Spiral beads

SunDoorBeads · #1 2008-08-24, 7:30pm

Okay I know that I am going to sound dumb but I cannot make a decent spiral disc to save my life. Is there a tut that anyone can recommend? I feel that I should have already nailed this one but hey we all have our hang-ups

Many Thanks,
Michelle
www.sundoorbeads.com

swamper · #2 2008-08-25, 5:20am

I'd like to know this too. I can do them with multiple layers, heat blob apply, heat blob apply - but I've seen some that look like one continuous spiral - when I try that, I get a thick mess and the sides of the disk look wonky.

swamper · #3 2008-08-26, 9:54am

Man, can I kill a thread or what?

preciousglass · #4 2008-08-26, 10:20am

I don't know that I have a tut necessarily but maybe some advice...

I have the best result when I get approx 1 1/2" of the rod pretty warm before I create the initial 'blob'. That way, I can hold the rod pretty steady while spinning the mandrel, and it takes very little extra heat to get the rod molten. By doing that, I can keep a continuous flow of glass going. Also, be sure that the 'blob is not too hot. You want just warmer than it would be if you were pulling stringers.

Hope that helps. Actually, I just hope that makes sense.
Good luck

preciousglass · #5 2008-08-26, 10:23am

Also... keep the bead just to the outside of the flame so that it cannot get soft. If it gets soft while you are trying to pull glass from the rod, your bead will become a lopsided mess.

obscure_shadow · #6 2008-08-26, 7:15pm

bump

anyone know how to make a perfect spiral around a mandrel? the only way i can think to make beads like that is to pull out hollow latti and cut off beads... but if anyone has ideas and esp. pics. that would be awsome

jaci · #7 2008-08-29, 9:09am

i am not sure which spiral beads you are talking about. the ones with a tight corkscrew in the center of a clear bead? the old school marble effect outside spiral (like stringer application spiral)? the tornado bead spiral? The gravity swirl spiral?

when I make wine stoppers (like a marble on the end of a mandrel *ish*) I put straight lines of a stringer/twistie or rod up the sides and twist at the intersection to insure a good connection (this would not apply with a bead) then gravity swirl one end at a time in opposite direction until I am happy with the spiral.

You could just make a bead knife spiral lines in it and lay stringer on the lines too. melt it in and done. The knife makes it easier to follow a path.

jaci · #8 2008-08-29, 9:12am

Quote:

Originally Posted by obscure_shadow

bump

anyone know how to make a perfect spiral around a mandrel? the only way i can think to make beads like that is to pull out hollow latti and cut off beads... but if anyone has ideas and esp. pics. that would be awsome

there is a tut somewhere about lattice beads latticino style.. I cant seem to find it though...

Frit Diva · #9 2008-08-29, 3:23pm

I thought I knew what type of bead Michelle was asking about... a flat disk that is shaped liked a record, right? Then I got confused with later posts...

Anyway, Michelle, I concur with Sarah, and would just add, one way to keep control of the spiral is to heat the rod a little farther from the disk (once you get it going as Sarah describes) so there is a short sag of molten glass between the disk and the rod. When you get that going, it is pretty easy to keep the spiral uniform.

Jo

jaci · #10 2008-08-29, 10:56pm

ahhh.. i re-read it.... hee heee yes spiral discs...

i tend to melt more length in the rod with less heat then its like making a coil clay pot. Slow and even heat (on the cooler side) and just spin. Don't worry is it curves, you can take a pair of mashers to it to straighten it. You can flame it to an extent to make it more even.

Art of Hand · #11 2008-09-06, 1:09pm

The easiest way to practice it is with thick commercial type stingers. and an even spinning of the mandrel. whe you feel that you are loosing control over the mandrel/spinning, lift the glass rod and mandrel away from the flame, get a good spinning grip again on the mandrel, and re-introduce it in the flame. work on a softer flame, as if you are applying stringer. Yea, rather start working with a very cool flame for the first few disks, then move to hotter flames as you get used to the application.

Diana

Charli! · #12 2008-09-06, 1:45pm

Any tips on saving these spiral disk beads when you have to batch anneal? Vast majority of mine break in the vermiculite.

PurpleCatJewels · #13 2008-09-06, 1:53pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deesigned Beads

The easiest way to practice it is with thick commercial type stingers. and an even spinning of the mandrel. whe you feel that you are loosing control over the mandrel/spinning, lift the glass rod and mandrel away from the flame, get a good spinning grip again on the mandrel, and re-introduce it in the flame. work on a softer flame, as if you are applying stringer. Yea, rather start working with a very cool flame for the first few disks, then move to hotter flames as you get used to the application.

Wow! That's a wonderful idea! I am going to try that! I have been PPP-ing spirals every session since I started. I even tried the pre-heating an extra inch or so of rod. Still uneven. I'm gonna try the stringers.

Oh, and I absolutely LOVE your "square" spirals! Those are so very cool!

~Rachelle K

Art of Hand · #14 2008-09-08, 8:23am

Charli, vermiculite is not a good thing, but when no kiln, it is the only option!

What you need to do, is make sure that you have 'glued' the spirals together propperly. when you have finished applying your glass to make the disk, wave it (spinning) in the cooler areas of the flame, so that the disk is not melting down into a bead, but an area hot enough to melt the spirals together. for one, you are making sure that the whole bead/disk is the same temperature, and bacically you need to prevent too much of an 'undercut', as you would with melting a proud dot onto a bead, without melting it completely flat. I do not know if I made myself clear on this, and if you do not fully understand, just slip me a pm. I always forget on which threads I have written!

Diana

SunDoorBeads · #15 2008-09-08, 8:55pm

I am so grateful for all the great advice- I have been busy with so many things- hurricanes, an A/C unit that died, and sick kids. But thank you to all who posted. I have gotten better at this although I am a little afraid to use mashers to straighten out a lopsided disk cuz I dont want to loose the spiraly look. I guess PPP wil have to be my game if I want to nail this. Oh by the way I was working WAY too hot so now I have some hope that I too can do this!!!!
Many thanks,
Michelle
www.sundoorbeads.com