Sorry chaps if this has already been covered in the past, but I am at work on lunch (only time I am allowed to log on!) and wanted some advice.
I made my first beads last night (will post some piccies later) and to my delight this morning, when I pulled them out of my pot of annealing bubbles (thanks Manda - they're great!) - I was delighted to see that not one of them had cracked! Some of them are a decidedly dodgy shape, with a few sharp edges, but they are my first beadies made at home, so pretty special to me.
I have dipped the mandrels briefly in a bowl of warm water and washed off the bead release that isn't underneath the beads, but despite my best efforts (and I don't know how hard to try, to be honest, as I have never done this before) I can't get my beads off!
What am I doing wrong?? Do I need to leave them to soak for longer? Should I be using a pair of pliers to hold the mandrel?
I don't have a kiln, so I they are not properly annealed, just cooled slowly in Manda's bubbles, so I am reluctant to give them too much stick, especially as they all survived the night without cracking!
Help!!!!!!!! :-[
Put them in the freezer for a short while.
I grip my rod with pliers close to the bead and gently twist the bead.
Don't panic, keep your cool and try again! :)
Coke (cola), cillit bang, putting them in the freezer.
Someone will be along soon to expand on those. But I've found that if they're stuck they're stuck. Then I decide whether to sacrifice the mandrel and put them in the flower pot or sacrifice the bead by killing it to keep the mandrel.
Maybe we should have a gallery of our flower pot ornaments?
Quote from: Trudi on September 09, 2010, 12:35:39 PM
Put them in the freezer for a short while.
Thanks Trudi - will it be okay to do this if they haven't been in a kiln? I would hate for them to shatter (sad I know cos they aren't much to write home about in the first place!!) ;D
Quote from: Magpie on September 09, 2010, 12:37:56 PM
Coke (cola), cillit bang, putting them in the freezer.
Someone will be along soon to expand on those. But I've found that if they're stuck they're stuck. Then I decide whether to sacrifice the mandrel and put them in the flower pot or sacrifice the bead by killing it to keep the mandrel.
Maybe we should have a gallery of our flower pot ornaments?
I can't understand it - none of the bead release seems to have come away or cracked...... someone suggested "double dipping" mandrels to avoid this happening - does that work and should I be doing it in the future?
I get very few beads off without holding the mandrel with pliers and twisting - if they don't survive you grabbing them and twisting them to get them off the mandrel, they'd've cracked in the kiln anyway. From what you say, you might be just too soft on them ;)
I get very few beads off without holding the mandrel with pliers and twisting
Failing that, ask hubby to do it, I always find that the extra strength comes in handy at times like these! ;D
Quote from: sparrow on September 09, 2010, 12:43:00 PM
I get very few beads off without holding the mandrel with pliers and twisting - if they don't survive you grabbing them and twisting them to get them off the mandrel, they'd've cracked in the kiln anyway. From what you say, you might be just too soft on them ;)
Thanks Sabine.....shall give this a try tonight!
Did Passing the Flame arrive back with you btw???
Back safe & sound! :D
I soak the bead release for about ten minutes. I have a small vice that I clamp the mandrel in and twist the bead off (about £5 from Wilkos.
I used to have similar problems and most of my beads were brutally ripped from the mandrels with hubbys strength and pliers. I tried loads of different bead releases because I was getting through loads of mandrels. I finally found Foster Fire and will not use anything else. I can just twist my beads off when they are cool, no probs at all. The only beads I have ever had stuck was on BHB mandrels that were rusty - the beads still came off with pliers to hold the mandrel and a good grip on the bead without much trouble. Foster Fire (any strength) has been fab for any beads and sculptural stuff too.
I agree with Sabine about the pliers. If you haven't tried that yet then you may find its all that's needed. Pliers in right hand, on the mandrel just to the right of the bead, and twist and pull the bead to the left. Holding the bead with a damp cloth might help too. I can't get any of my beads on smaller mandrels off without the pliers - its easier to get them off 3mm upwards.
what bead release are you using?
once mine are cooled I pop them in the sink full of warm water and start taking them of. There is the straight pulling followed by twisting and this includes twisting them down the rod as well as up. I know it seem strange pushing them further down the rod but it does work more often then you would think.
Then if it's still stuck I have a pair of pink pliers from Making Jewellery and I pop in the rod and try all of the above again.
If the glass is well and truly attached you will feel a difference almost like a clicking.
If you are doing big hole beads I have found that some times I need to leave it for another day or so before it will come off.
Don't leave the rodded beads in the water for too long as the release will soak up the water making it even harder to derod it, but do do it in the water so that you don't breath in the bead release (It's nasty stuff)
Don't do your wrist in remember you can always find a strong man
Quote from: Teddie on September 09, 2010, 01:15:39 PM
I soak the bead release for about ten minutes. I have a small vice that I clamp the mandrel in and twist the bead off (about £5 from Wilkos.
I do this too and have never had a bead I couldn't remove (that'll be famous last words now) but don't soak them too long though otherwise you can get rust stains around the bead holes ;)
I bang/tap the ends of the mandrel on a concrette floor. Hold the bead, not the mandrel. Usually works.
