Electric mandrel spinner

[wendy j]

Do any of you use this tool, or one like it.  Ive set DH the task of trying to make one, as I just cant afford the cost of importing one from the states.
Wendy

[Dee Dee]

Hi Wendy, I got one for Christmas and only had a quick couple of goes - I am waiting for DH to go back to work before I get stuck back in.  One thing though - it really shows up which mandrels are bent!!!

Steph X

[Dragonfire Glass]

One thing though - it really shows up which mandrels are bent!!!

He he , I bet it does!

[Hotglass28]

I was wondering when a post on this tool crept up.

Looks interesting how the speed is controlled doesn"t it!   Good idea for people with painful joints.

I think I saw this on utube, cant remember the web addy.  You got a link?

Denise

[Sulis (Hazel)]

There was a lady who had one when we went to Q's in Belgium for the Sarah Hornik course just over a year ago. It looked quite good actually, but I don't know if I could get used to it.

I wish I could remember who it was that had it though!!

[firedinglass]

If you look in bearfootart.com they sell and make them, there is a link in lampwork etc tutorials under blown vessels and a video on youtube. I was just looking today, don't know if you can get them in UK

[kerensky]

I had a lesson with Mike Poole from Tillerman Beads and he showed me the one he used,  I have no idea where he got it from though, and very little memory about whether it had a cord or if it was battery operated.  From my vague memory about usage he seemed to slow it down and speed it up with finger pressure  - if you get my drift. It does seem like a great idea - but looking online,  it is an expensive piece of equipment......  my joints don't hurt that much yet!

[littlegiggles]

I own one and used to uses it regularly...

its great if I want to make bicones and tubes or if I want to make long beads but everything else I can actually do faster without it....appart from very fine stringer which goes round and around the bead... if you asked me a year ago I wold have told you it was the best thing sinced sliced bread... not convinced any more

[Mand]

Hi Wendy, I got one for Christmas and only had a quick couple of goes - I am waiting for DH to go back to work before I get stuck back in.  One thing though - it really shows up which mandrels are bent!!!

Steph X

Steph,

Where did you get yours from? and more importantly was it costly? I may think about getting one in the future.
Mand

[lorrainelee]

Hi Wendy, I got one for Christmas and only had a quick couple of goes - I am waiting for DH to go back to work before I get stuck back in.  One thing though - it really shows up which mandrels are bent!!!
Steph X

Steph,

Where did you get yours from? and more importantly was it costly? I may think about getting one in the future.
Mand

I'd be interested to know too.
Lorraine

[littlegiggles]

http://www.bearfootart.com/

[Dee Dee]

Hi Wendy, I got one for Christmas and only had a quick couple of goes - I am waiting for DH to go back to work before I get stuck back in.  One thing though - it really shows up which mandrels are bent!!!

Steph X

Steph,

Where did you get yours from? and more importantly was it costly? I may think about getting one in the future.
Mand

I got mine from the Australian distributor of Bearfootart - their US site directs their Ozzie orders there.  It was quite expensive, $245 US dollars.  However, I jumped in quite quick as I noticed they were selling them at the price they were before the exchange rates changed dramatically (in fact they still are), if I bought it from the US, it would have cost me AU$100 more because of the exchange rate (not including the shipping charges) - phew!

[Mand]

Thanks for that.

BTW - it's just taken me 10 mins to read your reply - I was transfixed by MrBean!

[Jane P.]

This is my first post here - you have a wonderful forum!
I purchased an electric mandrel spinner about a year ago, and haven't been able to get the hang of it.  I wanted it because my wrist and hand joints were giving me problems.  I made a lot of small round beads, and I guess the constant repetative motion got to my aging joints, so I thought it would be just the ticket.  However, it is sitting on the shelf gathering dust - I just couldn't seem to get it to be slow enough, and when it was slowed down and I wanted to get it going faster again it would start off with a jump, and my bead would go off kilter even more.  You use your fingers as the "brake" and I found that it just wasn't something I was able to get the hang of.  Probably "user error" though - LOL.  However I have heard of others who think it is really wonderful and wouldn't be without it.

[lorrainelee]

This is my first post here - you have a wonderful forum!
I purchased an electric mandrel spinner about a year ago, and haven't been able to get the hang of it.  I wanted it because my wrist and hand joints were giving me problems.  I made a lot of small round beads, and I guess the constant repetative motion got to my aging joints, so I thought it would be just the ticket.  However, it is sitting on the shelf gathering dust - I just couldn't seem to get it to be slow enough, and when it was slowed down and I wanted to get it going faster again it would start off with a jump, and my bead would go off kilter even more.  You use your fingers as the "brake" and I found that it just wasn't something I was able to get the hang of.  Probably "user error" though - LOL.  However I have heard of others who think it is really wonderful and wouldn't be without it.

Hi Jane and welcome to FH.  If you are thinking of getting rid of the mandrel spinner I would be interested - thought about buying one but the exchange rate is so dire at present!!
Cheers
Lorraine