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.
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