A Fantasy question, not OT!!!

This has been passing thru my mind for a few days now, and I figure if
anyone can come up with an answer..it's this group!! Assuming one has
the natural abilities already (I assume one must have natural
creativity and a steadiness of hand, among other things) how much
would it cost to go from nothing at all to being able to make lampwork
beads? By this I mean attaining the skills thru classes, buying the
tools'o'the trade, the glass rods, mandrels, torches... setting up a
work space, etc...everything you'd need to set yourself up for
lampworking. Not that I could right now, mind you, lol...but in the
future, I definetely will be working towards this goal.

Thanks everyone

Candace

P.S. I've appreciate hearing estimates of what different people have
put out for this very thing, too...everyone has different experiences,
right?

You know, I'd be interested in the answer to this question too...just for
future reference of course!
Arleen


"Candace" wrote in message
om...
This has been passing thru my mind for a few days now, and I figure if
anyone can come up with an answer..it's this group!! Assuming one has
the natural abilities already (I assume one must have natural
creativity and a steadiness of hand, among other things) how much
would it cost to go from nothing at all to being able to make lampwork
beads? By this I mean attaining the skills thru classes, buying the
tools'o'the trade, the glass rods, mandrels, torches... setting up a
work space, etc...everything you'd need to set yourself up for
lampworking. Not that I could right now, mind you, lol...but in the
future, I definetely will be working towards this goal.

Thanks everyone

Candace

P.S. I've appreciate hearing estimates of what different people have
put out for this very thing, too...everyone has different experiences,
right?

I'll give it a go since I asked this question myself about a year ago. I
have taken no formal classes and that has worked for me. What helped the
most was books and then a video or two. The books gave me the technical
info while the videos actually showed me how other people held rods, how
slow to turn, etc. That was a huge turning point for me.

I feel if you aren't sure if you'll like the craft you shouldn't invest in
too many gadgets at first. If you start off small and decide you don't like
it then there isn't a lot of cash out the door. You can always sell
everything you purchased at a good price because these things depreciate
very little.

Here is what I would purchase to try things out:
Hothead torch $39
Didymium glasses $30-40
Fiber Blanket $10-15
Mandrels $6 per 12 (estimated)
Needle nose pliers (varies)
Bead release $6
Glass Starter Pack (price varies)
Hose clamp & vise to hold propane/mapp gas (under $5)
Propane $3.99 for two bottles
Mapp $6.99 and up for one bottle

You can always batch anneal using someone else's kiln or a studio kiln for a
while if you have someone in your area. Or you may chose to not anneal the
first beads. It's up to you. I had a kiln starting out for fusing and I
didn't include that in the estimate.

Now this is what I've moved up to since all that:
Bobcat torch $199
Oxygen Concentrator $349
Paragon Caldera kiln with digital controller $750
Large Propane Tank $39
Hoses, flash back arrestor, etc. $100
I was given my regulator but they are about $100
Didymium shield $150 - I love this shield!

I did use the proceeds from bead sales to pay for a lot of the equipment. I
sold my new/old kiln and that paid for almost 1/2 of the new one. All my
eBay money went to paying for the new kiln. I got the shield as a Christmas
present, but everything else was purchased using funds from bead sales.




"Candace" wrote in message
om...
This has been passing thru my mind for a few days now, and I figure if
anyone can come up with an answer..it's this group!! Assuming one has
the natural abilities already (I assume one must have natural
creativity and a steadiness of hand, among other things) how much
would it cost to go from nothing at all to being able to make lampwork
beads? By this I mean attaining the skills thru classes, buying the
tools'o'the trade, the glass rods, mandrels, torches... setting up a
work space, etc...everything you'd need to set yourself up for
lampworking. Not that I could right now, mind you, lol...but in the
future, I definetely will be working towards this goal.

Thanks everyone

Candace

P.S. I've appreciate hearing estimates of what different people have
put out for this very thing, too...everyone has different experiences,
right?

Dang, I forgot to mention books.

Making Glass Beads $21 - very good
Corina's Passing the Flame $75 - Excellent & I feel a must have
Beads of Glass $29 - Another great book, plenty of eye candy

I would personally purchase Corina's book first if I could. If not, Cindy
Jenkin's Making Glass Beads is my other first choice. I got Corina's for my
birthday.

