R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R. Easy Enamel Beads. by Pam East

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1 R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R projectlibrary Easy Enamel Beads by Pam East It doesn t take much more than some copper tubing, enamel powders, and a simple torch to make your own glass beads with this technique! tools: Trigger-start propane torch or Hothead Torch holder (pictured below) Propane cylinder, 400 g (14.1 oz) Tube cutter (pictured below) Pliers Flathead screwdriver Business card 2 or 3 small spoons 8 ceramic tile 12 ceramic tile Banding wheel (flat-topped Lazy Susan) Large slotted spoon or wire mesh Crock-Pot Fire extinguisher Safety glasses Dust mask materials: Vermiculite (this is a soil lightener) 80 mesh enamel in white or clear 6/20 mesh enamel in white and other colors Copper tubing (3/16 and/or 1/8 refrigeration tubing) Techniques Metalsmithing Safety first! Always wear safety goggles when making glass beads. Keep a fire extinguisher on hand whenever working with an open flame. Keep the area in front of the torch clear of flammables, and work over a non-flammable surface. A ceramic tile or a cookie sheet works well. Work in a well-ventilated area. Tie back long hair, and wear cotton or other natural fiber clothing: you don t want a spark to melt any synthetics onto your skin. Wear a dust mask whenever sifting or pouring vermiculite. page 1

2 Introduction Have you ever wanted to try glass bead making but were discouraged by the cost or difficulty? Then enamel bead making is for you! Far easier and less expensive than lampworking, enameling is the perfect introduction to the world of glass bead making. Enameling is the art of applying glass to metal. Enamel beads start with a small piece of copper tubing. Then you apply the glass, a layer at a time, using a small propane torch. It s fun, quick, and easy you don t even need a kiln. Quicker than you think, you ll have beautiful handmade beads to enhance your bead projects! Before you begin, you ll want to collect all the necessary tools and supplies. I think you may be surprised to find you have many of these tools in your home already. Other items (such as torches, safety goggles, pliers, etc.) can easily be found at any home building supply store, hardware store, or discount department store. When you think about where you want to make your beads, remember that you re using a torch, so good ventilation and a work space clear of flammables is important. This project requires a small quantity of copper enamels. Enamel particle size is measured by mesh size: the higher the mesh size, the finer the enamel powder. For example, 80 mesh enamel is slightly finer than granulated sugar; 6/20 mesh has a consistency closer to rock salt. Most of the enamel bead will be built with the 6/20 mesh enamels. You ll only need a very small amount of the 80 mesh to start the bead. Setting Up Step 1 Begin by pouring the vermiculite into the Crock-Pot and heating it on high. It will need to heat at least 30 minutes before you start making beads. Don t forget to wear a dust mask when pouring the vermiculite. Step 2 While you re waiting for the vermiculite to heat up, start cutting copper tubing into bead holes. The length of the tubing determines the length of the finished bead. I recommend starting with lengths around 3û4 inches long. To cut the tubing, place the tube in the notch in the tube cutter. Tighten down the wheel until you just have pressure against the tubing, and turn the cutter around to score it. Tighten the cutter again and repeat. You will have to repeat these steps about 3 or 4 times to cut off the piece. Don t tighten the cutter too much too soon, or you ll crimp the tubing. Setting Up the Troch Step 3 The torch head screws directly onto the top of the propane bottle. It s important to use a holder to attach the torch and bottle tightly to the edge of the table. An unsecured torch might fall over and become a hazard. Step 4 Place the 12 ceramic tile directly under the torch. The tile will catch any hot enamel that might fall off while you re making the bead. page 2

