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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips |
2013-03-29, 6:27am
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Senior Member
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Join Date: May 11, 2009
Location: Massachusetts...I95 south...before Rhode Island
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Bell flower Press
Hi guys! Ok...so I recieved my Bell Flower press yesterday!
Now, How do I use it? Do I simply place a small gather of molten glass in the "cup" part and then press? Also, what wire should I use?
Yah I know, I should have asked those questions in the FIRST place!
Duane
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2013-03-29, 6:38am
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Hi Duane, I came across this video the other day and it may help you.
Bob
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oQkgB23KI0
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2013-03-29, 7:19am
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Send me your email addy and I can send you a tutorial.
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Cynthia
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2013-03-29, 7:22am
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Mr Brutus RIP
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That video made it look so simple....... much easier than getting a press
I love the flowers you are making with them Cynthia!!
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2013-03-29, 7:25am
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Thank you They are rather addictive.
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Cynthia
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2013-03-29, 8:07am
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Queen Bee
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What I'd like to know is how do you file the opening so a 20g wire will fit? I haven't seen a file narrow enough to fit in the slot Mine also has a burr on it - I'm a bit discouraged. I think for the price they should be rather perfect. Or is it just my presses?
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2013-03-29, 8:43am
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I had to file mine when I got it. Do you have a Dremel with a diamond wheel? That works enough to widen the gap. I can fit the 20 gauge although I prefer 24.
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Cynthia
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2013-03-29, 11:50am
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Queen Bee
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Thanks Cynthia - I'll give that a try. I tried using 22g and thought it was pretty flimsy and hard to get the glass on, I can't imagine using 24g. Though I was using tweezers - not too easy. I think I'll have to find some kind of pin devise instead.
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2013-03-29, 12:06pm
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A True Woofer
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I took one of my razor tools out of its X-Acto knife handle and I put my wire in there. It holds it nicely.
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Ellen
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2013-03-29, 1:22pm
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I'm kinda biz-EE
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I use a pin vise and I had to file mine too. I use 20G.
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Astrid
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2013-04-01, 10:04am
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I have resisted the need for this tool but I dont know how much longer i'll last. Where do you buy the press? Cynthia can I get the tutorial fro.from you too?
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2013-04-01, 10:49am
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what's a senior moment ?
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2013-04-01, 11:49am
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Ex-lurker
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Well, I don't even bead much and I want one of these presses. (I have some ideas) Why are they soooo expensive? Which is the best size if you were only getting one?
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2013-04-01, 12:11pm
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Shoot sorry, I meant 22 guage. I use the "Mandrel Vice" from Arrow Springs. It is on the website.
Darlene, I sent the tut to you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BeadBlossoms
Thanks Cynthia - I'll give that a try. I tried using 22g and thought it was pretty flimsy and hard to get the glass on, I can't imagine using 24g. Though I was using tweezers - not too easy. I think I'll have to find some kind of pin devise instead.
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Cynthia
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2013-04-01, 5:00pm
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Hi Cynthia, could you post your tutorial here too. It's so hard for me to buy a press without knowing what it looks like.
I've heard people like the largest ones, but what do you use? Any ideas which size is the best???
Thanks so much, Karen
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2013-04-01, 5:25pm
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Karen, I did post it in the other thread a long time ago but it's so small it's hard to read. PM me your email addy and I'll send it to youl.
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Cynthia
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2013-04-02, 7:48am
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Queen Bee
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Cynthia, thanks for the info on the mandrel holder Off to Glass Craft Expo tomorrow - I'm taking an enameling class with Barbara Lewis and she's bringing her bell flower press to demo for me. So nice of her to do this, I always learn better when I actually see it being done.
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2013-04-02, 9:20pm
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Echo's Mother
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Carlo Dona also makes a wire holder. It is more expensive than a pin vise. I love mine. It can be purchased through Spiral Arts. My bell flower press easily accepts 20g wire and the slot did not have any burrs. The craftsmanship is wonderful. What I would expect from a Carlo Dona tool and the price.
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2013-04-03, 12:09pm
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I have some bellflower presses and ordered them directly from Roberto Dona. He's really a nice guy, state-of-the-art-tools, excellent service, good communication. Maybe you should contact him directly to order his tools, that's the way we did it (was much cheaper than spiral arts), we made a cenralized order. I have 3 bellflower presses:
12mm/ 5 petals
14mm/ 6 petals
16mm/ 6 petals
(20mm coming soon)
So many possibilities to use them:
We do use surgical wire. I have the wire holder but a luster terminal (insulation screw joint) is fine, too. Have fun with your bellflower presses,
Kerstin
(P.S.: Duane, I first dot glass the size of a pinhead on the wire end and then a glass gather on top - easier to balance the gather into the press. Try to insert the wire either upside down or upright in the press, find out which way gives you best results (wire centered and straight).
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2013-04-03, 8:03pm
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Ezzy
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Join Date: Sep 14, 2006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JavaGirlBT
I took one of my razor tools out of its X-Acto knife handle and I put my wire in there. It holds it nicely.
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I have been doing this.
Quote:
Originally Posted by glassactcc
Shoot sorry, I meant 22 guage. I use the "Mandrel Vice" from Arrow Springs. It is on the website.
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I was looking at this yesterday and wondering if I could just feed a long length of wire through and then cut it off as the flowers were completed and since you specifically mentioned the "mandrel vise" I'm going to guess that's what you are doing?
I just got my press last week, I'm using 20 g. german silver and have not had to file anything. I'm using the smallest press. I tried using headpins, I'm not sure I like them. I thought maybe I should put a little loop on the wire, I started with copper, that would be a PITA too (I'm fundamentally lazy) so I'm just using the wire without a loop or anything. Now I'm just tired of reloading the pin vise (because like I said I'm fundamentally lazy).
Anyway, now I just need another, bigger press because this is so addictive.
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2013-04-03, 8:30pm
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Lampworkaholic!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PixieFireBeads
I was looking at this yesterday and wondering if I could just feed a long length of wire through and then cut it off as the flowers were completed ...
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Yes. You can.
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2013-04-03, 10:15pm
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Yep, that's what I do. Feed it through as I go.
A bit of bell flower folly from me.
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Cynthia
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2013-04-04, 7:18pm
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Ezzy
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Thank you, Elizabeth and Cynthia.
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2013-04-04, 7:52pm
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Beautiful set Kerstin. Roberto is a sweetheart.
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Cynthia
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2013-04-06, 3:58am
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Kerstin please could you let me know how to contact Roberto, thanks.
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2013-04-06, 6:08am
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Member
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Hi,
I sent you a pm,
Kerstin
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2013-04-06, 8:02pm
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Thank you Kerstin.
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2013-04-07, 12:12pm
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I tend to accumulate multiples of tools (like you don't), so I have three pin vises. I load up all of them at once, can make 3 beads before reloading.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PixieFireBeads
Now I'm just tired of reloading the pin vise (because like I said I'm fundamentally lazy).
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2013-04-08, 11:47am
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Some more bellflower fun:
There is a German toolmaker selling a wire holder at the price of 3,20€. I asked him to post a picture of his wire holder here. It's easy to work with, easy to reload, very useful.
Kerstin
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2013-04-08, 11:58am
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pikture again
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