lampwork flamework

Decisions, decisions…

ShebaMakeda 5 Comments

I’m thinking of upgrading to a bigger torch…

Now i love my trusty little Hothead but i think I’ve just about outgrown it.  I want to work cleaner, faster and BIGGER, and that means moving up to a surface mix-burner setup: torch, oxygen concentrator, larger propane tank.  Currently i use my trusty little HH with 1lb propane tanks – somewhat annoying but I’ve adapted quite well to the quirks associated with this choice. 

My beads are currently around 2″ and when i try to go much bigger it just takes forever to melt all that glass – it’s becoming frustrating.  I’ve had several recommendations to try a bulk tank (lots of bead makers do) but to be frank I’m not comfortable with the idea since this isn’t what this torch was originally designed for and brings about a whole set of other issues. 

Soooo, after extensive research, I’ve narrowed down my choices to these two torches.  They are both about equal as starter surface mix torches, each can work soda lime (soft) glass with either propane or natural gas and one 5LPM oxygen concentrator, and i have the option of moving to two concentrators for increased heat once i decide to work even bigger or try borosilicate (hard) glass.  Plus, they come in awesome colours (yippee!): 

Check out this awesome red Mega Minor from Nortel!  Yes, it’s a great soft glass torch.  Yes, it will work for the sculptural work i do, yes, it will grow with me… blah, blah, blah.  Have i mentioned this torch is a fantastically beautiful shiny, metallic red???

It’s so sexy – like a really hot shade of red lip gloss – makes me almost as excited as a great pair of shoes.  Almost.

This torch is made right here in Canada (Toronto) so that’s a huge selling point for me.  Nortel Manufacturing (not the telecommunications company that screwed up our retirement plans) is one of those typical Canadian success stories.  Their products are extremely well-known and respected all over the world and of course where did i hear about their torches? from outside of Canada first.

I also know a few bead makers who’ve bought the Mega and seem quite happy with what it can do.  I got the chance to briefly see it in action in Toronto at the Nortel factory (which is a drool-worthy place to visit if you love glass) but to be perfectly honest since I’ve never used a dual fuel torch before, i didn’t even know what the heck to do with it – i balled the tip of a rod in the flame so i do know it melts way faster than my HH… (duh?)

Now, i thought i had made my choice and then GTT came out with this baby:  a sparkly purple Cricket – yes, it’s sparkly AND purple – a brand new torch that has tested comparably to the Mega and costs about the same.

Call me shallow, but when all things are technically equal I’ll generally lean toward aesthetics over utility.  My motto has always been “Have nothing in the house that is neither useful nor beautiful”.  Or studio.  And this sparkly purple torch sure is pretty. 

Seems both manufacturers have realized that their target market for the smaller torches suitable for glass bead making is mostly women.  So instead of the usual massive, ugly chunks of grey metal or loosely resembling a certain male body part, both torches are instead cute, sleek and downright sexy.  Have i mentioned my absolute favourite colour in the whole world is purple??  and especially sparkly purple? 

I need to choose my new setup soon, sooo: purple? or red? sweet, juicy, sparkly purple? or deep, luxurious, luscious red? Technically, they’re both on par soooo… which torch should i choose?

Decisions, decisions, decisions…

Glass Torch Technologies (GTT): http://www.glasstorchtech.com/

Nortel Manufacturing: http://www.nortelmanufacturing.com/

Hothead Source: http://www.hotheadsource.com/

Tales from the Torch: More pregnant goddesses

ShebaMakeda 15 Comments

These are so much fun to make!  I’m still refining and experimenting with the shapes and colours (from left to right):  All are 1.75″-2.5″

Metallic Moss:This goddess was supposed to be a deep blue colour but i somehow managed to reduce this furnace glass to a weird (but way cool!) metallic green colour.  i absolutely did not expect  this and hope i can recreate this technique, it’s fantastic!

Purple Rose: I love this furnace glass – it gives a great mottled purple ranging from very light to deep with minimal effort.  I even reduced her a bit for some dark interest. 

Sandy Gold: I love, love the depth of colour in this one and the odd little streak that developed across her belly – makes her look like she’s been carved from stone.  I ran out fuel making her, so popped her in the kiln to keep warm and swapped tanks.  But then when i took her out to finish the sculpting i decided i liked her very raw, slightly unformed finish and left her just as she was…

More Grey Goddesses:

i made the one on the left in May (or was it June?) and then tried to replicate the effect using the same glass. 

This is a white furnace glass that when reduced develops this awesome streaky grey finish that is also slightly irridescent.  I still haven’t figured out how i created the metallic effect on the first one but i did manage to get two other cool looks. 

Hard to beleive these are all made pretty much the same way from the exact same glass!

Question i’ve been recently asked: So what does one do with these goddesses?

