate with a large piece of graphite on top, and pre-warm my slices so they don't crack or pop apart. Really helps a lot.
Slow is the key!

[Lea Zinke]

Yeah, Libby, I've got the Aura warmer, which is great for larger and/or thicker slices. But I've gotten so that I can slice them sooooo thin with the diamond saw, that they don't need pre-heating and actually behave better. Thin is the way to go, less distortion as you seat the slice into the surface.

[Kevan]

So, thin is in. Maybe that's my problem right there.



In more ways than one.

[Libby L.]

Ohhh Lea tool porn!! I need to see this diamond saw and where can I get one? I have a Harbor Freight right down the street from me? Can I get one there?
Give it up girlfriend!

[Lea Zinke]

OMIGOSH, the saw is the best! It's by DiamondTech, I bought it in Vegas along with a flat lap grinder, after my first Glasscraft Expo show. They were the demo units from the show. After the show, I asked how I would get them shipped. Haha, they laughed and said they'd just take them home with the rest of the booth, and I could come and pick them up. Turns out DiamondTech is in Tampa, right across the bridge from me!!! They even taught me how to set them up & use them!

It's in the studio or I'd shoot a pic for you. But, I just told someone else that I'm sure Delphi carries it. I use both all the time...and literally I cut my murrini wafer-thin. Lovelovelove it.

FYI,
Lea

[pam]

I have a slightly different approach, as I don't have a diamond saw, LEA!!!!, I take a graphite rod the approximate diameter of the murini, or other tool that won't stick to the glass, and make an indention in the glass the approximate depth of the murini. Take the heated murini from the lip of my kiln and place it in the indention (after heating the indention slightly, of course). Apply a little heat and flatten the murini so that it fits the hole and then heat the whole area to fuse the glasses together. That's it.

[swamper]

Originally Posted by Lea Zinke

OMIGOSH, the saw is the best! It's by DiamondTech, I bought it in Vegas along with a flat lap grinder, after my first Glasscraft Expo show. They were the demo units from the show. After the show, I asked how I would get them shipped. Haha, they laughed and said they'd just take them home with the rest of the booth, and I could come and pick them up. Turns out DiamondTech is in Tampa, right across the bridge from me!!! They even taught me how to set them up & use them!

It's in the studio or I'd shoot a pic for you. But, I just told someone else that I'm sure Delphi carries it. I use both all the time...and literally I cut my murrini wafer-thin. Lovelovelove it.

FYI,
Lea

I have the flat lap - so are you cutting the milli with the blade that came on the flat lap to use as a saw or are you using a different tool all together?

[Kevan]

Originally Posted by pam

I have a slightly different approach, as I don't have a diamond saw, LEA!!!!, I take a graphite rod the approximate diameter of the murini, or other tool that won't stick to the glass, and make an indention in the glass the approximate depth of the murini. Take the heated murini from the lip of my kiln and place it in the indention (after heating the indention slightly, of course). Apply a little heat and flatten the murini so that it fits the hole and then heat the whole area to fuse the glasses together. That's it.

That's a good idea. Much better than buy a diamond saw, LEA!!

[swamper]

Originally Posted by pam

I have a slightly different approach, as I don't have a diamond saw, LEA!!!!, I take a graphite rod the approximate diameter of the murini, or other tool that won't stick to the glass, and make an indention in the glass the approximate depth of the murini. Take the heated murini from the lip of my kiln and place it in the indention (after heating the indention slightly, of course). Apply a little heat and flatten the murini so that it fits the hole and then heat the whole area to fuse the glasses together. That's it.

Oh wow, good idea, I have brass tools in different sizes that are like blunt rods at the tips - gotta try it.

[Lea Zinke]

Hey Pam! Happy holidays, how are things with your dad? Better I hope!

Now don't be making fun of my saw, I use it ALL the time -- I can cut shapes and everything (including hearts out of a teacup but that's another story), but use it mostly for my milli's. I just find the smooth, very symmetrical cut of the sawed (?) murrini, to the lopped off ones with my nippers! Less waste.

Linda: My flat lap doesn't have a blade, just grinder wheel & flat bed.

Best,
Lea

[Libby L.]

