Lampwork Etc.
 
AKDesign

LE Live Chat

Enter Live Chat

No users in chat


The Flow

Beads of Courage


 

Go Back   Lampwork Etc. > Library > Tips, Techniques, and Questions

Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 2012-03-03, 11:40am
yeepers's Avatar
yeepers yeepers is offline
Certified Glassaholic!
 
Join Date: Jun 17, 2005
Location: In my own little world.....
Posts: 1,792
Default Has anyone use Amy's (Zooziis) Bubble press?

I was wandering around the internet and happened on this press. Was wondering if anyone has used it yet and what you think of it? Looks very interesting

http://www.zooziis.com/bubbles.aspx

-Yee
__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.



To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 2012-03-03, 12:30pm
jgirl jgirl is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 30, 2008
Posts: 2
Default

I bought this a few months back and have only used it a couple of times. I am fairly new to lampworking so I'm sure I have a long way to go. I did use a lot of glass with this press, but the bead came out kind of cool, to me anyways!.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 2012-03-03, 12:46pm
gemsinbloom's Avatar
gemsinbloom gemsinbloom is offline
Jacqueline Parkes
 
Join Date: Nov 04, 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 4,497
Default

Yes I did twice so far. One I showed here and it was deemed ugly by myself and others yet it sold lol

My second attempt was nicer but never sold. Funny you should ask as I a
Was thinking about this press this morning. I need to figure something for it. Too scared to get on the torch this morning as I burned my face yesterday. I should just get back on the horse.

Yes it takes a lot of glass.
__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 2012-03-03, 2:27pm
yeepers's Avatar
yeepers yeepers is offline
Certified Glassaholic!
 
Join Date: Jun 17, 2005
Location: In my own little world.....
Posts: 1,792
Default

Pics anyone?? Seriously....I'm intrigued!
__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.



To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 2012-03-03, 3:08pm
gemsinbloom's Avatar
gemsinbloom gemsinbloom is offline
Jacqueline Parkes
 
Join Date: Nov 04, 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 4,497
Default

Okay I just made one and it is one strange bead. Still annealing. As far as pics go concerning the others, I have no idea where they are, sorry.

Just go play. The bead I just made is not filling up the whole cavity. No need in my mind. It is full of double layered silver glass bubbles. Very strange but maybe wonderful? It took a long time to make though.
__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 2012-03-03, 4:31pm
yeepers's Avatar
yeepers yeepers is offline
Certified Glassaholic!
 
Join Date: Jun 17, 2005
Location: In my own little world.....
Posts: 1,792
Default

Is Amy still doing her press game? This is definitely one press I'd like to try before committing

-Yee
__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.



To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 2012-03-03, 6:13pm
JavaGirlBT JavaGirlBT is offline
A True Woofer
 
Join Date: Jun 13, 2005
Location: the land of nod
Posts: 3,895
Default

I've made a couple. Here's the first one:



I think they look really cool in transparents.
__________________
Ellen

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 2012-03-04, 5:18pm
emoon's Avatar
emoon emoon is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 02, 2005
Location: South Carolina Lowcountry
Posts: 730
Default

Looks so like a cool science project...cells splitting and stuff!
__________________
Melodie Lee, LeeBeads
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.



To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


leebeads.etsy.com, leebeads.artfire.com
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 2012-03-05, 12:24pm
5betsy 5betsy is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 17, 2009
Location: Back in Tucson for good
Posts: 354
Default

I gotta say the one on Zooziis site is ugly to me - what a strange glass to choose. But then I saw the transparent one and went OH that's pretty darn cool!

Thanks Ellen for sharing.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 2012-03-05, 3:58pm
essiemessy's Avatar
essiemessy essiemessy is offline
Happy Inner Dragon
 
Join Date: Dec 03, 2009
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 6,129
Default

Ooh, I reckon poked dots could be added to bubbles if it could be done without compromising the shape. As it is I think it's a bit ordinary, but boy it has possibilities as a base bead.
__________________
Di - Essie's my wonderbike
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

rusticalsfreestyle on Instagram

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
SRA# P107
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 2012-03-05, 4:48pm
Ravenesque Ravenesque is offline
Naysayer
 
Join Date: Sep 22, 2009
Posts: 1,203
Default

That's really cool! And Ellen I love that bead.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 2012-03-05, 4:50pm
gemsinbloom's Avatar
gemsinbloom gemsinbloom is offline
Jacqueline Parkes
 
Join Date: Nov 04, 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 4,497
Default

Here is one wild and crazy bead.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 2012-06-28, 4:36pm
limamike's Avatar
limamike limamike is offline
Sleep Deprived
 
Join Date: Dec 07, 2006
Location: Easton, MD
Posts: 285
Default

Can anyone show the actual press? And what size "glob" of glass do you have to have going into it -- a round? My brain isn't computing this one.
__________________
[font="Courier New"]

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 2012-06-28, 5:41pm
rainygrrl's Avatar
rainygrrl rainygrrl is offline
dances with ideas...
 
Join Date: Sep 15, 2005
Location: A map dot in Montana
Posts: 2,355
Default

Amy just announced a slightly smaller version. Details here.
http://www.zooziis.com/bubbles-2.aspx
__________________
Roberta
”If it makes you happy, then it’s a good thing.” ~ Terryd

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 2012-07-19, 7:38pm
Zooziis Zooziis is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 13, 2005
Location: NH
Posts: 1,155
Default

I didn't see this thread earlier, but thank you all who shared info and images. I love that bead Jacqueline. I like how you didn't fill it out, and twisted the glass. Very cool. This is a review by Kerry Bogert (unsolicited) of the original, which I'm calling the "XL". It's about 1.5" in diameter, and takes a lot of glass. I have since come out with the smaller one that Roberta mentioned, which is the "Large" and is 1". It takes a very reasonable amount of glass, about what you'd use for a 1" Lentil. An experience Hot Head user should be able to tackle this one, but I can't recommend the XL unless you have a propane torch...but some hot head users are amazing, so I will never say it can't be done!

