How to safely explode a bead?!

[ShinySnail]

It's a sad sad day, my best ever floral bhb is stuck fast on the mandrel - drastic action is needed, the bead release must have broken underneath 

Does anybody have any suggestions on the safest way to get it off the mandrel? The bead is quite big so i'm a little apprehensive about this!

Many thanks,
Anna

[GaysieMay]

If it's truly stuck - stick the whole thing in a plant pot - I get lots of comments about some of mine!

[Margram]

Have you tried all the usual - Cillit Bang, coke, toilet cleaner, placing in a freezer...? Someone suggested soaking in vegetable oil.

If it's really nice it would be a shame to destroy it, but you could put it in the kiln when you switch on, then plunge it into the water pot, or let it go molten and drip onto a tile or something, I suppose. Bit scary either way (and I'd better say do this at your own risk, having read something about giving advice on the net recently, re litigation!! )

[ScarletLeonard]

i was just about to say what marg said

[Zeldazog]

I've had a couple of beads stuck on mandrels for literally months.... when we got the torch out again last weekend, I remembered to try Cillit bang - one came off within a couple of minutes, the other took longer, but it's come clean off

(just it was so long ago, we can't remember whether I made it or Ashley did - judging by the excellent shape and dimples, it's my sons!)

[ShinySnail]

Thanks very much everyone, I wasn't aware of the other things I could try so will have a go first and hopefully have some luck.
Thanks for the kiln idea, that didn't occour to me - I had visions of me sticking the bead back in the flame and preparing to duck!


Ohhh fingers crossed then, thanks x

[mizgeorge]

Freezer usually works for me.

If you're ready to sacrifice the bead, a teatowel and hammer is my usual approach.....

[Emerald]

i was going to suggest a hammer to, i knocked a few off the other day and they survived

[turnedlight]

When I've had a really stuck bead, my dad put the mandrel in a vice vertically, with the bead resting on the top of the vice and gently hammered the mandrel. This works on the 2mm upwards, not on thin bendy ones! If you dont have a vice, you can try between bricks or something (use a cloth to protect the bead) and hammer the top of the mandrel - it may break but it's worth a try.

[ShinySnail]

It worked 
Thanks very much everybody, though glaringly obvious I don't think I would ever have come up with using a hammer!
Now lets see if I can make some more, hopefully it wasn't a one hit wonder  (no pun intended!)

[stuwaudby]

Soak it overnight and borrow hubbies pop rivet gun. 50/50 chance of survival.
You could always snip the mandrel with some pliers.