3 Step 5 Place the 8 ceramic tile on top of the banding wheel. Use small spoons to put the enamel on the tile, and use an index card or business card to shape it into thin lines around the edges of the tile. You should have a line of 80 mesh white enamel, a line of 6/20 mesh white enamel, and a line of 6/20 mesh color enamel. In the photo above, I ve set up to make two beads, red and blue; for this project, we ll be making only the blue bead. Step 6 Set up the mandrel by placing a tip in the handle and tightening down the thumbscrew. Keep the mandrel and pliers on the 12 tile. They ll be very hot once you start working, so placing them on the tile will protect the table. Making the Bead Step 7 Use pliers to place a piece of copper tubing on the mandrel tip and tighten it down. You don t want the piece to come loose from the mandrel while you re making the bead. Step 8 Position the 8 tile on the banding wheel so the line of 80 mesh enamel is facing you, and light your torch. Step 9 Heat the tubing, rolling it continuously in the flame. When the tubing begins to glow red, roll it in the 80 mesh enamel, taking care not to get any on the mandrel. Return the tubing to the flame and roll it so that it heats evenly. Continue until it s completely melted and glowing a bit. Add a couple coats of the 80 mesh to be sure the tubing is completely covered. The reason for starting the bead with 80 mesh enamel is that it sticks to the copper tubing best, but the heavier 6/20 mesh doesn t. The coating of 80 mesh also acts like glue for the 6/20 enamel, allowing you to pick it up and distribute it evenly over the tube. page 3

4 Step 10 Turn the banding wheel so the 6/20 mesh white enamel is facing you. Begin building the bead by rolling it in the enamel. Again, take care not to get enamel on the mandrel as this can cause the bead to stick. Return the bead to the flame, and melt the enamel until it s glowing. Turn the mandrel slowly to prevent the enamel from dripping off. Once it s melted, add the next layer of enamel. Repeat the process, melting each layer completely in the flame, until the bead reaches the desired size. Step 11 Turn the banding wheel again so the colored enamel is facing you. Add a layer of color as you did the white enamel, and melt it in the torch flame. Step 12 Once the colored enamel is melted, stop turning the mandrel and allow the enamel to sag a little. Give it a quarter turn so the sagging portion is facing the flame and let it sag again. Continue turning and sagging the glass until the color has been swirled around the bead. Reshape the bead to round by moving the heavier side to the top and allowing the glass to flow into the thinner side. Removing the Bead from the Mandrel Step 13 Turn off the torch but keep the mandrel level and continue turning the bead until the red glow has faded. If you stop turning too soon, the enamel will sag and your bead will be lopsided. Hold the bead over the vermiculite with the mandrel tip pointed down into the Crock-Pot. Place the pliers on the mandrel just behind the bead and push on the bead while turning the mandrel. It will slide off into the Crock-Pot. Stir the bead down into the vermiculite with the mandrel. Careful! Even after the red glow fades completely, the bead will still be hot, hot, hot, HOT! Do not touch the bead or the end of the tools with your fingers! Finishing Step 14 Leave the Crock-Pot or hotplate on while you make as many beads as you like. When you re done making beads, turn off the Crock-Pot or hotplate and allow the vermiculite to cool completely. Give it at least 2 hours before removing the beads. Use a large slotted spoon or sift through wire mesh to remove the beads from the vermiculite. Be sure to wear the dust mask when digging or sifting through the vermiculite. page 4

5 Alternate method of swirling color. An alternate way to swirl color is to use a feathering pic. Keep the bead turning in the flame while you warm the tip of the feathering pic. When both the tip of the pic and the bead are hot, dip the feathering pic into the glass. Continue turning the bead, dragging the pic tip through the hot enamel. This method gives a much finer marbleization pattern than the sag method. You can also drag the pic sideways across the colors for even more intricate effects. PAM EAST: Enamelist, educator, wife, and mother, Pam East was born and raised in California where she studied art and art history at the University of California Riverside. She has worked with many techniques and enjoys creating enamel bead jewelry, but finds introducing enamel bead making to new students most rewarding. She has appeared on the Carol Duvall Show on HGTV and has her own video, Enamel Bead Making with Pam East. You can contact Pam at pam@pinzart.com or learn more about her company, Pinzart, at which offers materials, specialized bead making tools, instructional videos and starter kits, solutions to common problems, and other information. page 5