Metal watch gears - how to mix with glass

[bepnewt]

I have a bunch of tiny watch parts, mainly gears.

Can they be embedded inside of glass like marbles, beads, or fused items or do they have to be relegated to surface decoration?

-BEP

[MaryBeth]

Yes, you can. Here are a few pieces that I made with gears. You have to work cool and slow or you will get too many bubbles. The blue egg does have a large area of bubbles but I consider it part of the design. Don't put the gears in the flame - they will melt. The large red gears in the turtles are thick copper stampings. The smaller brass gears in all of the beads are actual watch gears.

I usually put on a very thick coat of clear. I have had some of these for over three years now and none of them have cracked.

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[theglasszone]

Those are awesome MB! :)

[bepnewt]

Thanks, Mary Beth.

-BEP

[EchoTantuli]

Those are wonderful!! I tried my hand at that recently, but it just wouldn't work for what I was trying to do. Maybe it will be one of those things I will pick up a few months from now and it will work then,*fingers crossed*

[Frit Diva]

Wow, love that look MaryBeth! I would have assumed gears were to big to use as inclusions ~ good to know it's possible!


Jo

[MaryBeth]

Those are awesome MB! :)

Thanks, De!

Thanks, Mary Beth.

-BEP

You are welcome!

Those are wonderful!! I tried my hand at that recently, but it just wouldn't work for what I was trying to do. Maybe it will be one of those things I will pick up a few months from now and it will work then,*fingers crossed*

That's usually what happen with me. I'll put something aside and try it again later and then it works!

Wow, love that look MaryBeth! I would have assumed gears were to big to use as inclusions ~ good to know it's possible!


Jo

Thanks, Jo! The blue ones have your Cowgirl frit in them:-)

[Frit Diva]

Thanks, Jo! The blue ones have your Cowgirl frit in them:-)


LOL ~ Do they have goldstone stringer, too? The Santa Fe Cowgirl frit is a nice wash-n-wear frit, and looks like it doesn't react much to the brass inclusions...


Jo

[MaryBeth]

LOL ~ Do they have goldstone stringer, too? The Santa Fe Cowgirl frit is a nice wash-n-wear frit, and looks like it doesn't react much to the brass inclusions...


Jo

The blue egg has goldstone frit in addition to the SF Cowgirl frit. The red egg has goldstone stringer.

[DesertDreamer]

MaryBeth, I love these!!!! Are there any particular parts to look for?

[MaryBeth]

MaryBeth, I love these!!!! Are there any particular parts to look for?

Thanks, Karen! I just buy batches of watch gears. Ring-n-Things has them by the ounce (you get a lot in an ounce). You also get them from Fire Mountain and I think Rio Grande also has them.

Don't buy them by the piece - I've seen people selling them for ridiculous prices like 10 little gears for $5.00 You can get an ounce with about a hundred + gears for about $12.00.