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Cg-beadrollers
Graphite
molds
designed
for the lampwork industry.
Tips & Tricks to help you achieve a
perfect bead
Feel free to email me
with questions, comments or tips of your own.
(and yes,
you have
permission to copy this page,
but must request
permission to use the photo's)
Examples of
bead shapes you will be able to make.
(new tips will
be dated for your
convenience)
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The
beadrollers are molds, not presses, so you are in control of the
outcome.
Although, in some instances, they can be used to your advantace 'like'
a press.
Here are just a few tips to help you stay in
control of the glass. Let experience be your guide. |
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added
12/1/2011 Stepped Stubby
Bicone & Stepped Bicone
I conciser these two as a bit more advanced. Take into consideration
that I'm not making beads on a regular basis anymore, so my learning
curve took a couple of tries, but the results are worth the effort. I
did discover a couple of tip that I'll pass along. Make the entire foot
and get yourself nice clean ends done up front. Then build up the
consecutive 'steps', rolling the bead in the roller to help form the
layers. To get the final shape, there were two ways that worked for me
One is to hand form the bead into a straight sided bicone, then gently
roll the bead on the rim of the cavity until the steps start to form,
gently and gradually pressing it into the cavity (rolling).
Second, and the one that worked best for me, is to press the bead into
the cavity, turn 180 degrees and press again. This will obviously
squash some glass out onto the rims (like when you have too much glass
when using a press). Heat slightly, now turn the bead 90 degrees and
press the squashed side of the bead into the cavity, turn 180 degrees
and press the other squashed side. This will center the bead, and now
you can start to heat and roll, heat and roll, until you have the steps
formed.
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11/27/2010 Using BR-5001 Spool - Make your foot, and
make shorter than the cavity of course, to be able to get the dimpled
holes on the finished bead, then keep building up the ends, rolling
frequently to help shape as you build.
As you add glass, if it bunches up in the middle (like glass does
naturally), use the beadroller like a press to gently push the glass
back towards the ends, turn and repeat until you have your shape
back. Although I haven't made one yet, the spool will help you
get a nice base bead for an apple core bead. |
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11/12/2010 Using the bicone shapes. Important, make the
foot shorter than the cavity. Build up the bead the same way you
would any bicone, since there are several different methods, do what
works best for you. I make a barrel and build up one side first,
from the middle out, then the other side, rolling it in the cavity as I
go so I can see where I need to add glass. After you're happy
with the bead, lightly heat the surface and give it a quick roll.
On the ribbed versions, this will define the ribs. Think of the
cavity like a canyon with a canyon rim, concentrate on rolling the bead
on the rim closest to you, not the bottom of the cavity. |
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added 6/12/2010
Thank you Angie for providing this hollow bead
tutorial. MitosisGlass
on Etsy |
1. Wind
a barrel of glass onto the mandrel, slightly smaller than the width of
your chosen round cavity.
2. Marver so that it's fairly even.
3. Add a 4 or 5 wrap spiral of glass at either end of the barrel.
4. Start adding one wrap of glass to each spiral, applying it slightly
to the side toward the other end of the bead.
5. Continue until the spirals are ready to meet in the middle of
the bead.
6. Add your final wrap of glass to connect the two spirals, ensure
there are no gaps anywhere in the bead, then hit the bead with heat
gently but thoroughly.
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7. When the glas
seems fairly evenly soft, shape in the beadroller cavity.
8. Repeat the heating and shaping process, adding more glass if
necessary, until you bead is the right shape.
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added 11/24/09
There is really a very small learning curve with these
tools! I did some of the beveled disc with an edge of latticino, and
they came out great, especially with the design on the surface! What's
especially cool, is that you can start to coax the shape by starting on
the larger and gradually move down to the right "fit" for your gather.
I tell you.... these tools are THE BOMB! And again, the quality of the
graphite is so silky smooth...... way better then your average graphite
paddle. "Ofilia Cinta" |
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added 11/10/09
Mandrel Slot Sizes
You can use the 1/16" mandrel on the larger slots, too. The slot is a
guide that helps you roll the bead straight, so the hole runs
'straight' through the bead, and not at an angle, kind of like the
earths axis is at a slight angle. With a smaller mandrel, it will just
have a bit more 'wiggle room' in the slot. |
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added 11/3/09
"Do I need the base"?
No you don't need the base. Each tool is a marver unto itself. The
purpose for the base then? When you have a mandrel in one hand, and a
glass rod in the other, your tool is setting on the table.
I roll the bead in the marver as I build it up, to help shape as I go
along (cause I'm about the sloppiest base bead builder on the planet)
and the marver is sitting flat on the table. awkward So just
prop it up against something, like maybe a brick.
