Drilling Vermiculite board to make beads

[Chelseaglass]

I am in the process of drilling holes in vermiculite board to make glass beads from scrap and frit. The board is much softer than I anticipated and I am not obtaining a "clean" drill hole. Is this to be expected or do I have to do something to the board before using it?

chelseaglass

[Morganica]

I wouldn't think vermiculite would give you enough detail to create a smooth bead without some assistance. Since it needs a release anyway, you might try making the holes a bit bigger than you need and kilnwash as you would anyway. Then get some plaster of paris from the hardware store and sift some into your holes, filling them up. Press a hard bead into the hole, compacting the plaster and pushing out the excess, and you should have a perfect impression of the bead in the hole. You can put your glass into that, just be careful not to nick the surface of the plaster.

If you've got access to the Bullseye educational videos, they've got a series on sandcasting that would be worth watching--it might give you ideas on different ways to approach this.

[Chelseaglass]

Morganica,

About the vermiculite board! I have the bead attempt (using thinfire to line the bead holes in the board) in the kiln now and it smells pretty bad. In fact, my eyes are burning being in the studio. Is this common for vermiculite burnoff?

I think, reading your responses to my questions, that I should take a casting class with Nathan. Fusing plates and jewelry just is not of interest any more and I think casting is the new venture.

Thank you again.

Chelseaglass

[Morganica]

Yep. It'll burn off and won't be a problem after the first firing, but you need to get some ventilation moving air out of the studio. Now.