Beads made on copper tube

Mina · #1 2016-02-05, 11:03am

Anyone made tubes directly on copper tube-tube is part of the bead? Is there an incaparability issue? Is there a size limit? Any tips and pics would be awesome

Pat · #2 2016-02-05, 12:23pm

Yes, I have. I used release, then a piece of copper tube and built the bead onto the copper. It looks red under glass.

ESC · #3 2016-02-05, 3:41pm

I've done it too, but no pics. It was way back in the dark ages where I didn't take photos with the 35mm just for experiments. The beads were small, about 1/2" long and 1/4-3/8" in diameter. The copper does indeed look red under the glass, so you can do some color play with clear transparents over it; think transparent blue, turquoise, pink, amber. I would think you wouldn't want to go much over 1/8" copper tubing, as it does have a different COE and you're pushing the limits.

Mina · #4 2016-02-05, 4:52pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ESC

I've done it too, but no pics. It was way back in the dark ages where I didn't take photos with the 35mm just for experiments. The beads were small, about 1/2" long and 1/4-3/8" in diameter. The copper does indeed look red under the glass, so you can do some color play with clear transparents over it; think transparent blue, turquoise, pink, amber. I would think you wouldn't want to go much over 1/8" copper tubing, as it does have a different COE and you're pushing the limits.

I was thinking of using 1/4" diameter....darn

ESC · #5 2016-02-05, 4:55pm

I think if you could find some thin wall tubing it would be OK. Mine was from Ace and had pretty thick walls.

Mina · #6 2016-02-05, 4:58pm

That is exactly what I was planning on using...1/4" copper tubing from the hardware store. I guess I'll have to rethink my design. If I used 1/8" tubing would it be enough wow factor? I want to make a bicone with clear encased tube and copper foil leaf inserts also encased.

KJohn · #7 2016-02-05, 7:13pm

You could also try enameling the tubes

Mina · #8 2016-02-05, 10:48pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJohn

You could also try enameling the tubes

I actually am wanting the red copper tones. It's for a certain bead in a certain challenge

De Anza Art Glass Club · #9 2016-02-06, 12:38am

I've been looking at the different enamels to try to see what type of glass would be best for copper beads. My thinking is this: there are enamels for the different COE glasses - window glass, Bullseye, Effetre, and also metal. (Well, stainless steel is in a different category than copper/gold/silver, but that doesn't matter for this discussion.) The problem I found that for glasses, the COE is for linear expansion, and for metal it is given for cubic expansion.

I think the best result for using glass on copper would be with borosilicate. The COEs still don't match and aren't within ±5 (probably more like 25), but I think boro is closer than any of the soft glasses.

Mina · #10 2016-02-06, 3:26am

Quote:

Originally Posted by De Anza Art Glass Club

I've been looking at the different enamels to try to see what type of glass would be best for copper beads. My thinking is this: there are enamels for the different COE glasses - window glass, Bullseye, Effetre, and also metal. (Well, stainless steel is in a different category than copper/gold/silver, but that doesn't matter for this discussion.) The problem I found that for glasses, the COE is for linear expansion, and for metal it is given for cubic expansion.

I think the best result for using glass on copper would be with borosilicate. The COEs still don't match and aren't within ±5 (probably more like 25), but I think boro is closer than any of the soft glasses.

I had not thought to use boro....the idea intrigues me

KJohn · #11 2016-02-06, 5:31pm

Boro would be pretty!

Grenouille · #12 2016-02-07, 12:34am

I have made some beads (about 1" long) on thin wall 1/4 " tubing. I was worried about cracking, but after at least 6 months they are still okay. I used refrigerator tubing from Home Depot. Love the red colour.

Mina · #13 2016-02-07, 1:57am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grenouille

I have made some beads (about 1" long) on thin wall 1/4 " tubing. I was worried about cracking, but after at least 6 months they are still okay. I used refrigerator tubing from Home Depot. Love the red colour.

That is exactly what I want to do...so glad it works.

Robin Passovoy · #14 2016-02-07, 10:38am

I got to do this in college once. We used 1/8th inch or slightly larger copper tubing--still obtainable in hardware and craft stores--and Thompson enamels formulated specially for copper. We also got little bits of gold and silver foil to play with, and we could make the beads as long as we wanted, since we cut the tubing ourselves with a jewelry saw. We used terracotta slip as a sort of bead release (sloppy!) which worked fairly well so long as we didn't get it on the tubing. It was my first introduction to glass beadmaking, and I still have most of them.
By the way, you can get a neat effect by cutting tiny slices from small-diameter copper tubing and using the slices like millifiore or frit in a clear bead. Just make sure that your ventilation's good.

menty666 · #15 2016-02-07, 11:35am

Keep in mind, too, that the tubing is going to conduct the heat well, so you'll want an alternate way to hold on to it.

Mina · #16 2016-02-07, 11:57am

There are so many awesome tips here...thanks.
Robin, thanks for the copper murrini tip. I have a lot of very small pieces of 1/8" tubing I have trimmed from my unsuccessful attempts at making hinges. Now I have a use for them

Menty, I plan on putting the copper tubing on a mandrel.