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Hot Glass E

Bead Making Instructions

The following are step-by-step instructions for creating a glass bead. Complete instructions are contained with each Fireworks beadmaking kit and should be read and followed carefully for safe and beautiful results.

Please read safety instructions before beginning and follow all directions carefully. When working with glass, protect your feet and legs by wearing pants and closed top shoes. Eye protection is essential. Use caution while working with hot torch and glass to ensure proper and safe use.

Setting Up:
Remove all components from kit and packaging. Place heat resistant work surface on counter or table top. Place all tools on work surface for easy access. Mix bead release according to label directions. Prepare mandrels by quickly dipping them into bead release, 2-3" deep and twirl out to insure a thin, clean, even coating. Secure upright and allow to air dry 15-20 minutes or dry mandrels slowly in the flame. Mandrels are dry when they turn a light gray. Bead release must dry completely before use.
NOTE: If bead release cracks on the mandrel when dried, the release mixture is too thick. Thin with a small amount of water and reapply.

Attach torch head to the Mapp Gas tank by screwing threaded opening onto the tank. Secure the tank to the edge of table or counter top, using the enclosed bottle holder attachment. Wrap bottle holder band around MAPP tank and insert "L" bracket between the tank and the band. Using a screwdriver, tighten the locking screw on the holder band until snug. Position tank so one arm of the "L" bracket is on the table top, secure to the table using the "C" clamp. The torch head should be directed away from you.

Igniting Torch
The source of heat is the Mapp Gas tank and torch head. Ignite torch by turning the control valve at the rear of torch head slowly counter clockwise, releasing gas. When you hear a slight hissing sound, gently squeeze trigger. Adjust flame height with the control valve knob, providing a "blue" flame length of 1" and adjust the airflow opening to regulate gas to air mix. The air vents should be fully open. Turn off torch by turning control valve clockwise, until flame is exhausted. Do not attempt to handle torch head until it has sufficiently cooled down.

Basic Bead Technique
Begin by warming a glass rod in the flame.(Fig. 1)
Note: Wear safety glasses.
Starting 3-4" from flame, gradually bring the tip of the glass towards the blue flame. Work glass in flame until a hot molten ball forms. In your second hand, warm your coated mandrel using the same procedure used to warm the glass rod. (Fig. 2) When molten and glowing, most work 1/2" from the blue flame cone tip, wrap glass evenly around heated mandrel. While rolling the mandrel away from you, drape glass on mandrel from the top down.
Do not pull cool glass. Pulling glass may remove mandrel release resulting in residue inside your finished bead. Heat more glass as you roll. When sufficient glass is wrapped on mandrel, separate glass rod from bead by directing heat to the joint and pulling away.
Place glass rod on work surface to cool.

(Fig. 3) Continuously roll the mandrel with your bead in the flame to shape. Using the smooth surface of the marver, briefly take the bead out of the flame and roll on marver surface to shape your base bead.
Bead will cool and start to harden upon contact with marver. When this occurs, place bead back into flame to soften and roll again on marver until desired shape.

To increase bead size or to add another color, begin by heating another glass rod. (Fig. 4) Keep the base bead warm near flame while heating the glass rod (Fig. 2). Once the glass glob is molten, add to the base bead. Turn mandrel, as in Fig. 4, adding glass until you are satisfied with the size and shape of the bead. Bead should not be larger than 10 mm in diameter to prevent cracking during cooling. Keep rolling mandrel in flame until a well balanced bead is formed, using the marver surfaces as desired.

Holding the bead at an angle, roll against the marver edge to bevel the end. If glass becomes too hard to shape, return bead to the flame to soften glass.

Cool Down
Cool bead by removing it slowly from the flame and allowing the red glow to disappear, 10-15 seconds (Fig. 5). Place bead and mandrel between the layers of the fiber blanket to cool. Do not remove the beaded mandrel from the blanket for 60-90 minutes to allow sufficient cooling to take place and prevent bead from future cracking.

After bead has cooled, remove from mandrel. Hold the bead with the scrubber and twist the mandrel to loosen. The bead release residue will flake away as you slide the bead off. If the bead is difficult to remove, soak in water. Use bead cleaner to remove any release residue from inside your bead.

Don't be discouraged by a poorly developed first bead, success comes with practice. So keep on rolling!

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