To save my cabochons?
I have made some cabs on the end of an uncoated mandrel and they are stuck (surprise surprise!).
Is there anything I can do to save them or are they only fit for the plant pot :(
have you tried freezing them in the hope that the mandrel will shrink slightly in the cold ? if they're stuck fast, then you've got nothing to lose, I suppose ?
1. Yep, do as Les says. I saved one from the water pot the other day by putting it in the freezer for a while.
2. Put it in the kiln when you heat it up for annealing. After it has stabilised on 500 something degrees bring it back in the flame, attach a punty and remove the mandrel by heating the mandrel only. Attach a punty to the bottom of the cab (cold joint preferably), knock off the first punty, make sure you melt in any scars made by the first punty and put in kiln. Simples ;D ;D ::) i have done it with varying results....but I think it just takes practise ;)
Thanks for the tips, you girls are ace. Mandrels in the freezer as I type. Will let you know the outcome and pics if it works.
XX
Just read your post again, Pam....uncoated, you say? Hmm, please let us know if the freezer works!! :D
If you don't mind losing the actual cabs that you have made then just whack the mandrel and cab straight into the flame without warming it first and the glass should hopefully simply shatter off. Wear eye protection!
You could actually just saw it off and leave a tiny bit of mandrel embedded in the cab - then simply file the stump until it is flush with the back. Would probably work well with a mandrel up to 2.4mm but you'll struggle if it was much thicker.
I was just going to suggest what Sal has already said ;D ;D
me too what they said
good luck
Margaret xx
I've made cabs on the end of a rod without a mandrel. I just nip off the rod after annealing and sand down the end of rod. It helps if you have a flat lap. ;D ;D ;D
Quote from: Redhotsal on January 17, 2011, 09:28:25 PM
You could actually just saw it off and leave a tiny bit of mandrel embedded in the cab - then simply file the stump until it is flush with the back. Would probably work well with a mandrel up to 2.4mm but you'll struggle if it was much thicker.
Yep this sounds like the best idea for me. I'm glad a couple of you suggested it because it had crossed my mind (before just smashing them that is out of frustration)
Freezer didn't work.
Saw here we come.
Feeling thick here but if I don't ask then I wont know... "covering face as he types" what is a punty is it a mandrel or something diff. Sorry stupidity is my gift!!!! lol :)
Quote from: Weston_glass_man on November 25, 2012, 10:34:34 PM
Feeling thick here but if I don't ask then I wont know... "covering face as he types" what is a punty is it a mandrel or something diff. Sorry stupidity is my gift!!!! lol :)
When you work glass without using a mandrel - when you don't want a bead hole - for a marble for example - you work on the end of a rod of glass which you will then remove - that's a punty.
You might also use a couple of punties when pulling murrini - one each end of the gather although most folks pull murrini using a couple of old mandrels.
If you are working with soft glass COE 104 you might use a borosilicate punty so it didn't melt. If working with boro, you just have to make sure you don't melt the punty - or move very quickly when the marble falls off!
Thank You :-[
Quote from: Weston_glass_man on November 25, 2012, 10:34:34 PM
Feeling thick here but if I don't ask then I wont know... "covering face as he types" what is a punty is it a mandrel or something diff. Sorry stupidity is my gift!!!! lol :)
It's not stupidity, ALL of us were beginners once (I'm still not too far off), and there are things like this that we all have to learn. It comes with reading (books and this forum), taking lessons, and
asking questions. :D :D Well done!
Nick
A punty is basically a handle that you remove when you're finished. You can use stainless steel punties as well as glass, so a mandrel *could* be a punty :D
Quote from: Weston_glass_man on November 25, 2012, 10:34:34 PM
Feeling thick here but if I don't ask then I wont know... "covering face as he types" what is a punty is it a mandrel or something diff. Sorry stupidity is my gift!!!! lol :)
Just remember, the only truly stupid question is the one that you did not ask.....
James
I say that to trainees all the time.. lol thx