"Bead Caps" Class Kit for Glass Dragons virtual class.
Date: Sunday, Jan. 12, 1-5pm (EDT)
Description: In this class, you’ll learn how to create sterling silver bead caps to enhance your glass, lampwork beads, and pendants. We’ll work with various sterling silver stock to design unique bead caps that pair beautifully with Bali beads. As a bonus, I’ll demonstrate how to solder with your glass bead in place using a Smith Little Torch or a Gentec equivalent.
Materials Kit: Enough material for 5 bead caps (SS stock, drillbit, sanding material, Bali beads). Student must source their own beads, holes must be at least 2mm.)
Deadline to order kit to receive in time for class, Jan. 4, 2025. If tools are ordered, kit and tools will be shipped together starting Jan. 4, 2025.
Required Tools: (not included in materials kit, purchased separately)
- Soldering kit (or equivalent): butane torch, fire tweezers, pickle (Sparex), copper tongs, solder board, silver solder (paste preferred): Medium ***
- Sharpie
- Flush side cutters
- Heavy duty side cutters
- Chain nose pliers
- Flat nose pliers
- Round nose pliers
- Needle files
- Ruler
- Half-round/flat pliers (optional)
- Bowl of warm water (will need at the end of class)
- Chasing hammer (optional, but helpful)
- Bench block (optional, but will need if using chasing hammer)
- Center punch
- Flex shaft, Dremel or pin vise with a collet to fit a 1mm drill bit.
- Wood dap set or steel dap set (You will need a steel dapping block to make the bead cap for the heart pendant.)
- Optional: Smith Little or Gentec Torch (This will be needed to make the loop in the purple bead sample)
- Quench bowl (not plastic)
- Pickle pot (mini crock pot)
- Tumbler (optional)
***If not purchasing a complete soldering kit, items may be ordered separately. A jeweler's torch of any kind will work for this project. To solder the loop on the purple bead sample, you will need a Smith Little or Gentec equivalent torch.
