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New to it all... (kinda sorta cross posted ;-)

Hey all...

I've just recently started to get interested in making glass beads for my wife to make in some of her Native American handcrafts.. we've picked up a few things here and there but are still a ways off from actually starting.

Here not that long ago, we picked up some stuff for my wife's sudden interest in silver smithing. One of these items was a Smith Little Torch

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Just the basic box setup with the 7 tips. We asked the person we bought it off of if it could be used for glass and she said that it could not. Upon looking at the Smith website it references using it for glass. I did some quick research on it and found a ton of people saying you could not use it.. and then some that said they have been using it for quite some time and it works great. From what I gathered I would have to purchase a warming tip for it in order to get a larger flame... but was wondering if anyone knew any more about using these torches for glass beads and the like? Thanks in advance.

- Michael

Reply to
Michael LeBlanc
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Normally, a beadmaker uses a torch that is fixed to the table - you will already have both hands full, with the mandrel in one hand, and glass or tools in the other. So you can't hold onto a torch. There is some 'off-mandrel' work that is frequently done with a torch like that, although normally a larger one.

I think you would be disappointed if you tried to use this for beadmaking. (I have one, it's great for silver, but I use a minor burner for beads). It's going to make your life a whole lot more difficult than it needs to be starting out - both because of the size of the flame, and the issue of holding it steady. If you bought one with a propane/oxy set up, then you will already have the tanks for the lampworking torch, or you can go with a hot-head and use MAPP gas to start out with.

Karin

Michael LeBlanc wrote:

Reply to
karin

A lot of people use these for welding together small glass components, for paperweights, sculpture, or complex beads. However, using a Smith Little Torch to make the base bead is impractical at best.

Reply to
Kalera Stratton

So Michael, What does your wife make. And who are her people, what do they traditionally make?

My niece is Gwitch'in from Arctic village and does "card beading". And a couple weeks ago I saw a gorgeous dress by two Anchorage women. The moose hide had fireweed growing up from along the hem -- embroidered stems and leaves with the flowers in naturally dyed tufted (little sheared mounds) caribou fur. The embroidery was beaded, and then there were little beaded flowers twinkling from behind.

Tina

Reply to
Christina Peterson

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