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2008-07-07, 1:27pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Aug 18, 2005
Location: Keyport, Washington
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New Thimble Thread
I just started making thimbles with Janet's (blackswampglass) great mandrels!
Would anyone else like to share theirs with us.
Any tips would be welcome.
You show me yours, and I'll show you mine
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2008-07-07, 7:53pm
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Senior Member
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Location: warsaw,indiana
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2008-07-07, 8:35pm
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Senior Member
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OH, those are beautiful thimbles! I have one of the mandrels but I have more problems making a thimble than I want to experience right now, so any advice here would be great.
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2008-07-08, 9:17am
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Who me?
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Join Date: Jun 15, 2005
Location: Hagerstown, Indiana
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lori 2
I just started making thimbles with Janet's (blackswampglass) great mandrels!
Would anyone else like to share theirs with us.
Any tips would be welcome.
You show me yours, and I'll show you mine
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Cool thread - that's Linda (blackbearartglass)
If anyone will post here specifically what problems they are having I will post what has worked for me. Anyone else feel free to chime in too - there's no such thing as to much information.
ETA - I'll try to do a pictoral tut this weekend and post it here.
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From the Perimeter of the Great Dismal Swamp
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2008-07-08, 1:01pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Aug 18, 2005
Location: Keyport, Washington
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swamper
Cool thread - that's Linda (blackbearartglass)
ETA - I'll try to do a pictoral tut this weekend and post it here.
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Oh, that is great! I guess I couldn't have gotten it much more screwed up.
Sorry Linda.
By the way, thanks for the GREAT service.
Loraine
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2008-07-08, 1:05pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Aug 18, 2005
Location: Keyport, Washington
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My problems
My problems seem to be mostly in getting a nice even rim.
I also would like to cold work it so the inside is as smooth as possible. I guess it will always look somewhat etched; but I would like to avoid laquer, nail polish, or anything like that.
I do have some Cerium oxide, and lots of dremel bits, but have no idea what to use.
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2008-07-08, 2:02pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Aug 18, 2005
Location: Keyport, Washington
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I have been having FUN
My thimbles so far..., what fun!
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2008-07-08, 3:07pm
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Who me?
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Join Date: Jun 15, 2005
Location: Hagerstown, Indiana
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WOW
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2008-07-08, 10:35pm
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Sheryll
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Join Date: Jun 13, 2006
Location: San Jose
Posts: 1,928
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lori 2
My problems seem to be mostly in getting a nice even rim.
I also would like to cold work it so the inside is as smooth as possible. I guess it will always look somewhat etched; but I would like to avoid laquer, nail polish, or anything like that.
I do have some Cerium oxide, and lots of dremel bits, but have no idea what to use.
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Lori, the even rim is my problem too. Hopefully someone can give us some tips.
For the inside, a battery operated nail shaper (they used to have these on late night tv a couple years ago). Anyway, it came with diamond bits and some white bits not sure what it's made of and works great with just a little water. It's not shiny like the outside but it's not as etched either. I'm sure a dremel will be even better since it has more torque. Hope that helps you to clean it out.
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2008-07-10, 11:56am
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Join Date: Jun 15, 2005
Location: Hagerstown, Indiana
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Raven Wylder
Lori, the even rim is my problem too. Hopefully someone can give us some tips.
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Tutorial coming this weekend but it helps if you don't try too hard to get an even edge with your first layer because you chance going over the edge and locking that baby on the mandrel.
The second layer can be pushed over the base layer to the bottom so that you can use your marver to gently make it flat on the bottom.
I like the look of a stringer rim at the bottom of some thimbles and this helps too.
Usually, after my second layer and I'm done with design, I just make a grove with my knife around the bottom. This kinda gives it a finished look without the addition of the stringer rim.
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2008-07-10, 12:16pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jun 12, 2005
Location: Island in the Bay of Fundy
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I've done a few this ones on etsy, don't have pictures of any of the other ones!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php...ng_id=10917232
I made a white stringer and covered the mandrel with it before I added the aqua....
