Step by Step Instructions

BORO PINWHEEL PENDANT by Sam Russo

This article focuses on “off-mandrel” bead making technique. The pattern chosen for this bead is a simple dot pattern (two rows of four alternating dots). The colors are Black Violet, by Glass Alchemy, Amber/Purple, by Northstar, and India White. Amber/Purple is an incredibly beautiful, incredibly finicky color. A/P ranges from a golden honey amber to infinite shades of vermilion and purple. The color you end up with depends entirely upon how oxidizing or reducing your flame is. A neutral flame is your best friend with this and most boro colors. Ok, with that said, let’s make a pendant.

	Step 1 Coil your base color over 2” of 10mm clear rod.
	Step 2 Round the mass into a marble and apply your first white dot. Apply four dots to complete the first row.
	Step 3 Apply another row of four dots on the end of the marble. Make sure to off set the first row from the second.
	Step 4 Melt in the white dots and apply Amber/Purple dots directly over all white dots.
	Step 5 Melt in the Amber/Purple dots and round out the marble.
	Step 6 Use a glass rod to selectively twist between the dots on the marble. Heat only the area you want to twist and repeat the process around the marble.
	Step 7 Heat the entire marble and begin to marver it into a pendant shape. I prefer to use a 2” marble mold or a graphite lentil shaper.
	Step 8 Punty up to the face of the pendant with a colored rod and then flame cut the 10mm clear rod off. Heat the back of the pendant and marver it flat with a graphite paddle or bench plate.
	Step 9 Attach a small bead on a 1/8th inch mandrel for your loop or pull a loop from the pendant with a rod of glass.
	Step 10 Take the punty off the front of the pendant and fire polish out the scar. Use a very oxidizing flame for this if you are using Amber/Purple. The less color left in the A/P, the better. It is now time to put your piece in the kiln.
	Step 11 Anneal your piece at 1100F for approximately 30 minutes. Keep a close eye on the piece and shine a flashlight into the kiln to see how far the Amber/Purple has struck. When it reaches the color you desire, shut the kiln down. Through experimentation, you will be able to achieve the color you desire fairly consistently.