Now here is a real glass bead contest !
I thought my little win a bead contest was neat, and I guess it was. Now this is a REAL contest ! Fire Designs listed this contest in Bead and button magazine (page 47). I flipped right by it but later, found it and visited the site. The proprietor is retiring and has elected to "give away" the business at the end of an essay contest. A very Charlie and the Chocolate factory type event. How cool.
It does cost $250 to enter but when you consider that its a chance for a turnkey operation, or so it sounds at least, sounds pretty good to me. $250 entry to possibly win what they indicate is a $350K business, not a bad return.
Visit the site and join me in entering, if you win, I get to come and make some beads ! If I win, you can come and make beads at the open house....
I did make some beads in this manner, once. Once as it was a very labor intensive method/process. In retrospect, a rather amateur attempt of it yet not bad for a first try if I may say so, certainly nothing like those of Fire designs. I rented some studio time with a glassblower who my mom was taking lessons with. Together we pulled some cane, very elegant stuff with fluting on the outside of the tube. Once the tube cooled, I cut it into 3 foot sections, then brought it home to slice it up on a borrowed diamond band saw. That wasnt too hard.
Its this next step, where things get tricky. All these slices have sharp cut ends. I endeavored to 'finish' the ends by flame polishing each one. So, I arranged all my little bead slices on a metal tray, poped them into the kiln. Ramped them up to temp, then using long tweezers, I pulled them out, one at a time, flame melted each end of the tube and put them back into the kiln.
To this day, they remain the only ones that I have seen with a fine texture on the outside. I still have some (a few ounces) available for sale if anyone is interested.
Now, Id imagine that the sort of bulk operation that Fire designs has, involves some sort of mass production type deal. I figured, it was a tumbling, or vibratory process like tumbling rocks to knock off the sharp edges.... This type of process would have worked for mine but then I figure would have knocked off the great spiral texture on the outside. Since I had to hand finish each bead one at a time, my labor, time, and the other expenses, I know why these furnace beads sell for about $75 per pound. Worth every penny.
It does cost $250 to enter but when you consider that its a chance for a turnkey operation, or so it sounds at least, sounds pretty good to me. $250 entry to possibly win what they indicate is a $350K business, not a bad return.
Visit the site and join me in entering, if you win, I get to come and make some beads ! If I win, you can come and make beads at the open house....
I did make some beads in this manner, once. Once as it was a very labor intensive method/process. In retrospect, a rather amateur attempt of it yet not bad for a first try if I may say so, certainly nothing like those of Fire designs. I rented some studio time with a glassblower who my mom was taking lessons with. Together we pulled some cane, very elegant stuff with fluting on the outside of the tube. Once the tube cooled, I cut it into 3 foot sections, then brought it home to slice it up on a borrowed diamond band saw. That wasnt too hard.
Its this next step, where things get tricky. All these slices have sharp cut ends. I endeavored to 'finish' the ends by flame polishing each one. So, I arranged all my little bead slices on a metal tray, poped them into the kiln. Ramped them up to temp, then using long tweezers, I pulled them out, one at a time, flame melted each end of the tube and put them back into the kiln.
To this day, they remain the only ones that I have seen with a fine texture on the outside. I still have some (a few ounces) available for sale if anyone is interested.
Now, Id imagine that the sort of bulk operation that Fire designs has, involves some sort of mass production type deal. I figured, it was a tumbling, or vibratory process like tumbling rocks to knock off the sharp edges.... This type of process would have worked for mine but then I figure would have knocked off the great spiral texture on the outside. Since I had to hand finish each bead one at a time, my labor, time, and the other expenses, I know why these furnace beads sell for about $75 per pound. Worth every penny.
posted by Stoffobeads at 8:53 AM
2 Comments:
The owner is negotiating the sale of her business while sponsoring the contest. The cost for entering will be kept minus a fee. Save your money for a more ethical cause.
Heard that the sale took place and the owner sold the business, before the contest ended. Dont know if anyone got taken or if it remained all above board.
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