Pottery

Making a Bead Tree for the Kiln Part Two

November 24, 2013 / 17 Comments
I posted “Making a Bead Tree for the Kiln” back in March. It worked pretty wonderfully until my three year old broke it, twice over, by knocking it off the table and onto the garage floor. It is still usable, but with that long span between the remaining supports, the nichrome wire tends to sag.

paige puckett pottery

I decided to build a new one, and it’s currently waiting to be fired. One of the troubles with the last design was that it required loading many pendants along two pieces of wire, then having to space them out evenly between supports. The new design calls for four wire segments with just a little less space between posts (2″ on center) and a slightly longer span for the wire at 4″. The supports are still about 2 3/4″ tall from their base. I could have made just two solid walls, but I figured this design required less clay, thus making it lighter, and would make it easier to work with. The entire piece is 8.5″ long by 4.5″ wide by 3″ tall. Again, I have notches at top for laying down the wire and holes in case I want to snake a wire through.

paige puckett pottery

Also new to the design are small triangle wedges at the base of each support. This probably isn’t a necessary feature, but since I have two boys hanging around while I work, the extra support certainly won’t hurt. It just means that pendants next to the supports will have to be shorter. I’m thinking that the spacing will be great to make wide pendants with two holes.

paige puckett pottery

Thanks for the feedback on the first design, especially from all you school teachers! As soon as this one fires and loads, I will share the results.

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17 Comments

  • Ingrid

    April 6, 2015 at 5:07 pm Reply

    Have you had any problems with breakage (other than toddler-caused)? I made a similar bead rack recently with a low-fire earthenware clay, bisque-fired at ^04. It worked beautifully, but then broke after its second glaze firing (one at ^06 and one at ^04), even with very gentle handling. Wondering if I should have used a different clay body or firing process to reduce possible brittleness. Any suggestions from your experience?

  • LustingWanderluster

    October 26, 2015 at 2:54 am Reply

    Thank you for sharing this, Paige. I am looking to cut corners money-wise as this becomes an expensive hobby. I checked ebay for the wire and found it but it looks so much thinner than in your picture. But you have posted twice the size so I will believe you!! I am going to try your second design. I hope you get those boys busy in the clay!

  • CarolVandenbosch

    July 13, 2019 at 6:46 am Reply

    7/2019 and your castle directions are saving my day or clay!

    I am very new at clay slab building, but love the freedom of making decorative items/underglazing/glazing.

    However, I must get going on making your castle #2 asap, as the studio that does my firing won’t fire my ornaments with 2 sided glaze ;(

    Any new directions? Please let me know as I will be working on the castle soon.

    Also, you are in Raleigh? I have a son who just moved there and in high school, he won awards on his clay/pottery work. Can you give suggestions of a studio where he may be able to awaken his talent?

    Thanks….Carol Vandenbosch

    • Paige Puckett

      July 22, 2019 at 6:41 am Reply

      Hey, Carol. I am in Raleigh. I’m not sure the age restrictions, but I’ve loved classes at the NCSU Crafts Center as well as Pullen Arts Center. Pullen has been closed for renovations, so some residents are going to Sertoma in the meantime. My castle finally broke down and my nichrome wire eventually reached its limit. I may some day shell over the money for the rods.

      • Carol Vandenbosch

        October 13, 2019 at 7:38 am Reply

        Hi, Paige…I just returned from Raleigh, I wanted to look you up, but thought I might interfere with your busy schedule when I read that you taught on the college level. Next time…..

        What do you mean by Rods? to use instead of stand and gauge 14 nichrone wire??

        I did make a stand by your directions, using the 14 nichrone wire. The wire broke on the 3rd firing (cone 6) and one wall of the stand broke when a glazed piece fell and stuck to the floor of the stand.

        As I like making ornaments, I would even purchase something if it did a better job. Please let me know if you have found the solution.
        Now, go play in the clay….the mosquitoes will soon be gone!
        Carol vb

  • Gianina Griffin

    May 22, 2023 at 7:09 am Reply

    Hi Paige, it’s now 2023 and I was wandering if you have created a new castle? Have you finally found the rods useful?

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