Hollows: What's the largest one you've made, and other queries...

Tink · #1 03-04-2003, 09:43 PM

I've been doing hollows for a while, and I still find each and every one a challenge! I'm participating in the WC! Hollow Exchange, so I've had hollows on my mind a lot lately.

I made the largest hollow I've EVER made tonight, and I started wondering how big is BIG? This one is WAY too big to use as a bead. Unless it was for Godzilla's grrlfriend or something. LOL! What's your largest? What did you do with it? Tonight, I was just trying to prove a point and try out a new tool. Point proven, and tool rocks!

The other thing I started wondering about tonight is mandrel size: I primarily use 3/32, as I find that large a mass of glass to be unwieldy on a smaller mandrel. How about you?

Red*Dog*Designs · #2 03-04-2003, 09:46 PM

Show us the bead - we want to see how BIG it is !!

Melinda Melanson · #3 03-04-2003, 11:44 PM

Where's the Beef er Bead???

Tink · #4 03-04-2003, 11:47 PM

LOL! It's in the kiln. Finally. I had a heck of a time getting it in through the bead door. And it's shaped more like an Easter egg or jelly bean or something. But I know why that happened, and I think it's still cool.

I'll post a pic if it comes out intact!

BlackDotMags · #5 03-05-2003, 12:22 AM

Hehehe, there's no such thing as a "too big" bead, Tink!

Yes, pics, please!
~Mag

Tink · #6 03-05-2003, 11:21 AM

I never thought the bead would make it to the kiln, so I was playing with enamels and foils and stuff. Wanted to see what would happen with enamels applied before the bead puffed up. So be warned: It is not a pretty sight. If you haven't had your morning coffee or if you are the sensitive sort, PLEASE avert your eyes...

The walls are very, very thin. Not to a bad degree or anything, but nice and transparent.

AlexM · #7 03-05-2003, 11:47 AM

LOL Tink!

The bead isn't going to win any beauty contests, but it's not THAT bad.

You're lucky that you can MAKE a hollow bead. All my attempts have so far met with disaster.

Sarah*B · #8 03-05-2003, 02:28 PM

Oh, Tink, you wanted big AND scary.

Well that I've got. I made this about a year ago, while using Mapp gas that ran out. It ran out before I could melt in my designs or deal with the EDP devit issue. My family is generally kind about my beads, but I think they were afraid of this one. I call it the mutant easter egg bead.

Oh, and I have to confess...I really LIKE your big blue and gold hollow squash bead. I think it has definite character.

Sarah

Jewelia · #9 03-05-2003, 08:21 PM

Tink..Tink...Tink......LMAO........I only have one thing to say...>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Kidney Bead............

they sure are a pretty color but don't taste too good.......

Sarah..proof that EDP can be pretty....

Alex~~Lady don't you let that hollow bead beat you up, you stick to it and give it all its worth.

Julia

TAKnight · #10 03-05-2003, 08:22 PM

I love to make huge hollows. I find the 1/4 rods work well for this and prefer to work with larger rods of glass in the 8-9mm range. The Check Lead glass is great for this. The lead glass tends to stay warmer longer, and melts faster so I find it better for larger beads both in winding ease and staying warm during decorating.

The largest I make are egg shaped but the oval runs top to bottom. Usually 2.5 inched long and about 2 inched wide in the thickest part. If my camera was working I'd post a picture for you I am very proud of them. I do call them easter egg beads and decorate them with op raised and tsp eye dotts on a tsp egg.

The larger rods seem to make it easy to get nice puckered ends at this size.

The larger your hollows become - the slower you need to ramp down. I use to have a few break then I changed my cycle to ramp down like they were solid. I can't remember breaking one in the last year.

Tink · #11 03-05-2003, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TAKnight
I love to make huge hollows.

How thin are they? The walls, I mean. Do you have trouble keeping the two disks up, or do you make them some other way?

We definitely need pics. Yours are MUCH bigger than my monster!

TAKnight · #12 03-06-2003, 04:10 PM

The walls are thin in my oppinion - except I make the ends a little thicker so I can get a good pucker. I broke one a couple weeks ago - droped it on my tile floor. Tile floor won.

the walls are about 2 paperclips thick - if that is a standard measure - not. The ends are about 4 PPC thick. However the decorations stand up and oddly enough make a little dimple thing on the inside of the hollow. The broken bead although very sad was very interesting to look at.

I will work on getting that picture for you - and the broken one too. The inside is strange.

laughing glass beads · #13 03-07-2003, 08:12 AM

My first one was the size of a cadbury easter egg. All wonky, made out of transparent pale blue. Decorated hideously with flowers. I used almost an entire 13" stick of glass, but it was hollow, gloriously so! I don't know what ever happened to it. CC

Tink · #14 03-07-2003, 11:28 AM

Ok. The latest Monster Bead is really nice! It's in the kiln right now, but I promise to take a pic! It's probably about 2" across, and I used Grass Green as a base, then did an intense black spiral around it, which I melted in.

Tink · #15 03-08-2003, 01:12 PM

It's Grass Green with an intense black spiral. You can see that it's not been completely cleaned yet

35mm x 20mm -- Very big for me.

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