Implosion beads

[Slaterville]

Can anyone help me find some info or tutorial on implosion beads? I know how the implosion part works, but once that's accomplished I'm not sure how you position your punties to shape it into a pendant. Of course the implosion wants to form into a ball, do you keep it flat for the pendant? Any tips or tricks would be very helpful. Thanks in advance!!

Penny

[dogmaw]

How bout from the beginning? I'm not sure how the implosion part works.

[Slaterville]

Hi Jo,

If you go to Wet Canvas and type "Implosion beads" in search under forums, you will find several topics. Just not enough information to make the implosion bead into a pendant.

Penny

[lbjvg]

I have made a few implosion style marbles and have also thought about turning some into pendants. I haven't done it yet but I have an idea of how I might go about it. One way would be to add additional clear glass to the hot marble to make a pendant shape and form a loop of glass at the end. Another way would be to make a spacer bead and keep it warm on a hot plate. When the pendant is shaped, add the spacer bead to form the loop. I'll probably try the spacer bead method first.


Scott Young did a great tutorial that is posted on the WC forum (under the username of Jazzdog) and also on the gldg forum.

- Jim

[Slaterville]

Thanks Jim for the response. I agree you have to add more glass (especially to the back), but my real problem is where to position the punties to stretch, pull, etc. the bead into a pendant shape.

Penny

[Mr. Smiley]

I don't add any glass. I stop the implosion before it goes round and keep the back flat, by many small pushes on the marver while I'm working it. Then, it's just a matter of figuring where you want the top to be and puntying up to the bottom. Shape it and add the loop. Pretty easy when you get the hang of it. PPP

[Slaterville]

Thanks Brent for your response!! If your stopping the implosion by small pushes on the marver, does this also spread the floral design out to the inside edges? Also, I do add a little bit of glass to the back to cover up what didn't implose.

[Moth]

I don't make great implosions, but I practice it a lot. LOL

I just implode the design up into the rod and when it gets as far as I want it, I start to direct the heat to where the rod is attached to the disk (the top), instead of directing the heat to the decoration that is being melted up into the disk. (The bottom)

If you keep the imploded part cool, and pointing down, eventually the rod will melt and stretch with the implosion facing forward. You get a decent lens of clear of it this way too. I'm not sure if this is the right way to do it...but it works for me.

After your implosion is facing forward and your rod is coming out of the top of it, this is the part where I punty up to the absolute bottom of the pendant and form my loop at the top. Once the loop is right, I grab it with hot pliers, snap off the bottom punty and flame polish.

Sometimes I cover the back with a different color, but not usually. If I were going to do that, I would do it after getting the rod of clear to go to the top of the pendant, but before I punty up to the bottom. Usually I press the back of the pendant into some gold aventurine powder, then put a layer of black over that.

Once the initial rod of clear is formed into the disk, it doesn't ever touch a marver again, so I can't answer the last question.

Hope you have good luck!
~~Mary

[Slaterville]

Great instructions Mary!! This helps me understand how to move the original maria/punty....................THANKS!!

Penny

[truegem]

Glass Obsessions (Yorba Linda, CA) has a wonderful teacher who teaches soft glass implosion pendants!