I am making bubbles for my trade beads for the gathering (because I'm having so much fun with the press), in the 1" large size, and have made about 40 so far. I am super happy with how user friendly it is...I have made about 40, which I couldn't do if it wasn't user friendly!! You will want a razor tool, or knife, on hand when using it, to deal with the undercuts (parts where the glass goes back in on itself around the outer edge). But it's been a super lot of fun to make beads with. I have done all sorts of things with it, including:

Decorating each sphere differently.

Making each sphere a different color. This takes a bit of time, but is so fun.

One solid colors in the funky, silvered glasses, which look cool, because the spheres look different based on their size, and the creases where the spheres meet are darker, so a cool outline look. It's neat.

Layered frit beads, which again, the different sizes of the spheres magnifies differently adding interest.

Encased. Taking a solid color and encasing with a transparent then pressing. It took well to that.

I don't have pics of all of them, but I do have some pics of the stringer decorated, each sphere a different color, and then a necklace I made for my mom with 3 Large (1") bubbles.

I was asked for a tutorial, and I do plan on doing one. But I'm always happy to answer questions and give tips, if you need them.

I have found I get the nicest ends if I make a tube about as long as the press is wide, and make the two end spheres by light marvering then pressing, first. Once those are set, you can add glass to the middle, then press the whole thing. You will likely get some webbing in those undercuts, but you just spot heat, push them back in, heat the bead and repress. You will want to press these more than once, to get them very crisp and completely filled in, but the press works great for multiple pressing and as long as you give it enough heat, the glass will be fine.

I have also just made a round bead, a little smaller then the cavity, and pressed. That has worked well, but sometimes the two end spheres around the mandrel holes aren't quite filled in. You get webbing this way, too, but it's easy to deal with, with your knife or razor tool. I found that method to work well with encased beads.

Unless you greatly overfill, or your pre-pressed bead is wider than the cavity, you shouldn't have any issues with glass further out on the mandrel than it should be. This is because we designed it to have the furthest points to be the spheres, so it really is easy to deal with any issues of too much glass, because the time that you will most likely have to give up, is when you get glass further along the mandrel than you wanted, and that is not a common issue with this press.

I hope that was helpful. I don't put out a press that I don't think works well, but some presses surprise me with their usability and this one shocked me. I had the idea, and wanted one, so had dad make one up, but was nervous about how it would test. I was pleasantly surprised, and only had to tweak that first prototype slightly, before it was great. The small version was even easier, especially since it takes so much less glass.

I guess the last thing I'll say is that part of it's user friendliness comes from the fact that you can slightly overfill, or underfill and still have it look nice and rounded.
Attached Images
   
__________________
Amy


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.



To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
My Daughter and Husband Wrote a book.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
The Car Catch-all...the most useful non-lampworking item ever!
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 2012-07-20, 12:11pm
blong2001's Avatar
blong2001 blong2001 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 07, 2007
Location: High Point, NC
Posts: 1,402
Default

Looks like something I need to save my pennies for! Beautiful!
__________________
♥.·:*¨¨*:·.♥.·: Bethany :·.♥.·:*¨¨*:·.♥
When a child is born... so is a grandmother
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 2012-07-20, 2:17pm
JavaGirlBT JavaGirlBT is offline
A True Woofer
 
Join Date: Jun 13, 2005
Location: the land of nod
Posts: 3,895
Default

Here are a couple more of mine:
XL":

L:
__________________
Ellen

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 2012-07-20, 6:40pm
rainygrrl's Avatar
rainygrrl rainygrrl is offline
dances with ideas...
 
Join Date: Sep 15, 2005
Location: A map dot in Montana
Posts: 2,355
Default

OMG, now I am totally drooling even though I am severely press challenged.Amy, I think that my favorite is the multicolored one ont he left (veiled cane?). And I adore the top one Ellen posted, with the great reflections. Thanks so much for the eye candy!
__________________
Roberta
”If it makes you happy, then it’s a good thing.” ~ Terryd

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 2012-07-21, 9:37am
Zooziis Zooziis is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 13, 2005
Location: NH
Posts: 1,155
Default

Thank you Rainygrrl. It is made with veiled cane from Val Cox, that I got back in the day when she was having it made. I'm going to miss that glass when it's gone...but I still have a respectable stash Ellen that top Doggie bead is FABULOUS!

I know I'm probably biased, but I seriously LOVE this shape. I love it so much, I'm going to go use it right now <giggle>.
__________________
Amy


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.



To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
My Daughter and Husband Wrote a book.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
The Car Catch-all...the most useful non-lampworking item ever!
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 2012-07-21, 10:02am
rosebud101's Avatar
rosebud101 rosebud101 is offline
I think I could be a bead
 
Join Date: Jun 28, 2006
Posts: 10,992
Default

I love this press,a nd, so far, I've only used it for BOC beads using my short short, so there's no control over color placement,, but they are fun to make. The press is very user friendly. Now, I hope to work on it again.
__________________
Mallory

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump




All times are GMT -7. The time now is 12:55pm.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Your IP: 3.91.19.28