Just make sure you wrap the bead in a tea towel when you do this just incase the bead cracks and slips in your hands.
Bit of brute force ;D
wearing a rubber glove to grip the bead also helps
Thanks everyone.
The bead release that I'm using is a large pot of Fusion Bead Release that I got from Martin with my tool and glass package.
Do you think that double coating the mandrels with bead release would help?
I'm using the same stuff I got from Martin with my kit, so far no problems although I agree they are hard to get off the mandrel. I do drip the mandrel right in the bead release and make sure it's well coated though, just in case. I put mine in a bowl of cold water and one by one grab the mandrel with a pair of pliers and twist the bead until it comes off, usually with it wrapped in a bit of kitchen paper so I can get a grip.
When peeps say Cillit bang - do you mean the kitchen spray or loo cleaner? Just in case I need to use it.
Quote from: Fruddy on September 09, 2010, 12:40:21 PM
I can't understand it - none of the bead release seems to have come away or cracked......
It's not generally that the bead release has cracked, I know I've got some beads off OK when the release has cracked underneath (transparent and white beads, can see it going and think aghhh), but that when we start (and when I upgraded to a big torch) we tend to over cook the glass and it just sort of sticks solid, not sure why.
It may also be the mandrels - I had a batch of BHB mandrels that I had to whack with a huge pair of pliers holding onto the bead to get them to let go, it bent the ends of the mandrels over is how hard I was hitting it, but switched to Martin's mandrels and now with the thinnest coating of bead release they let go really easily.
Cillit bang - I'm sure I read on here that soaking the mandrels with beads in this (and coke) for a short period helps loosen them, or is that for reduction stuff? But it was the grime and lime, green one I think.
Haha! Lovely hubby got the little beggars off with a pair of pliers and some elbow grease!!!! ;D
Phew! ::) ;D
Definately try double dipping, i used to get some really stubborn ones but once i started double dipping they are all really easy to get off! still use a pair of pliers to hold on to the mandrel and twist rather than pull or push to get them off!
Quote from: Fruddy on September 09, 2010, 04:59:42 PM
The bead release that I'm using is a large pot of Fusion Bead Release that I got from Martin with my tool and glass package.
Do you give it a good shake before you use it (*WARNING: make sure the list is firmly on and that you hand is over the lid before you shake*)
I have some true fuglies in the bottom of mine to help when I shake it
Just thinking it might help
----
Now that they are off we will want to see pictures ;D
Oh right when you double dip do you let the first layer dry first? as I too am having probs with getting beads although I have some lovely flower pot decorations ::)
personally I don't, Just in then out and then in again and that should be it.
If it gets dry and then you put it back in the wet stuff I would have thought that it would be more prone to cracking...
Fusion plus which we have gets newbie beads off and tube beads of easy as pie ! ;)
http://www.mangobeads.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=20&category_id=27&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1
I read this horrible, horrible story about this woman who'd disconnected her thumb from taking off too many stubborn beads...
I use fusion too, Manda, and it's great
Quote from: MangoBeads on October 02, 2010, 09:13:22 AM
Fusion plus which we have gets newbie beads off and tube beads of easy as pie ! ;)
http://www.mangobeads.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=20&category_id=27&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1
Good; be up Monday to pick some up!!!! :)
Ok well just opened Kiln....whoooooo beads are great this is the first batch I can say I am pleased with....did I really do these? Yep! what I did do though was to double dose the Mandrels with the bead release. Wow they came off this morning no problem at all....just cleaned them and ready to start the day with more lamping...it's raining so I don't feel guilty for not walking the dogs....lol.. ::) I must admit I have been having such a bad time with getting beads off the Mandrels and as pretty are the plant pot decorations are .. !!! :-\
Anyway lampers hope you have a great day today not nice weather but it will be toastie warm in the garage and cannot wait to see what I turn out today. I am going to try swirls in the glass today.
But first Cappuccino and a weight watchers chocolate biscuit I am not on a diet but it makes me feel better *cough*
Bye for now
Vonnie x
I use fusion and I find that if you you leave dipped mandrels for more than a couple of days before using them, thats when it's hard to get the bead off.
I find these useful for gripping mandrels, vice-grip or locking pliers-
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9285413&ecamp=trf-005&CAWELAID=266893235
Sal (RedHotSal) said not to leave dipped mandrels for more then 24 hours as they crack. I tend to use the bead release that you dry in the flame.
Quote from: Krysia on October 03, 2010, 01:04:22 PM
Sal (RedHotSal) said not to leave dipped mandrels for more then 24 hours as they crack. I tend to use the bead release that you dry in the flame.
I think that must depend on the bead release. Last week I used mandrels that I dipped two months ago and had no problems at all :)
What stuff do you use?
(It might have been that stuff that I got with my starter pack - that stuff is awful)
I've always used the Fusion Bead Separator that Martin sells and had no problems. On curved mandrels I use Foster Fire Smooth and Tough.