Friday, January 24, 2014

Making your own copper beads....

MaryAnn Carroll "Nonnie"
Recently on impulse, while in my studio, I decided I would try to make some copper beads. I had absolutely no clue what I was doing. It was more about experimenting and teaching myself something I had been curious about.

This is how they turned out.


I tried a few different methods, the first being using enamel to hold them together. After 1/2 hour or so I finally got one to hold together. I am not sure I would use this in any jewelry I am selling since I am not sure the enamel will be strong enough to keep it together if bumped.

Then I used my copper solder and heated them. Some worked out better than others. The seams are pretty obvious and they have yet to be tumbled. I did clean two by hand and applied a patina that I purchased from Shannon LeVart of MissFickleMedia. Those still need to be sealed with a product that I also purchased from Shannon.


So, after playing around, I then decided that there might be a tutorial. Yes, that is me, I typically put together the product and THEN take out the directions when it isn't quite working out!

I found a tutorial on volcanoarts.com. I was on the right track in the beginning, but could have made things work out a little better with sanding, so they would fit together flush and I should have used mesh and a tripod when I torched.

These are the first two pictures from that tutorial.


So, my goal is to go back to this tutorial and try again. I might adjust a couple of things to make it work for me. If you are interested in seeing the rest of this very simple lentil bead tutorial,

click HERE.  

As always, thank-you for supporting artists who create handmade with handmade,

MaryAnn


 

6 comments:

Kelli said...

Theres an adventure!!!!!!! ; o) very cool

Beatnheart said...

it is on my list of things to try...thanks for sharing.

mairedodd said...

yes, you are like me. i would get an idea and just fly down to the basement to see what would happen. i think you learn a lot that way. but you can't beat a good tutorial! good luck with it. i agree about holding things together with enamel - as it is glass, i think it would be too weak to take any banging around. i haven't played with solder in forever. hopefully soon!

Anonymous said...

What an amazing experiment!

stacilouise said...

you could rivet them together or tab set them together and then enamel them??? that may work :)

stacilouise said...

you could rivet them together or tab set them together and then enamel them??? that may work :)

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