KWAR

Hands on Glass Beads!

Note from class taught by
Lady Sveva Lucciola

This will cover:

Making a Basic Bead
Shaping
Adding More Colors
Advanced Techniques
Other Sources for Information
Basic Equipment
Suppliers and Other Sources Making a Basic Bead

1. Proper posture and form are the first things to learn!

2. Apply bead separator to mandrel and dry

3. Heat glass rod

4. Wrap glass on mandrel

5. Spin to form round bead

6. Cool for moment and place in blanket

7. Take off mandrel

Shaping 1. Use of gravity

2. Use of paddle

3. Use of marver

4. Other tools

Adding more than one color

1. Pulling stringer
2. Adding dots
3. Adding bands

Advanced techniques: 1. Making eye beads

2. Raking

3. Encasing

4. Making mosaic

Basic Equipment:

Torch head These must be purchased from supplier. You will want to use one which introduces more oxygen into the flame (has holes at base of torch head) so that your colors stay bright and clear. You will also want to make sure it is rated for using MAPP gas, which burns hotter than some others.

MAPP gas Can be purchased from local hardware and discount stores (WalMart). Usually runs around $7-9 a can.
A more cost efficient method is to purchase a small gas canister and have it filled (and refilled). This requires additional hoses and attachments, but financially pays you back pretty quickly, I am told.

Mandrels You can purchase these directly from a supplier or you can get welding wire from your local welding shop and cut your own. Pay attention to what thickness you order since this will determine how big the center hole in your bead will be.

Bead release You also can order this from a supplier. I have seen several recipes for mixing up your own, and have read one article where someone mentioned using facial mud. The main difference you need to be aware of is how the stuff needs to dry….some are flame dryable, some must air dry.

Graphite paddle From supplier

Marvers These can be purchased from suppliers, but you can also look around your house and use interesting surface textured metal to create your own

Rake

Probes Purchased from suppliers you have a selection of graphite or tungsten. One word of warning with the tungsten, it is fragile and if it gets damaged, it will no longer work.

Sources of Information

La Compagnia dei Maestri del Vetro web page: http://moas.atlantia.sca.org/guilds/cmv/index.htm

To join the SCA-Glassworker's List, send "subscribe" as the text of a message to <compagnia-request@phosphor-ink.com>

Suppliers

Frantz Bead Company
E. 1222 Sunset Hill Rd.
Shelton, Wa. 98584
ph: (360)-426-6712
fax: (360)-427-5866
Email MFrantz@aol.com
http://www.olywa.net/frantzbead/

Arrow Springs
4570 Tennessee Dr.,
Shingle Springs, CA. 95682;
(916) 677-9482.
e-mail flameon@innercite.com
http://www.arrowsprings.com

Sundance Art Glass Center
231 South Whisman Road, Mountain View CA 94041.
Phone: (415) 964-7248. 415-965-2266 888-4HOTGLASS
http://www.artglass1.com/

Other sources and supplies

You can purchase a torch holder/station or you can put one together yourself with an "L" bracket and a hose clamp (both available from your local hardware store)

Canisters of MAPP gas can be purchased at local hardware stores as well as Wal-mart and others like that. It costs between $7-9 a can. These cans should be disposed of through your local hazardous materials dept.

More economical methods include purchasing a tank and having it filled. For this you will also need to order the hose assembly, but you get more usable gas out of your tank.

Mandrels can also be made from welding wire purchased from your local welding supply.

Hot Head and Turbo Torch are designed specifically for the higher temperatures needed and introduce more oxygen into the flame (so colors are bright). These torches must be purchased from commercial suppliers (see above) or someone with a used one and run around $30.

Glass

Make sure it is Hot Head or Turbo Torch workable. Some types of glass need to be heated much higher than your torch will easily be able to heat it. Secondly, make sure the glasses you combine are compatible with similar COE's (coefficients of expansion)…otherwise your projects could shatter. One of the best known name in lampworking glass is Moretti glass, and it comes in rods which are easy to handle. Local Stainglass suppliers will often try to sell you Bullseye. It works, but it is a much stiffer glass and can be difficult to use with a small torch (non oxy-propane). Local Stainglass suppliers will also often offer to order the supplies for you, but so far I have not found them any cheaper than ordering myself or with my friends.

This handout, as well as several others relating to glass, is available on my webpage. Please feel free to use it, but give credit where it is due. I would really appreciate it if you dropped me a line to let me know when and where it is used.

I welcome any feed back, corrections, links to your pages, or other such useful things!
Please email me at ladysveva@yahoo.com

Main Glass Page (www.oocities.org/ladysveva/Glass/Glass.htm) / My Home page (www.oocities.org/ladysveva)

Torch head	These must be purchased from supplier. You will want to use one which introduces more oxygen into the flame (has holes at base of torch head) so that your colors stay bright and clear. You will also want to make sure it is rated for using MAPP gas, which burns hotter than some others.
MAPP gas	Can be purchased from local hardware and discount stores (WalMart). Usually runs around $7-9 a can. A more cost efficient method is to purchase a small gas canister and have it filled (and refilled). This requires additional hoses and attachments, but financially pays you back pretty quickly, I am told.
Mandrels	You can purchase these directly from a supplier or you can get welding wire from your local welding shop and cut your own. Pay attention to what thickness you order since this will determine how big the center hole in your bead will be.
Bead release	You also can order this from a supplier. I have seen several recipes for mixing up your own, and have read one article where someone mentioned using facial mud. The main difference you need to be aware of is how the stuff needs to dry….some are flame dryable, some must air dry.
Graphite paddle	From supplier
Marvers	These can be purchased from suppliers, but you can also look around your house and use interesting surface textured metal to create your own
Rake
Probes	Purchased from suppliers you have a selection of graphite or tungsten. One word of warning with the tungsten, it is fragile and if it gets damaged, it will no longer work.