Well…they can be framed (i think they’d look lovely in a trio of shadow box frames) or for a more personal connection they can be worn as a pendant.  Here’s an example:

Tales from the torch: June & July

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I haven’t had much time or energy to torch over the past month or so but still managed to squeeze in a few hours with these happy results (from left to right):

Picasso’s Dream #1 & 2:  these were (very!) loosely inspired by a tiny magazine clipping of a Picasso etching that i’ve had for years and always wanted to do something with – they’re very moody and i’m quite happy with how they came out.  Their names refer to me dreaming i can create something as stunning as a Picasso. (note my improving stringer control…)

Solitudes:  I’ve been trying to experiment with relatively monochromatic colour palettes but i’m struggling – it just doesn’t come naturally to me.  I love full, bright, lush, riotous combinations of colours (hence my obsession with frit).  So while this bead was supposed to be solely black and white, i couldn’t resist adding just a touch of bright yellow and and hints of mottled green…

Spring Rain #4:  A custom order from my Spring Rain series – this design is simple yet so versatile and seems to have a very broad appeal. There’s always multiple layers of frit and silver in these so a lot of depth that i’m not sure fully comes across in the photos.  The Teenager says this focal reminds him of looking down at coral in the ocean…

Glass Class 101:Making Lampwork Glass Beads

ShebaMakeda 2 Comments

Soooo, how do you DO that???

This is the question I’m most frequently asked when i mention i make glass beads (after of course, we get past that initial stage of incomprehension where i explain that yes, a person can make their own glass beads if they so choose, and no, it’s not really like glassblowing). 

SO! in honour of that ever repeating question, i decided to make a video demonstrating that process.  Ha!  easier said than done.  Unfortunately life and the whims of a teenage schedule means that video never quite happened. 

Instead, thanks to the wonder of modern technology, the internet and lots of people with way more time and video talent than I will ever have, here are some YouTube videos (of other glass beadmakers) demonstrating how they make their glass beads.  I’ve explained the process and components on this page: My Glass Beads.  Any questions? let me know…

My beads are essentially made just like these – but bigger.  Enjoy!

Simple disc bead:

Encased floral:

Sculpted polar bear:

(Yes, someday i will get my own video made and posted… someday…)

Tales from the Torch: May 19/08

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It’s long weekend here so instead of gallivanting like i normally do,  i decided to stay home and make some beads.  I’ve been either sick with the flu or so busy for the past several weeks that i haven’t been able to enjoy much torch time.  This weekend has really made up for that though – just got all these out of the kiln and i’m pretty happy with the results.

First, some focals:  I’ve had a really positive response to my floral attempts so i’ve decided to practice some more (plus a couple other ideas)… all about 2″ long.  From left to right:

Swamp Daisies – (sold) this is a big bead and it really wanted to be made:  I ran out of fuel about halfway through, had to pop the bead in the kiln, wait for the torch to cool down so i could change the propane canister and then slowly reheat and finish it off.  It’s my ongoing attempt to develop a love for that finicky copper green glass – the verdigris colour is intriguing but i’m still struggling to control the amount of that dark residue it develops.  (and yes i know the name isn’t very sexy – if you have a better suggestion let me know)

Blue Lagoon – another encased floral, this time i added the flowers first then the encasing.  I had planned to add another layer of encased florals but frankly i ran out of patience.  It’s encased with Lauscha clear and while the optical clarity is truly magnificent that clear layer was so stiff it took bloody FOREVER to melt.  At several points i was ready to through the whole damn thing (burning molten glass and all) across the room.   

Part of the problem is the limits of my torch, part is due to the Lauscha clear being really quite stiff but the other though is just the process of encasing florals – you have to slowly heat the clear layer enough to smooth it out but at the same time not get everything so hot that you soften and distort the layer of flowers and the core just underneath.  So you’re constantly twirling and swooping the bead in and out of the flame and slowly, slowly, slowly melting smooth that clear layer – an incredibly tedious process.  Somewhat like toasting marshmallows to a delicate golden brown at a bonfire except that each marshmallow takes a freaking HOUR to roast.  (ok, i’m done venting.  perhaps i’ll just put the Lauscha clear aside until i get a hotter torch). I must say, I have now developed a new respect for the beadmakers who make encased florals for a living… (siiigh, i must really not have cooked it properly as it has slowly cracked in half over the last few weeks)

Summer Garden – This is me playing to create something cute and fun and completely unlike my usual stuff (do i even have a usual yet?).  The Teenager declared this one as his fave while making sure to gruffly add the qualifier that of course he “…doesn’t like flowers but it’s still nice.”

Buttercup Swirl– Again something a little different and summery with some encased stringer spirals.  Those spirals were supposed to be a pale pastel yellow but came out bright buttercup yellow instead.  Now i could go into a rant about paying a premium for an “odd lot” glass that looks soft and creamy in the store ad but then strikes to a colour pretty darned close to something i could have bought for a 1/3 the price but i won’t. cuz i’m done venting.  so there. 

ZigZag – this is a weird one.  i was inspired by a room in a decorating mag designed with these colours – it’s odd but i like it.

And here is a custom order i’m working on – pregnant goddesses.  These were too much fun to make.  As i was sculpting each one it reminded me of the last few months of my pregnancy and how alternately excited /scared /annoyed /exhausted I was as i heaved myself around with that huge belly. 

Here’s a side view – they’re not just a little bit pregnant – these babes are nine plus months and ready to deliver at any moment! (i think that grey goddess is having triplets…)

And finally a rear view – cuz no pregnancy ever passes without this extremely important question:  “Honey, does my butt look big?”