Or if you're like me, I don't particularly want a brick in my way, and
the base was specifiably designed to hold the beadroller at
approximately a 30 degree angle, and also keep it from sliding around
(cause I don't like chasing it either) or possibly falling over and
chipping. And the tool can easily be picked up from the base for
shaping when you switch your mandrel to your dominant hand (which is on
the other side of the torch, funny how that worked out that way)
But seriously, no, the base is not required to be able to use the
tools, but it's very handy.
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added 11/2/09
Remember not to use too much pressure when rolling a bead. These
are simply marvers that are not flat. If you roll a bead on a flat
surface with too much pressure it will push the glass and you'll get a
lopsided beads. Same thing with these, or any curved surface you roll
on.
Make the footprint a bit smaller than the cavity to get the puckered
end.
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added 11/2/09
The cavity shape does not
have to be then end shape, use the roller to get a symmetrical base to
add to, or flatten. |
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added
7/9/09
The donut and round spacer bead molds:
These mold are long and narrow to accommodate putting more than one
bead on a mandrel. Simply make a bead, then move up or down the
mandrel to make the next bead, making sure to gently reheat the first a
bit, from time to time, to prevent it from cracking.
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added
7/9/09
To get a nice peek on the disc beads:
Make the footprint just a bit more narrow than the cavity, this is
required to achieve a puckered end. Add glass to build up and form
your bead. When you have enough built up and shaped, roll the bead on
the bottom part of the rim (rim, as in, like the rim of a canyon)
instead of on the bottom of the cavity. That will force the glass into
the peak of the mold. (second picture in the gallery below)
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The
bantam beadroller with the 3mm slot, is a fairly small slot, and a
3/32"
mandrel will rub on the graphite and break the release, so the 1/16"
mandrels are recommended.
The beadrollers with a 3.8mm slot will work for a single dipped 1/8"
mandrel
or smaller, so they work great with a double dipped 3/32" mandrel,
that's what I use most.
Since the slot is a place for the mandrel to sit, the 7mm (1/4") slot
beadrollers can be used with any size mandrel, but will have wiggle
room with smaller mandrels, thus requiring a bit more control to keep
the mandrel
centered in the slot.
That said, the slot that is closest to the mandrel in use, will have
less
room to 'wobble' in.
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1)
Don't mold your glass when it is too hot, too much pressure on a too
hot bead can push the glass where you don't want it to go and make it a
chore to realign.
2) Conversely, if the bead gets too cool you won't be able to shape the
bead at all.
3) The
middle-of-the-road-just-right-temperature comes with time and
experience and is half the battle.
4) Beadrollers can be used as a half press, like you would use an opti
mold.
5) Roll your beads gently, using only a little pressure.
6) Marvering towards the lower part of the rim, instead of the bottom
of the
cavity, will give you visibility of what the glass is doing, how much
more to add, if it is lopsided, etc.
7) Short change your bead footprint. i.e.: making your first wrap
of glass a bit shorter than the mold (hole to hole) will allow you to
make a
professional looking puckered end.
8) Using the exact amount of glass is not necessary. i.e.: the
beadpen roller beads can be made shorter than the 63mm cavity.
Simply make them shorter, finish one end and move the bead to the other
end of the cavity to shape the second end.
9) Cavities can be used as a measuring guide. i.e.: to measure
the same amount of glass for two fish beads the same size.
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10) Glass glides better on
warm graphite, so don't worry about cooling them off.
11) Unlike a flat marver, the curve surface of the cavities touching
more raku frit on a bead, makes color pop easier and more
consistent.
12) Curved surfaces also make it easier to marver in surface
decoration, like stringers and murrini.
13) Try smashing your beads, starting with a well shaped base will
produce a well shapped focal tab, etc.
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Here
is an example of a frit bead in an oval cavity. Make your base
bead a bit smaller than the cavity to allow for adding frit (or any
surface decoration). With time and experience you will know how
much smaller to make it. Roll the bead in frit and melt it
in. As it is, the center will be fatter than the cavity.
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| Gently
marvering the center part of the bead, to resemble a bit more of a
barrel shape, will move excess glass to the ends of the bead. Now
it is ready to become an oval. |
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Gently
press the bead into the cavity, turn the bead to the other side and
press into the cavity again. To much pressure can force the glass
upward, off centering the bead. This picture shows the bottom
half as pressed and the top half before pressing.
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Now roll in the bead
in the cavity to
shape. As you'll note, I haven't mentioned when to heat the bead,
but have left that up to your common sense and experience.
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Here's
a trick for getting nice ends. Heat the very end of the bead.
Gently roll the bead on the outside of the
mold and shape the end against the molds outside edge. Now
reheat to refine and soften. For the barrel/tube style mold, this
can be done right in the cavity.
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