Bent or curved beads advice?

[glassbead]

Ok, does anybody out there bend beads with any success? I've tried Tom Holland's method with limited success, and don't want to ruin a ton of beads trying. I suppose I could just make a lot of tubular beads and just keep nworking at it til I get it right, but that sounds like very little fun.
Here's what I've tried so far:
1) Putting cleaned beads back in the kiln, hanging loosely off the end of a sludged mandrel, ramping up to about 1200 degrees. Taking them out, inserting a mandrel into the other end, and bending.
Result? Sometimes great, sometimes sticking two beads together with my shaky hands, sometimes they bend wonkily by themselves. Overall not so great.
2) Next try- the Holland method- Putting clean beads back in the kiln, hanging from a sludged mandrel, ramping up to between 980 and 1000, taking out, immediately bringing them to the torch, sticking a mandrel in the other end, heating and bending.
Result? Better, but still problematic- sometimes I was not quick enough with the heat and the bead broke. I didn't always get the nice even curve I wanted.
3) Using a curved mandrel.
Result? OK, but not curved enough for my taste. And it'a a bit hard to wrap your glass evenly on a curved mandrel.

So, anybody have a grand method that works almost every time that you'd be willing to share ????? And if you have pics, that would be great too!

[Sylvie D.]

Tom Holland's demo at the Oakland Gathering was awesome!

Have you tried Leslie Thiel method. She uses a tin can and Fiberglas to work a curved focal bead. There was an article about this in the Lapidary Journal December 2006.
In a class, Larry Scott showed it to us, it was real clever and neat. But I haven't played with it myself.

[swamper]

You may not want to wait but I have been considering doing a tutorial. I already contacted Tom and Sage and they have said that my method is different enough from theirs that they have no problem with me doing an extensive tutorial on my method.

If you want to see a quick and dirty how to on my method, look at the last issue of the Annealer. My method does not require multiple firings nor annealing and torching afterward but allows you to make the bead in one session and then anneal, tada, done - plus you get a nice small hole for nice neat jewelry making. It is done on a straight mandrel so there are no problems handling glass any differently than you already know.

I expect to have my tutorial done by mid February. I'm doing it and another different tutorial for the Annealer.

[Lea Zinke]

I use the curved mandrel and like it. But I've read Linda's article in The Annealer and it looks pretty intriguing! I keep meaning to try it, thanks Linda!

Best,
Lea

[ArtcoInc]

Have you tried the brass mandrel technique that Akihiro uses? He shows it on his new DVD.

Yes, I have the DVD. The price is $45. No, it's not on my web site (yet).

Malcolm

[beadsoncypress]

OK Lea, I got three of the mandrels and I can only get one out of each 3 I make to come off the mandrel the way they should. Any hints? I am using only Sludge plus (grey) as I have recently had "issues" with my Smooth and Tough.....any hints. I don't have much of a problem getting a nice smooth bead, it's just getting it off the darn mandrel!

[jillybead]

I had the same problem,, I could not consistantly get my beads off the mandrel,, disapointing..even tried double dipping..

[Lea Zinke]

Hi Susan & Jilly! Well, it isn't that easy but it is possible! Sending you a little picture to show you it is worth the effort!

This is what I do. It is a combination between a tiny twist, just enough to dis-engage bead release (and the bead release needs to be fairly strong or it won't hold up to the initial application of glass on the curved mandrel), just a TINY twist.

Then I gently push/pull/push/pull 'til you can feel it become free enough to shift on the mandrel. Once that happens, you've just about got it!!!!

Next, once you feel the loosening shift begin to happen, I work it back & forth under running water to begin to wear away some of the bead release and at that point, you can work it down to the end of the curve and it will pop off.

It does take a little effort but it's pretty simple once you get the hang of it!

HTH,
Lea

[glassbead]

According to my sig. other, if you loosen with that tiny twist and then position your thumb so the nail is at the end of the bead and push, it's no problem!
Swamper, I'm very interested in what you're doing. I just love the look of the curved beads, and it opens up new possibilites. They seem popular with the younger set. And I love to make long beads, but my customers don't seem to know what to do with them!

[swamper]

Lea, love your curved bead.

There are so many ways to achieve a similar look and curved beads are no different.

That is why each time I buy a tutorial or take a class, I learn something new, even if it is about something I have been doing for a long time - nuances!

[bousky]

Originally Posted by Lea Zinke

I love everything about this piece! Gorgeous!

[Lea Zinke]

Thanks all for nice comments about my curved bead! Amber Rose ETCHED rocks!

Best,
Lea

[glassbead]

Linda, swamper, blackbear. Ok, so if I get the Annealer, is there enough info in it for me to actually do this? Do you, by any chance have a pic of the final result you'd like to share here?
Has anybody out there tried that tut?
Oh, and the other tip to get off those beads is to soak 'em for 24 hours or so first.

