I finally finished grinding and polishing the windows in these beads! Two days ago I started them, but before I finished, the bolt that holds the wheels flew off the grinder and I couldn't find it. That caused a trip to Lowe's and Home Depot. I ended up buying 3 different kinds of bolts and tried them out today. Only one worked, so I was glad I had bought a selection. All six beads look good. I never know how the inside will look until I polish the windows, and sometimes I scrap a bead.
This is my grinder/polisher. It is an odd conglomeration of things I already had except for the wheels, which I had to buy. There are six of them, I think, from coarse to super fine. There is no splash guard, so I hold a plastic strip in front of me, but I still get soaked by the time I am done.
These are the beads after using 3 wheels on them, with 3 more to go. The final polish makes the glass so clear you can read the writing on a light bulb in the reflection on the window. I really like the contrast between the rough reduction frit and the smooth window.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
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I love your window beads! So happy to see how beautiful they are after such a messy process... Glad you found a bolt that works! I hate how frustrating it is not to have everything you need to get work done when you actually have the time to do it...
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