Lynne
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2008-07-13, 5:04pm
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Location: Hagerstown, Indiana
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Thimbles - What Works for Me - Share your success!
I promised a tut - I suck at making movies - I tried - my torch flame was so small in the frame I know there is no way you could see what I was doing, so I will try to explain what works for me and let you adapt it to your style.
Firstly, I use Sludge Plus. I don't have experience with other releases but I think any release that works for beads, should work for thimbles.
The first thing I do is to make sure that the release is wrapped around the underside of the mandrel like I show in the drawing I send with the mandrels. If the release is too thick, I spin the mandrel in my hand to even it out - not enough to throw release all over the room, just enough to let centrifugal force even the release out. I air dry my mandrels poked down in a piece of styro foam.
At the torch, I heat the living snot out of the head of the mandrel head - the whole thing gets glowing YELLOW hot. When it's good and hot, I start feeding my underlayer on - usually white because it is nice and soft and pushes on nicely. See the first picture. Notice that I do not specifically try to get the white glass all the way to the bottom of the mandrel head. I cover the top of the mandrel head too - then heat and marver the whole thing smooth - even the top, by pressing down perpendicular.
I add the second color that will be my base for design the same way I added the white, only this time, I usually add an extra wrap at the bottom of the head so that when I marver, the color layer will push down below the white to the bottom of the marver head - I marver the bottom of the thimble against the edge of my torch marver to make it even with the bottom of the mandrel head - taking care not to push it under the head - don't want that baby to get stuck. At this point the bottom of the thimble is pretty straight and even.
Then I decorate and add a groove for the bottom with a knife, if the design allows - see the second and third photos.
I heat and flatten the top of the thimble - heat and press into the small flower frog that I got at Michaels. I have seen some round tops, I've seen some flat tops. I guess it's a personal preference.
I think the two most important points are - 1. get that mandrel head YELLOW HOT so that applying the glass does not take off the release and 2. take care to not push the glass under the mandrel head so that you can remove your thimble without cracking the edges of your thimble.
That's it - have fun and share your successes.
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2008-07-14, 4:13am
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For those who need to know this is a flower frog - two small one's can be found at Michaels' for about $4 - use your coupon in sunday's paper it's $2.
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2008-07-14, 6:14am
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Spectrum rulz
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Join Date: Nov 12, 2005
Location: Ipswich, Queensland, Australia
Posts: 151
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We Aussies are waiting ever so patiently for our mandrels - I just posted a link to this site to wet everyone's appetites.
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2008-07-14, 8:33am
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Join Date: Jun 15, 2005
Location: Hagerstown, Indiana
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Henrywashere
We Aussies are waiting ever so patiently for our mandrels - I just posted a link to this site to wet everyone's appetites.
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I hope they arrive very soon - sent them Priority - I hope that's faster than First Class - please have all your folks post their pics - I just love everyone's interpretation of thimbles. So many different pretties so far.
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2008-07-14, 10:19am
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Lampwork Meditator
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Join Date: Mar 15, 2007
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 286
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I just got my mandrel today! But I'm too tired to torch! wahhhh What are those flower frogs made of?
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Susie Kline
Roselle, IL
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Carlisle mini cc with concentrator
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2008-07-14, 3:30pm
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Location: Hagerstown, Indiana
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Quote:
Originally Posted by susiekline
I just got my mandrel today! But I'm too tired to torch! wahhhh What are those flower frogs made of?
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The frogs are metal pins imbedded in a base - I think the base is lead or tin but since only the tip of the pins touches the glass, the base never gets hot enough to melt the lead/tin.
They are great for making dimples for the seeds on strawberries too.
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2008-07-18, 6:33am
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Senior Member
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Here's my first...sew exciting! ♥ Love, Helen
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2008-07-20, 4:24am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by helensharvest
Here's my first...sew exciting! ♥ Love, Helen
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V-E-R-Y nice. Love the swirled flower.