[swamper]

Sure,

Here's some beads:

http://www.blackbearartglass.com/Gal...eads/bent2.jpg

And here's a bracelet:

http://www.blackbearartglass.com/Fin...20bracelet.jpg

I think there is sufficient info in the Annealer to make the bead. For the electronic tutorial, I like to go into more detail, different shapes, more pictures....

[beadsoncypress]

If at first I don't succeed, I put them away, then try again later after I've beaten and broken them to smithereens! When they are good they are very good, when their bad they are just awful I TRIPLE DIPPED MINE!!!

[gbratton]

What month is this article in?

[debb]

I use a straight mandrel for curved beads, I've searched for pics and this is the only one I could find, sorry its not the best photo. I heat just the bottom part of the bead and allow it to droop to the angle I want, keeps the hole straight too

[jillybead]

I have had an order for a mans curved bead choker since last summer.. After so many stuck beads I gave up.. maybe it is time to give it a go one more time. Am using the method from the annealer..(swamper) hey lea,, love love love the etched amber rose bead! If I have success with the choker, I will post a photo Jill

[Lea Zinke]

Hey Jill, thanks! Maybe I'll dig up Linda's article this week too, and give it a go! We can both post our pathetic results, haha!

Best,
Lea

[swamper]

I have made about 50 beads. My sludge plus release is not too thin - not too thick - I only dip once. The resulting hole is a very nice 1/16" hole that works very nice for stringing.

I have had no broken beads but I have had 2 or 3 that just would not release. I recommend doing the twist 90 degrees (back and forth) to release the mandrel first to decide which end is going to work the best to release the mandrel and then cutting the other end off with nippers before you twist back and forth to pull the mandrel out of the bead. Of course all of this is "after" soaking in soapy water to get the release saturated.

NOTE: If you twist too far in either direction, all you are going to do is break the mandrel from metal fatique. Twist gently back and forth - not all in one direction.

The tut is in the newest Annealer - Current Issue - # III WINTER/SPRING 2008

A couple of points that may help.

1. The handle part of the pin vice is a larger diameter than a regular mandrel so it is going to take more effort to rotate the slender mandrel.

2. The high tempertaure wire is flexible which helps in removing the wire from the bead but also makes it difficult to do heavy marvering - gravity and rotation are your firend.

3. I originally used masking tape to make the end of the mandrel fit tightly in the pin vice. I found that duct tape or any plastic or paper tape do not allow the pin vice to hold the wire tightly and so the wire rotated in the pin vice. I now use ventilation tape -it is a silver metal tape and keeps the wire from slipping.

thank you for your interest in the tut. Please let me know how the tutorial works for you and show me your stuff.

The cover looks like this.....

[glassbead]

Hmmm... the tut sounds interesting. Are there special tools I'll need- you mention a pin vise and high temp wire -anything else? Can the beads be bent more than the ones you have pictures of? I'm really looking for something a bit more severe. And, can you use your method on beads that are already made by reheating? Thanks so much for all of your help.
Debb, that's a pretty bead, but I do actually want the hole to curve.
Got the old picture in the head of what I want. Doing it in the kiln actually- when it worked- was really about right. I'll see if I can put a couple of pics up here tomorrow- if this computer has decided to work again!

[mnoelker]

I have the mandrels and tools from Rocio and they work very well. You just need to have the wire that you use to keep the holes open when you reheat the beads before bending them, and kiln paper. I also have Rocio's book where she explains the technique.

[glassbead]

Ok, it looks like I've got to put those pictures somewhere else on the internet to show them here. I'll try later. The idea of putting a wire right through the bead and bending sounds interesting. Never thought about that- I suppose I could just use high temp wire, sludge it, put it on a pin vise, reheat in the kiln and then either raise the kiln temp to 1200 or so, or bring it to the torch for the final heating and bending. That just might work! Of course I need wire and a pin vise or something to hold it with, so it could be a bit before I have a chance to try it. This has been quite helpful. It's surprising how many different methods people have some up with to do this. I had no idea!

[FosterFire]

manufacturer recommends FosterFire REGULAR for the curved mandrels

[swamper]

Originally Posted by glassbead

Hmmm... the tut sounds interesting. Are there special tools I'll need- you mention a pin vise and high temp wire -anything else? Can the beads be bent more than the ones you have pictures of? I'm really looking for something a bit more severe. And, can you use your method on beads that are already made by reheating? Thanks so much for all of your help.

If you bend much more than I have shown, it becomes very difficult to wiggle the wire enough to loosen the release without breaking the wire.

[glassbead]

Thanks, Linda. Looks like I might just need to work harder on perfecting one of the two methods I've already tried.

[glassbead]

Guess what???!!!
A fusing friend made me a bead bender. I've just used it twice so far, but I'm very pleased with the results. You can go here to see pics:
http://isinglassdesign.blogspot.com/
If all goes well, benders will be available in a month or two for anyone who's interested.

[Troll Lover]

Just to add, recently I started playing with the curved focal press with curved mandrels. I use Foster Fire, as Zoozii suggested and the bead come off pretty easily!