Materials:
- Worbla's Crystal Art
- Worbla's Transpa Art
- LED lights (https://amzn.to/34VXhD9)
- Hot glue (https://amzn.to/3sqFADK)
- Heat gun (https://amzn.to/3tQdsvX)
- Contourless gardening gloves (https://amzn.to/32o8cEr) or
- Latex gloves over tight winter gloves
- Glass color (optional) (https://amzn.to/32uHJ8s)
- Soldering iron (https://amzn.to/3I5DsYs)
- Molds for heating Crystal Art (optional: https://amzn.to/3I5nUEb)
You need moderate space for this project. However, it is very important that your workplace is clean and free of hair (not always so easy with pets).
First, cut out a few rounded spikes from Worbla's Transpa Art. They are best slightly rounded at the bottom. In the end, that just looks the best. You determine the length. Just take into account that the spikes can become even longer as a result of the heating process and the subsequent "shaping". So don't overdo it. ;-)
Take the "click" LED and just free it from the metal part. You now have a small gap between the two rubber parts, which is ideal for the following: Put on gloves - preferably unstructured gardening gloves and latex or nitrile gloves over them. Heat Crystal Art - about the size of a walnut - and press the thermoplastic onto the side with the LED (not where the switch is!) - all the way to the edge. In order for us to take advantage of the gap, you'll need to press into this Crystal Art as well. The best thing to do is to remove the power switch cover, model around the edge slightly and then press the cover back onto the still warm material. So nothing sticks and you can change the battery later.
Im Detail
Now you can attach your cut spikes. Best with some hot glue! Heat the bottom half of your spikes and use the hot glue to press them to the Crystal Art, near the edge of the power cover. All spikes may slightly overlap this lid except one! If you leave some space on one, the lid can still be opened.
Do this until the whole ring is covered and there is no more room for spikes. Of course you can also put shorter spikes in the "second row". That's up to you, but not quite as easy to do, if you need to heat and steep it later. So for starters, maybe start with the main spikes!
Now the first "drawing process" begins. Take the LED in your hand, put your heat gun on its back, so that the hot air blows upwards - I hope you're still wearing gloves? Now hold the LED securely and heat all the spikes, turning slightly - until the upper half hang slowly down. Now you have to be careful! With your free hand, firmly press the ends of the spikes together. It's best to see that they stick together in a nice shape and now slowly start to pull. Don't go too close to the heat gun, but approach it slowly. You will notice that the Transpa Art behaves like rubber bit by bit. Now just apply heat to the end of the flame and pull it slowly! It will then "flutter" loosen and possibly pull a thread. Then you can cut it off.
You now continue this process of heating and pulling for all the spikes and for the sides of the spikes. This slowly creates a wavy image and you can add smaller pieces in the gaps if you want.
If you just want a loose flame, skip the next steps. But I still like to mount them on a transparent "hand holder". You can easily create the pattern yourself - there is a blog post about it!
Leave a little more space at the ends, where the holder is to be closed - so you can attach Velcro or holes later. So first create the pattern. ;-)
You then transfer this to Worbla's Transpa Art and cut it out. Color residue from the marker can be quickly removed with nail polish remover.
Of course, the material must now also be adapted to the shape of your hand. So heat the Transpa Art in the inner area where thumb and forefinger meet and gently round it upwards. In the thumb to wrist area you have to pull a bit, so that the Transpa Art gets a 45 degree angle. Just feel your way slowly with the heat.
Since the flame is supposed to be slightly higher than the palm of the hand, we need a piece of Transpa Art, which is supposed to serve as a kind of "bridge". Cut it big enough that it holds about a third of the LED in the ring and is high enough (will be folded) so that your flame really "floats" and doesn't rest on it.
In detail
Now heat your piece and fold it in half. This gives you sufficient stability and later material for soldering. Use hot glue to glue your "bridge" to the bottom of the spikes, overlapping the LED.
In detail
You can put your gloves back on or keep them on, because soldering is now close at hand! This step is quite important, I wouldn't skip it as it really "welds" the seam and makes it stable! So slowly solder all transitions from the "bridge" to the flame. This gives a nice structure, which you can of course continue on the rest of the flame - and all your transitions and seams will disappear and become nice and flowing.
In detail
Almost there! Now heat the lower part of your "bridge" and press it inwards or flatten it a little. Now you can mount the bridge and the flame on your hand holder with very little hot glue. I would always have the closed part of the bridge pointing towards the body. So that the observer from outside only sees the floating fireball.
Now you have to very carefully and, above all, slowly (!) solder both sides of the bridge to the hand holder. Try not to touch the rest of the Transpa Art with the soldering iron, otherwise you will get unsightly soldering points and scratches.
Now paint is missing, if you want. I use 3-4 color gradations of the glass colors and work my way from dark to light.
For a clasp, you can either punch two holes on each side of the open area and thread in a ribbon, or buy self-adhesive round Velcro fasteners and stick them on the sides. If you use banners or whites, they are hardly noticeable.
I hope you enjoyed my blog post. Feel free to leave a comment on Facebook here or a heart there.