Thrifty Frugal Tips and Tricks for FlameWorkers

[Passionatelamper]

I was pondering what to do with my fly offs tonight having already said that I use a Mortar and pestle. It's quite hard that way though. Well tonight I was clearing my work bench as I have spent a lovely day beading today doggies lying in their bed and the rain lashing down and me torching..I mean what more could you ask for? where was I? ummm oh yes...
So I thought, what can I do really with all these bits that have flown off so I brushed them all up and took them out into the kitchen and do what I normally do and that is rinse them in a sieve...when I spied a  washed jam jar...I thought Hmmm! so I tipped them in the jar still wet put on the lid....and played Tom cruise for 10 minutes.. he did play the part of the cocktail shaker didn't he? My word!! By jove and Jelly babies!!!...I looked at the contents and wow oh wow perfect but perfect Frit.  So there you are ladies....try that for your frit and what's more it's sooooo simple.
Can't wait to get cracking tomorrow on the torch and to use the new and freshly made frit. KEWL or what?
Hope every one ok.... byeee Vonnie xx

[♥♥Tan♥♥]

 

[KatheL]

Love this thread!

I make a lot of my tools myself, out of various bits and bobs, more about that another time.
Stainless steel for mandrels I buy in full length directly from the steel yard (I get the local smithy to order it for me), stanless steel in 2, 3 and 4 mm diameter, comes in 3 meter lengths. Cost but a fraction of the shop sold mandrels.
Easy to cut to length, and just grind the ends so they are not sharp. You don't even need a grinder, a file will do.
If you need really thin mandrels, ask your local smithy for some stainless steel welding rods! they are about 1 mm thick, and stiff enough to keep their shape also under the weight of the bead.

Would like to make my own bead release, can get all the ingredients for a song in a ceramic/glazing company - but I need to know a bit more about how to alter the mix, for instance what to add more of, if a harder separator is required?

Kathe, Denmark

[Jane C ♫]

What fabulous tips!

I made my own mandrel rack out of a piece of scrap wood and drilled holes in it.
A good "short rod" holder is a water-soaked wooden clothes peg!
I got my vermiculite from the garden centre.

[Niki Gough]

Ooh love this, I use a cup with sand in to hold my mandrels and an old hanging flower pot to hold my mandrels waiting to be dipped. I also have an old magnetic knife rack that all of my metals tools go on to keep them organised and old butter tubs are great for storing rod ends and silver foil and the like. Also I have a pill pot from the pound store that I keep my murrini in