Yea LEA! Hahah just thought I would jump on the "LEA" bandwagon..but I would still like that diamond saw...LEA.

Dang Pam that is the best tip evah! I am so going to do that!

[pam]

No, Libby, the best tip was the glass saw, but.....well..... the graphite rod is MUCH cheaper!

[Lea Zinke]

Hey, Pam, but next time you're "in the neighborhood" stop by & you can use mine to saw all yours!!! Honestly, no chipping, all little tiny perfect slices -- and I'm not really a tool junkie but this is one of the best buys I've made.

Offer stands,
Lea

P.S. Libby, you can send yours & I'll slice 'em up for you! Then deliver them to Midwest Glass Experience, haha!

[pam]

You're sweet, Lea. Thanks!

[LampworkbyLori]

Great tips, ladies!! I'm going to try Pam's method tomorrow!

[lilacwind]

Hi,
Great info! How thin are you cutting the murrini on the saw? Is it a glass band saw? I have the Taurus ring saw and a band saw for glass. I have been cutting my murrini with nippers and they chip and split like crazy. Lots of waste. My murrini is about 1/4" in diameter at the largest. My ring saw blade is thicker than the diameter of the murrini.
Thanks, Mimi
www. lilacwindartglass.etsy.com

[LyndaJ]

I usually leave my murrini in their pulled cane form. To apply, I heat and plunge it in a little, then nip off the cane sticking out. Then build base heat in the bead and slowly tap the can into it. I find that a tiny drop of clear on the top helps to seal the murrini from distortion during the tapping in phase.

I prefer this because it's SO much easier to apply.

[Libby L.]

Lynda that IS a great idea! I remember now that Michael Barley taught it that way in class.
I forgot all about that until you brought it up.
Thanks for the reminder.
Got to give these all a try.

[LyndaJ]

Kim Fields did this for some of her stamen cane, but I use it for most murrini.

Michael B is on my short list of "I'd love to take a class from..." but I'm not sure when he'll be out this way again.

[Lea Zinke]

Yeah, Loren Stump teaches that technique as well! But rounds off the break for eyes on the little sculptural mouse! Great minds...

I do that for stamens but for face canes where I really don't want to waste any beneath the surface, or by cracking off crooked, I still prefer the wafer-thin slices tapped down. I'm mightly stingy with the face cane, it's so darn time-consuming!!! JMTC

[Kevan]

Ok, I tried making an indention into the bead about the size of the murinni and pushing it into the bead tap,tap,tapping it down - all is good. Then I put clear on top and by the time I finished tapping that down I had a big smeary messed up looking circle on my bead.

[pam]

Then you allowed your murini to get too hot before applying the clear. The murini needs to be cool enough so it doesn't smear. To tap the clear down, heat just the clear and tap a little. Don't try to do it all at once.

[Libby L.]

OK this...this is what makes LE great. A little thread helping out other beadmakers with those who have been doing it for a long, long, time and those who have been doing it for just a while.
Pam to me is one of our greats and Lea's beads were some of the first I collected for my
"bead museum" in my studio.

I know I am sounding corny, but to me THIS is what it's all about, and the sad thing is that only a couple of people will see it. Oh well.

Kevan tell us how it worked out.

[Lea Zinke]

Thanks, Libby, that's sweet of you to say. It's a constant learning experience, isn't it -- I always say when people ask how long it took to learn beadmaking, "Every new bead teaches me something new..." And it's the truth.

Best,
Lea

[pam]

I love you, Libby, you are one of the great people on this forum. And I still want to get one of your beads!!

[Kevan]

Originally Posted by pam

Then you allowed your murini to get too hot before applying the clear. The murini needs to be cool enough so it doesn't smear. To tap the clear down, heat just the clear and tap a little. Don't try to do it all at once.

Maybe I put too much clear on? Should it just cover the top?

And thanks everyone for your suggestions.

[Kalera]

I put my clear on while the murrini is still basically cold and totally solid... preheat the murrini, spot-heat the bead, pick up the murrini with tweezers and stick it on the bead, give it a tiny push with my graphite paddle to set it, and then add a tiny dab of clear... just enough to cover the top... and slowly heat, push, heat, push, until it's flush with the bead.