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Tammy Rae Wolter shows how to form beads from glass and use them in creative ways for jewelry and accessories.


 

 

Tutorial for making a Borosilicate Glass Bead on an Antique Skeleton Key
            Glass by Tammy Rae with Tammy Rae Wolter

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Intermediate level project

These have been a very popular item for me at shows.  Simply hung from a leather lace or silk ribbon they become an attractive and easy pendant style necklace.  Antique Keys are available many places but are becoming a little more difficult to fine.  Be sure the ones you purchase are actual old keys and not a newer cast from an old key as the metal of the cast key will probably not withstand the torch flame.  A little trick…..run a magnet over a stack of keys – if they stick to the magnet they will probably do well for this project.  You will want to clean your key with a brass brush if it is really dirty.  I do love the vintage look so I only clean then enough to ensure the bead release will attach properly.

 

  Tools:  all available at ABR Imagery, Bloomington, Indiana www.abrimagery.com

  • Lampworking Duel Fuel Torch appropriate for melting Borosilicate Glass  (I am using a GTT Mirage)
  • Didymium Glasses (a MUST for lampworkers for eye protection)
  • Kiln with digital computer controller (set at 960 degrees for garage)
  • Key Holder (see below)
  • Long handled tweezers

Supplies: all available at ABR Imagery, Bloomington, Indiana www.abrimagery.com

  • Bead Release (my absolute favorite after experimenting with various products is one produced by ABR Imagery – their blue label regular bead release)
  • Borosilicate Glass Colored Rods (I am using Glass Alchemy Aqua Azul  with Northstar Exotic Blue Frit in this demo)
  • Borosilicate Clear rods (using 8mm Simax in demo)
  • Antique Skeleton Key

 

  • Dip the entire shank of the key in bead release and allow to air dry.  I turn them upside down and poke them down into a Styrofoam block to dry. 

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NOTE:  I don’t recommend making the bead directly on the key even though the glass sticks well initially – it might end up cracking off over time with the huge difference in the amount of expansion and contraction between the metal key and glass bead.  And…using bead release you have the added bonus of the nice tactile feel of the bead moving on the key once you clean the bead release off after annealing.

 

  • Holding the Key in the flame – this is the trickiest part of this project.  I have rigged up a little holder using an office clip (shown in video) but there are several options available if you choose to purchase one.  Contact me at me@tammyrae.com and I will hook you up.  I like my version because I can use the same holder for as many keys I want to make rather than the style where you attach the key and it stays on during the annealing process. 

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Create your glass bead on the flame warmed key as you would using a traditional mandrel…..as shown in the following photos. (For a little more detail please refer to the “Making a Borosilicate Lampwork Glass Bead” segment. )

  • Warm the glass rod and allow a little “gather” or ball of molten glass to form on the end. 

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Apply the glass to key as you would using a regular mandrel

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             Encase with Clear…..
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And there you go…..a beautiful bead on an antique key! 

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  • With a long handled tweezers grasp key, open clip holder to release and place in kiln. 
  • Anneal properly in your kiln to ensure durability
  • Clean – Using a brass brush and working under water, scrub off the bead release.  Thoroughly dry and apply a thin coat of a product like Renaissance Wax to reduce the chance of rust forming.  (It’s still an old key after all)

 Keep dry when wearing. 

Questions?  Please write to me at me@tammyrae.com

 

Tutorial for making a Borosilicate Glass Bead using striking glass
            Glass by Tammy Rae with Tammy Rae Wolter

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Beginner level project

**Although you can experiment on your own, If you have never made a glass bead I recommend that you consider signing up for a beginner bead making glass for your first glass experience.  If you can’t find anything in your area please contact me at me@tammyrae.com and I might be able to connect you with a teacher in your area. 

Tools:  all available at ABR Imagery, Bloomington, Indiana www.abrimagery.com

  • Lampworking Duel Fuel Torch appropriate for melting Borosilicate Glass  (I am using a GTT Mirage)
  • 3/32” steel mandrel
  • Didymium Glasses (a MUST for lampworkers for eye protection)
  • Kiln with digital computer controller (set at 960 degrees for garage)

Supplies: all available at ABR Imagery, Bloomington, Indiana www.abrimagery.com

  • Bead Release (my absolute favorite after experimenting with various products is one produced by ABR Imagery – their blue label regular bead release)
  • Borosilicate Glass Colored Rods (I am using Northstar Amber Purple in this demo)
  • Borosilicate Clear rods (using 8mm Simax in demo)

 

  • Dip mandrels in bead release and allow to air dry.  (you can dry them in the flame as well but if you plan ahead and dip them in advance you can work faster….make more beads!)
  • Put on Didymium glasses and light torch – First open the propane, light flame – then slowly open the oxygen….adjust flame. 



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  • Place Amber Purple rod into the flame and allow a nice ball of melted glass  to create what we call a gather at the end.

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  • Warm the bead release covered mandrel in the flame (glass will not stick to a cold mandrel)

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  • Lightly touch the molten glass to the mandrel and quickly turn the mandrel away from you to allow the glass to wrap onto the mandrel.  Continue melting and apply the glass  forming  2-3 wraps around mandrel. 
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  • Repeat step 5 using the clear rod – again making 2-3 wraps or more depending on what size bead you desire.  Note:  when these wraps are applied neatly it is much easier to form a round bead but this take a lot of practice.  Don’t fret about your first “organically” shaped beads…just keep practicing!
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  • Focus the heat of the flame on the glass and not the mandrel as you continue turning it in the flame creating a nice round bead. 

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  • If you were using a non-striking type glass rod this would be the time to place your completed bead into your hot kiln to garage while you work on other glass pieces. 

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  • For a striking color such as Amber Purple, you remove the bead from the flame – still spinning the mandrel to maintain the bead’s round shape.  When the glow is gone (I double check the glow by holding my bead under my work bench where there is less light) reintroduce the bead to the flame at arms length so slowly warm it – this is called flame striking the bead.   Spin the mandrel and allow the bead to glow again.  Remove from flame to check the color.  Repeat the striking process until you see the color you want. 
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  • Place completed mandrel with bead into the warm kiln.
  • When finished with your days glass work, run your annealing schedule to strengthen your glass.    Annealing is a process that raises the temperature of all the glass in the kiln to an even amount removing the stress created in the glass while you were making the bead.  While being created, different parts of the glass end up being different temperatures- causing stress and making it more breakable.  Properly annealed glass, especially Borosilicate is very durable. 

For extensive information about studio set up, safety and the glass bead making world,  check out the International Society of Glass Beadmakers at www.isgb.org

If you follow safe glass making guidelines it really is no more risky than driving a car…just follow the rules and practice, practice, practice! 

Questions?  Please contact me at me@tammyrae.com

 

Tammy Rae Wolter – www.tammyrae.com

Katie Hacker & Tammy Rae Wolter

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