Need help with applying palladium please

Angie09 · #1 2012-08-11, 5:38pm

Does anyone have any tips or tricks for working with palladium? I found a tip here on LE to wet graphite with a little water and then place silver foil on it so it doesn't blow away (which works great with foil) so I tried that with palladium but it stuck to the graphite. I tried to apply it directly to the bead using tweezers, but very little success. It's so sticky I'm having problems using it at all but I love the look. Any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated.

Sue in Maine · #2 2012-08-11, 7:50pm

http://lampworketc.com/forums/showth...ight=palladium

Tips here may help. I've never used it so can't offer first hand advice.

Sue

Angie09 · #3 2012-08-12, 4:31am

Thanks Sue but I read all the info on palladium from the title search but nothing address the fact that it's sticky (other than using tweezers) and flies off the graphite. I was hoping someone had a trick like with the silver foil and water.

beadmama · #4 2012-08-12, 7:37am

http://www.glassdiversions.com/image...ium%20Leaf.pdf

Glass diversions has a PDF of info

JKC · #5 2012-08-12, 7:47am

These are palladium just rolled onto a hot bead

DSCN0191 by jntcasey, on Flickr

jaci · #6 2012-08-12, 9:42am

It's easy to pick up with bamboo tongs, silver and gold too. I don't remember who gave me this tip but it was on LE.
I usually cut the sheet out of the book, cut strips and keep it on the paper. Then I use the tongs (or tweezers) to hold it steady while I roll my bead on it. If your tweezers/tongs are holding just the paper and your quick you can grab the paper away from it as it attaches to your bead, but if your not it will burn off. No big deal. You can also lay the paper w/the foil, on a folded paper towel that has been moistened to hold it in place.

Angie09 · #7 2012-08-12, 11:24am

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaci

It's easy to pick up with bamboo tongs, silver and gold too. I don't remember who gave me this tip but it was on LE.
I usually cut the sheet out of the book, cut strips and keep it on the paper. Then I use the tongs (or tweezers) to hold it steady while I roll my bead on it. If your tweezers/tongs are holding just the paper and your quick you can grab the paper away from it as it attaches to your bead, but if your not it will burn off. No big deal. You can also lay the paper w/the foil, on a folded paper towel that has been moistened to hold it in place.

Thank you Jaci .... This is great info and just what i was looking for! Gotta find me some bamboo tongs. And the wet paper towel sounds like it would work great.....thank you again!

tonips · #8 2012-08-14, 5:39am

Angie, check out this thread. I got one of these as a gift for Christmas and love it. If you do a lot of work with leaf of any kind, the best part is that the box has a cover, and when you're done with the leaf you just put the cover on and the leaf stays put until the next session. It also comes with some smaller metal plates that mask the portion you don't want to pick up so you get a nice even strip as though you cut it. It's called a Baz box, I think, and I probably never would have popped for the expense, but as a gift, it's tops.

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=106093

Angie09 · #9 2012-08-14, 5:48am

WOW TONIPS!!! That looks like it would be incredible!!! I fight with my silver foil all the time and the palladium is driving me nuts!! This is definitely the answer and to have the endorsement of other lampworkers is terrific. Thanks so much!!!

tonips · #10 2012-08-14, 5:59am

Angie, Arrow Springs carries this tool, and it's battery operated, so there's no cords or anything. There's a little fan inside that creates a gentle suction to adhere the leaf to the surface plate, which has a gazillion little holes. Sure gives you the use of every particle of your leaf. There's an old utube of the original box in use by the maker's wife, if you google Baz Box. Pricey, but works great. Hope this helps.

Toni

Angie09 · #11 2012-08-23, 12:52pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonips

Angie, check out this thread. I got one of these as a gift for Christmas and love it. If you do a lot of work with leaf of any kind, the best part is that the box has a cover, and when you're done with the leaf you just put the cover on and the leaf stays put until the next session. It also comes with some smaller metal plates that mask the portion you don't want to pick up so you get a nice even strip as though you cut it. It's called a Baz box, I think, and I probably never would have popped for the expense, but as a gift, it's tops.

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=106093

Just got my new Baz Box delivered yesterday and today I made 3 sets of palladium beads and it was soooooo easy!! No more chasing the leaf all over or having it clump and stick to every thing. Thank you so much Tonips for the fabulous suggestion. It's tools like this that make lampworking a joy!!