Making matching beads

This is not easy for a beginner like me.  I have had my equipment and glass for about 6 months but only have less than two weeks of torch time, measured by a standard 40 hour work week.

I used to work as a tig welder in factories so I know there is a 2-4 week learning curve when starting a new "job".  So my lampworking fits the category of a new job.  I expect that after another 30-40 hours of practice should be enough for me to reach the quality and consistency goals I have set for my work. 

Getting same size beads has been difficult and finally I have two beads that are matched in size.  The bumps are another story lol.  One bead has higher bumps than the other one but otherwise they are perfectly matched.  The difference in height of the bumps is not very much so I am calling them a matched pair.  Yaaaayyyy

Here they are.  I am very pleased with these.

For the longest time I had trouble getting same size beads and also controlling the size of dots.  I had trouble breaking away from the dot after I placed it on the bead, I almost always got a long, very thin string of glass that stuck between the top of the bead and the stringer I was using.

I also had trouble getting a nicely shaped bead but then I went back to youtube and watched a few of my favorite how to videos and it all clicked.  So now those two problems have been solved.  Now it is a matter of practice makes perfect.  I don't expect every bead to be perfect but at least I will be making sellable beads soon. 

I learned that I should be holding the bead beneath the flame while placing dots on it and that I should be entering the side of the flame, above the bead with the stringer I was using.  Then when I had a gather of the size I required, placing it on the bead where I want it and lift the bead so the dot was nearer to the flame until the top of the dot seperated from the stringer.  It worked perfectly the first time I tried it.  Amazing LOL

Oh, and it helped that I finally learned how to pull consistent stringers by watching a youtube video.  That also worked the first time I tried it.  You make a gather on your glass rod, then, working quickly, take the gather out of the flame, pinch  the end with a needle nose plier or tweezers, and pull.  As you pull fast the stringer will be thin, as you pull more slowly, the stringer will be thicker.  For a thicker stringer, you will need a much larger gather than if you have for a thinner stringer.  When you start to feel resistance, you can pull faster until the glass is finally too cool and won't move anymore.

Placing the correct amount of glass on the mandrel every time was still eluding me but after seeing a youtube video showing how to wind the glass on the mandrel, I finally got it.  I have seen other videos that showed people building up the bead from side to side and that was how I was trying to do it.  The video that changed my technique showed to make a nice size gather on the glass rod, start the wrap on the mandrel, then wind it upward on it's self as in making a tall, thin spacer bead.  Then just spinning it slowly in the flame until it became the size bead, lengthwise, that I wanted.  It explained that the glass will want to gather close to the mandrel if you spin it slowly and will want to spread upward if you spin it faster.  Well, learning these facts and trying them out has helped me to learn how the glass flows under different conditions.  This has given me the knowledge of how to get beads of same/similar size.  Now to practice more :)  I have too many ideas about designs for my beads now :)

I was about ready to try and find someone near me who would give me lessons on the basics of lampworking beads.  I am glad I went back to youtube enough times and found the instructions I needed.......for free. 

lampwork beads, making stringers, and bracelets using all my own lanpwork beads

Today I finally made a very nice bead with 6 dots within dots.  The base is white, the first dots are yellow and the second dots are green.

Tomorrow I will see if I can make another one like it.  It would be nice to be able to make matching beads for a change.  So far I have only made singles.

Today I also finally made some very nice straight stringers too Yaaayyy

It seems the youtube videos I have been watching are finally sinking in.  Although it really does take a lot of practice even if you know how it is supposed to be done.

Two days ago I made 3 bracelets using wire and my beads I have made.  They are for two of my sisters and my wonderful Daughter in Law.  Shhhh don't tell, they are for Christmas gifts.

Here is a small hand full of beads, they are my first useable ones.  But still, they are not as nice as I would like.  They all have their glaring imperfections  but they look surprisingly niiiice when put together in these 3 bracelets.

These are the three bracelets I have made from my beads for Christmas gifts.  As you can see, I still have no control over size as yet.  Working on it :)

Getting more torch time

I have been getting more torch time this week since the garden has pretty much given me what it is going to give except for a few tomatoes and a few hands full of beans now and then.

Anyhow, yesterday I was at the torch 3 times   These beads are the result.

The opaque pale blue beads on top are the best of the two pairs.

The dark ones on bottom are transparent purple.  And the bigger one with spots is an opaque pink bead with transparent dark red dots and opaque white dots.

The purple pair is not perfectly matched, one is thinner.  

I had some trouble getting the stringer to break away and the big dotted bead got messed up with some stray dots of red on it.  

I finally learned how to break away the stringer when making dots and to resize the dots if they are too large or too small.  Yaaayyy.  I have yet to be able to get all the dots the same size though.  I think that must take practice with perception.  Also, I finally learned how to lay the glass on the mandrel more accurately to make, more or less, matching size beads.   And I learned to slow down when shaping the bead.  They turn out much much nicer now.  And I found the sweet spot so things go faster now.  :)

All in all, I am happy with what I learned in these last few sessions at the torch.  But I certainly need more practice, practice, practice.  At least now, I am not practicing mistakes LOL.

Here is another bead I made day before yesterday.  I wanted a striped bead.  I laid on a little clear then laid on the stripes, yellow, green, and orange.  I should have used an opaque color for the ends.  That would have made it look neater.  Also, I should have made thinner stripes.  But I still would use this one, just wouldn't try to sell it.  lol   I just had a thought, maybe the stripes should have gone around the diameter instead of along the length of it.

Well, here are my successful beads I have made.  Maybe I am being too picky but they are not what I wanted.  However, they are nice  and I would buy them so I guess they are good :)

I am having the hardest time trying to get two beads the same size.  And I still can't make a good stringer.  And I still can't apply stringer to the bead with much accuracy in the way of symmetry, as in all dots being the same size or lines around the bead being even.  I might give in and find someone who can give me lessons.

Problem is.....I don't spend many hours on the torch so it is going slow.

I haven't found out how to clean the torch and it needs it.  I won't use it again until I can get it clean.  It muddied the last few beads I attempted.

Update:
I found out that a good soak overnight in acetone then brushing it with a wire brush works wonders to get it clean.  I am back at the torch again.  Still tackling the problems I have encountered but I know that with time and practice my work will improve.

I want to make larger beads to be used as pendants since I really like decorating them with wire.  I hope to make some nice ones to sell.

This is a poor picture of the bead I made, hoping it will be used for a wire wrapped pendant.  It is a little over an inch long and a little less than an inch wide, and about 1/4 inch thick.  It has not yet been annealed so it is still on the mandrel.  This bead was made by dipping it liberally in frit all the way around, then raking it all the way around 3 times while it was still round, then it was flattened.  I had trouble getting it evenly hot enough to get it to squish evenly on both sides so one side is thicker from the hole than the other one is.  This shouldn't present a problem though since I plan to wrap it in wire.  I am hoping the problem is as simple as my impatience.  I will try to be more patient the next time.  Maybe tomorrow :)