Thanks Starlia, for all of the information- it really is very helpful to see
a breakdown of the supplies needed! IT was very nice of you to take the time
to do it!
Arleen


"starlia" wrote in message
...
Dang, I forgot to mention books.

Making Glass Beads $21 - very good
Corina's Passing the Flame $75 - Excellent & I feel a must have
Beads of Glass $29 - Another great book, plenty of eye candy

I would personally purchase Corina's book first if I could. If not, Cindy
Jenkin's Making Glass Beads is my other first choice. I got Corina's for
my
birthday.

Not a problem. I can of course add tools and everything else I have, but
the thing I use the most is my pliers. I'm a simple girl.


"Arleen" wrote in message
.. .
Thanks Starlia, for all of the information- it really is very helpful to
see
a breakdown of the supplies needed! IT was very nice of you to take the
time
to do it!
Arleen


"starlia" wrote in message
...
Dang, I forgot to mention books.

Making Glass Beads $21 - very good
Corina's Passing the Flame $75 - Excellent & I feel a must have
Beads of Glass $29 - Another great book, plenty of eye candy

I would personally purchase Corina's book first if I could. If not,
Cindy
Jenkin's Making Glass Beads is my other first choice. I got Corina's
for
my
birthday.

Ok here goes. I bought a used torch and oxygen concentrator and tools -
pretty much everything - used.

I spent about $1300 getting my workshop set up - this included installing a
window, a ventilation system, painting, putting stainless steel on my
workbench, buying a big shelf and pegboards for the walls. (I still need to
figure out a better glass storage system)

I spent $350 on a one weekend long course (and expect to be spending more
this year on class(es))

I spent $1300 on a (all used) kiln, torch, misc. tools, large supply of
glass, pixie dust, enamels. I think this is a great deal - I think it would
have been about $2000 if I'd bought new and I probably wouldn't have gotten
as much glass.

I spent $250 on additional glass in the new colors

I spent $200 on an oxy con.

I spent $30 for propane/tank

I spent $50 for hoses to run the tank outside

I spent $75 for Corina's Passing the flame book. And probably another $100
on Cindy Jenkins'2 books.

I spent $100 on good protective eye glasses

And I'm sure there are a few more hundred that went somewhere but I can't
think of it at the moment. There are about $500 worth of tools and glass I
want to buy right now, but have not gotten up the courage to spend that much
again so soon. But I will ;-)

Hope that helps!

--
Pam Brisse
The Blue Between - handcrafted jewelry and bead art
http://www.bluebetween.com

Oh yeah, I meant to share a photo of my lampwork studio:

http://www.bluebetween.com/beads.htm

--
Pam Brisse
The Blue Between - handcrafted jewelry and bead art
http://www.bluebetween.com

On Fri, 16 Apr 2004 09:42:15 -0700, Candace wrote:

This has been passing thru my mind for a few days now, and I figure if
anyone can come up with an answer..it's this group!! Assuming one has
the natural abilities already (I assume one must have natural
creativity and a steadiness of hand, among other things) how much
would it cost to go from nothing at all to being able to make lampwork
beads? By this I mean attaining the skills thru classes, buying the
tools'o'the trade, the glass rods, mandrels, torches... setting up a
work space, etc...everything you'd need to set yourself up for
lampworking. Not that I could right now, mind you, lol...but in the
future, I definetely will be working towards this goal.

Thanks everyone

Candace

P.S. I've appreciate hearing estimates of what different people have
put out for this very thing, too...everyone has different experiences,
right?

Depends where you live too Candace.. but I'd be interested in some of
these answers too..

Mavis

On Fri, 16 Apr 2004 13:20:30 -0500, starlia wrote:

Dang, I forgot to mention books.

Making Glass Beads $21 - very good
Corina's Passing the Flame $75 - Excellent & I feel a must have
Beads of Glass $29 - Another great book, plenty of eye candy

I would personally purchase Corina's book first if I could. If not, Cindy
Jenkin's Making Glass Beads is my other first choice. I got Corina's for my
birthday.

Hey Starlia,

Do you have the ISBN for those books? Makes it easier...


Ta,
Mavis