recycled jewellery

[lizziedx2]

Hi Im doing a lampwork course in september for 8 weeks and as i live fairly near a beach wondered if you can make lampwork beads from sea glass off the beach? What sort of torch would you need and how would you go about it considering its not a rod of glass just a piece of glass? Any ideas or is this just not possible?

Liz

[GlassOcean]

Hi Liz,

You could use silver clay to make a bail for it or wire wrap it with sterling wire? 

[garishglobes]

If you're planning on melting it, hold it with tweezers and pull a stringer first. It is really just bottle glass, so would be ok with a bit of fine silver/gold but poss. not much else..
But I wouldn't see the point in melting it - to me, the attraction of sea glass is that lovely matte sea-tumbled finish, and you would be much better doing what Kerensa says and wrapping pieces of it to use in jewellery.
You could use all sorts of bottles (wine, Bombay gin...) to recycle, and have a bbq on the beach to empty them first..

[lizziedx2]

ok thanks yes see your point the frosted look is nice on sea glass maybe i should just drill hole in the sea glass and wire wrap them instead and put them on suede or leather just got back from ireland staying at my uncles and wanted to do something with them. Got some shells and asking my silversmith tutor how to do a cast with them too 

Liz