Thin clear boro encasement, how are you doing it?

clover1978 · #1 2012-10-13, 8:11am

I was curious to know how other boro people are encasing their beads with clear. I've tried out a couple of methods but I am still not satisfied. I am trying to get a super thin clear encasement without distorting any of the base bead patterns. So far the clear comes out too thick or when thin enough sometimes leaves behind bubbles or lines on atmospheric sensitive glasses like say NS blue moon or caramel if they happen to be the base bead.

Tips or suggestions would be much appreciated, many thanks

Dragonharper · #2 2012-10-13, 8:37am

Frit/powder?

clover1978 · #3 2012-10-13, 12:39pm

Clear frit is one of the options I tried out. It tended to make the detail blur out on the edges of patterns. But then maybe I should try again with an even finer frit.

PennyLane · #4 2012-10-13, 12:48pm

You are using 3mm clear?

Alaska · #5 2012-10-13, 1:00pm

Not sure how thin is thin. Use clear Simax 5 mm rod to encase beads. One stripe around the middle and one one each side. Three mm could be used depending on bead OD.

glasspyro · #6 2012-10-13, 1:01pm

I use 3 mil rod just keep the bead warm enough not to crack then heat the rod up, then smear on, keeping the heat on the rod not the bead. Just stripe till covered.

The idea being that yeh push down onto the bead and drag the rod across that way you create a flat covering of glass having the bead relatively cool stops, avoids creating a lil valley or indentation into the bead. Then all yeh gotta do is not overlap the clear, gotta get close enough to butt up against the previous line of clear.

Frit would work but tends to leave a kinda textured look to it when melting it in unless its very fine.

Three Muses Glass · #7 2012-10-13, 1:27pm

Simax makes flat rod, thinnest I've seen is about 3mm. I haven't tried it. You can make your own flatter if you want...basically squish a lollipop and stretch it out. That I have done but it's too much like work. lol Usually I just let the base bead cool enough, get the gather really hot and smoosh it on fast. Like glasspyro said.
Clear frit doesn't really do it for me as far as encasing goes. It seems to always displace the pattern underneath, not being a continuous clear coat.

samandsha · #8 2012-10-13, 2:17pm

I do use the 3mm round and the 4mm flat...both work great for me ;-D

clover1978 · #9 2012-10-14, 9:03am

I guess I must be on the right track. The only thing mentioned that I haven't tried yet is the 4 mm flat clear rod and that was on the "try out" list. With the 3 mm clear round rod I am getting the thinness I want but I run in to the issue of application lines on the base bead. On the downloaded bead example the lines may look like indentations where the clear melted down into the base bead colour but it isn't. On top of that I always make sure the clear over laps the last line put down. The lines only show up on colours that are changeable for any number of reason dependent on how you work it. This never happens on colours in the NS crayon family or basically any colour that stays the same colour no matter the application.
Anyhoo, sometimes the lines are complimentary to the bead so I don't mind lol. Other times it isn't :(
Thanks much for the responses and suggestions. There is so much information for soft glass bead makers, boro info is much more elusive. Being solo worker, I was wondering if I was missing some magic way of encasing lol. Practice, practice, patience until I get exactly what I am looking for :)

deb tarry · #10 2012-10-15, 9:06am

It is hard to encase with a small rod of boro on a a bead and not trap a line of air. so I would play around with the flat rod idea. If the flat rod is a little wider than your bead it would work pretty good. Make one wrap around your bead then focus the flame on one side and ease the edges down with your pick.

pierces*designs · #11 2012-10-15, 9:25am

I use a 5mm rod and starting on the right edge I wrap the clear around, butting up to the already put down clear each time around. I never get lines, BUT I do not have a pattered base like you have.

Dasi · #12 2012-10-15, 9:27am

The flat rods are still very thick. Have they made real thin ones?

fourpawsglass · #13 2012-10-15, 10:29am

I use a 4mm rod and make a disc of clear over the center of the bead making sure to keep the majority of the bead out of the flame. Then melt this clear disc with the flame pointed on the top. The clear disc will melt down flowing over the center of the bead to the sides. It will take a few times to get just the right amount of clear to cover the bead. Doing it this way, I get no distortion and no bubbles or lines.

AuntD · #14 2012-10-15, 1:24pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by clover1978

The lines only show up on colours that are changeable for any number of reason dependent on how you work it. This never happens on colours in the NS crayon family or basically any colour that stays the same colour no matter the application.

It sounds to me like this would be the key. I don't have your answer, but I wonder whether there's something in the atmosphere of your flame or where you hold the bead in the flame or whether you're holding your tongue correctly for the time of day. That last one's said in jest... mainly. When I was first working I didn't realize that my flame was always reducing at the edges for torch reasons it would be boring to enumerate. I got some pretty funky results. I wasn't very good, either, but that was only part of it. From your beads it looks like you're pretty good!

menty666 · #15 2012-10-15, 1:59pm

If you're not shooting for the most efficient method, you could blow a thin bubble, cut it open, pick the edges to get rid of the scum, then use that as your encasing glass, drawing it onto the bead.

Like I said...not efficient, but likely the most control.

clover1978 · #16 2012-10-15, 6:06pm

Check out Sarah Moran's boro beads. Somehow she is getting a really thin layer without leaving a trace of how she is doing it. Magic lol.

http://www.z-beads.com/workingfolder...orestboro.html

Here is a link to one of her boro sets(hopefully it works). I love her work. And interestingly she mentions some kind of clear she can no longer get O.o Mystery and intrigue.

Love the suggestions. Thanks all. I've blown glass glass for a number of years but beads are a whole new world to me

Variety is the spice of life.

cheng076 · #17 2012-10-15, 8:27pm

If I want a very thin layer of clear or even color I first get a gather big enough to contain enough glass to cover what I want covered. I then flatten it into a 'lollypop'. I then pull the lollypop into a long thin ribbon that I use to coat the object. I can get as thin as 2mm or better.

Baywinger · #18 2012-10-15, 9:14pm

I use fine clear frit

Rose · #19 2012-10-24, 5:15am

I like the lollipop idea, too. But Tom is also onto something. I've done what he describes, for encasing. Blow a big clear bubble and break it into big shards. This will give you a very thin encasing. I've done this with 104 but not boro.

Also, you really do have to overlap your wraps to avoid the silver glass coming through the seam. BUT, if it's air you are trapping, try this: Start melting your clear in from the center of the bead and work towards the edges. You can watch the lines disappear as the air is pushed out the sides.