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2008-07-20, 5:28am
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jun 12, 2005
Location: Island in the Bay of Fundy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swamper
The frogs are metal pins imbedded in a base - I think the base is lead or tin but since only the tip of the pins touches the glass, the base never gets hot enough to melt the lead/tin.
They are great for making dimples for the seeds on strawberries too.
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I'm using a leather stamp for my top ... it's actually a pineapple but the texture is good and it's actually got a nice curve too it... Google tandy leather... I have a bunch of their flower stamps too....
Not getting the mandrel hot enough was obviously one of my issues!
Lynne
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2008-07-20, 7:52am
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Lover of all things color
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Join Date: Nov 25, 2007
Location: Lawrenceville, GA
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Just ordered the mandrel, how hard is it to get the thimble off after it's completed? I use blue sludge and sometimes had a bit of a problem with beads so I have to wonder it I'm going to have problems getting these off.
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GTT Lynx-M10 Oxy-con
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2008-07-20, 3:47pm
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Who me?
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Join Date: Jun 15, 2005
Location: Hagerstown, Indiana
Posts: 2,284
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Quote:
Originally Posted by simvet02
Just ordered the mandrel, how hard is it to get the thimble off after it's completed? I use blue sludge and sometimes had a bit of a problem with beads so I have to wonder it I'm going to have problems getting these off.
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Hi Jan, got your order. I use sludge plus and for me the thimbles are easier to remove than beads - in fact I've had some fall off in the kiln - that is if you have made sure that no glass cups under the mandrel head while you are forming the thimble.
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From the Perimeter of the Great Dismal Swamp
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2008-07-20, 3:49pm
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Who me?
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Join Date: Jun 15, 2005
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Islandgirl
I'm using a leather stamp for my top ... it's actually a pineapple but the texture is good and it's actually got a nice curve too it... Google tandy leather... I have a bunch of their flower stamps too....
Not getting the mandrel hot enough was obviously one of my issues!
Lynne
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Ohhh, a pineapple pattern sounds neat - glad getting the mandrel hotter is working for you.
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From the Perimeter of the Great Dismal Swamp
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2008-07-20, 4:28pm
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Lover of all things color
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Location: Lawrenceville, GA
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Thanks Linda, now that I know there is a way to do it wrong you know I will.....LOL
Looking forward to trying the mandrel.
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2008-07-21, 12:43am
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Old Time Bead Maker
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Join Date: Feb 20, 2007
Location: Shelton, Washington
Posts: 112
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Hi...
I've been using Bucket O' Mud and the thimbles just pop right off after soaking in water for less than a minute. I was skeptical but I was totally amazed after the first one came off so easily.
I've also been using the Vin Pin for my dimples on the top. Makes a perfect star pattern.
I really like my thimble mandrel in case you couldn't figure that out...
Have fun.
Sue
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2008-07-29, 4:58pm
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Anyone need some spacers?
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Join Date: Oct 08, 2005
Location: Pennfield, MI
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I have seen Karen M's thimbles and they are very nice. Has anyone tried future floor wax on the inside of them? I use it on my pandora beads and it takes that etched look away.
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2008-07-30, 4:54am
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Senior Member
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bead_bug
I have seen Karen M's thimbles and they are very nice. Has anyone tried future floor wax on the inside of them? I use it on my pandora beads and it takes that etched look away.
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Is that the clear liquid stuff or is it a paste wax? I wondered about using something like glass polish or wax on the inside of beads... but I've never got around to trying it!
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2008-08-23, 8:48am
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Beadmaking.nl
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Location: Heerhugowaard, Netherlands
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Me Too
I got also the mandrel. It's so great to make one. The mandrel are great!!!
I used sludge dip and go en it went off very easily!
I forgot the holes in the top... but ok, it's my first one!
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Greetings from the Netherlands,
Margriet.
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2008-08-23, 12:28pm
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I need more boro stuff
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Join Date: May 10, 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
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This is what I made from the thimbles mandrel:
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2008-08-23, 12:34pm
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Beadmaking.nl
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Beautiful!!!!!
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Greetings from the Netherlands,
Margriet.
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