Mandrels - home made

[Krysia@No98]

I am going to have a route around, I have just found other bolt cutter, not heavy duty this time that's 11.99

it could end up a lot more expensive to make your own mandrels than buy them me thinks

I know what you mean, but one I have paid for the bits the first time it should cost much less going forward.

23.99 rods 1m length
20.00 Dremel-alike (worst case - But I have seen that they are doing it as a freebee with making Jewellery subscription)
20.00 Boltcutters (again worst case)

So minimum of 3 rods per length = 300 rods for £64 + Labour.  I can make as an when I need

Working out at (hello excel) 22p + labour each (worst case) and the possibility of bigger muscles.

I lost the will to live.

Noted!!

I have been looking for thicker ones but I haven't seen them any where.  Maybe I'm looking with my eyes shut!?!

Me, a bad influence? Hee-hee!

You and Trudi.    I met Trudi at hatfield the other week just after I'd bought some glass.  She started realling of all the new cool colours and there was a voice in my brain going 'you don't have that one or that one and ooo that sounds nice and...'  He he he!!  I think I may need to just bring cash to the flame off!

(I have a maplins very close by)

[Mary]

I'm wrong calling them bolt cutters, sorry! Hubby says they are from B&Q, these ones. Like I said, easy to use (though your hands might get sore if you're cutting loads!) and nice clean cut.

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9676742&fh_view_size=10&fh_eds=%3f&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB%2fcategories%3C{9392044}&fh_search=magnusson&fh_refview=search&ts=1254412217195&isSearch=false

If you do get a dremel for bead cleaning, I'd recommend getting the flexible drive. It's a long bendy extension to the drill, so you hang the Dremel up and just hold the extension. Much lighter to use, and safer for cleaning beads under water, no risk of getting the machinery wet. This is like mine.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Draper-9-6V-Cordless-Rotary-Tool-Dremel-Style-40968_W0QQitemZ140345400855QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM?hash=item20ad3cde17&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

[Mary]

Oh look, the welding rod people are on to us!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Welding-Rods-TIG-GAS-Stainless-316L-2-4mm-Bead-Making_W0QQitemZ370254621945QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_BOI_Metalworking_Milling_Welding_Metalworking_Supplies_ET?hash=item5634e52cf9&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

[Krysia@No98]

ha ha ha,  Do you think some one phoned up and asked loads of questions   And they are the thicker ones too.

Looks like I am going home via B&Q.  I need to get some heat resistant tiles too for my Kiln so this will be good to do both at the same time.

I was teaching some kids to use tin snips, years ago now.  because it required more strength them most of the 11/12 year olds had (and they were shockingly blunt!) we rigged up the snips in a vice and a piece of pipe over the handle that wasn't in the vice so that they could use their weight for cutting.

I would really like to get a dremel for cleaning.  Now that I have a kiln I will have no excuse for not cleaning them!

Looks like the plastic is going to get more battering this evening.

Do you have your dremel permanently hung up or do you put it away after every use?

[GlassOcean]

Oh look, the welding rod people are on to us!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Welding-Rods-TIG-GAS-Stainless-316L-2-4mm-Bead-Making_W0QQitemZ370254621945QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_BOI_Metalworking_Milling_Welding_Metalworking_Supplies_ET?hash=item5634e52cf9&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

These are the ones I bought and they are perfect.  I used my dremel to cut them and grind them off but used a junior hacksaw before I thought of using the dremel! 

With the 1.6mm ones you got don't forget to cut off the tag ends, beads get stuck on them, don't ask me how I know 

[beadysam]

With the 1.6mm ones you got don't forget to cut off the tag ends, beads get stuck on them, don't ask me how I know 

Ditto!

[Linz]

Oh look, the welding rod people are on to us!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Welding-Rods-TIG-GAS-Stainless-316L-2-4mm-Bead-Making_W0QQitemZ370254621945QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_BOI_Metalworking_Milling_Welding_Metalworking_Supplies_ET?hash=item5634e52cf9&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

That's quite funny  - bet they were confused for a while why all these non-welding-women were ordering from them!!

[Krysia@No98]

  thank you!!

I have just got back from B&Q - GOD my feet ache!

I have that exact pair of High Leverage Diagonal Cut Pliers.  I haven't even taken them out of my bag.

I also got four polished porcelain tiles to stand my kiln on so that it's not standing on a 'combustible' surface.  Boy that manual is scary!!

I haven't ordered the Dremel-alike yet or the slightly thinker rods.  I think I have spent enough for today!!

---

Thank you everyone for all your help today.  Both very productive and funny

[GlassOcean]

Keep an eye out in Lidl sweetpea, they often do cheaper versions of the dremel. 

[Krysia@No98]

   I don't have a lidl.  I have a netto and an Aldi

besides - it's not real money when you spend it on the internet 

[Andy]

If you buy a dremel you can use it to cut the rods too, there is a cutting disk you can get that will cut those rods and then you can switch the tool to smooth of the burrs. I got a dremel years ago fro glass etching. Its really a great tool to have for the hobby/ crafter it does so many things.

and if its a case of trying to convnce the other half, just explain that he/she can use it for <insert diy or hobby activity>

[Krysia@No98]

Ha ha, when I got divorced there wasn't even a discussion as to who as getting the power tools.  That boy wouldn't have known the business end of a drill unless I shoved it up his @### - ON!!

Anyhoo talkin of long pointy things

My 'mandrels-to-be' turned up this morning.  The post man rang at about 7.55.  I went running out in my pink PJs (looking as girlie as can me,  and I'm not usually a pink girl) big grin on my face saying, yay - my welding rods have arrived!!  It made the postman laugh. 

[silverlemon]

 

Excellent thread....welding rods for beadmaking, love it!

[LittleHen]

Mmmm I have 3M lengths of rod waiting for me to get cutting, they're 3mm, 4mm and 5 mm but I think I'll be lucky if I get round to it this side of Xmas and then I'll be way to fat and pregnant to cut them without doing some damage!!
Still with a small baby 2 kids and no studio I'm sure I'll get round to it at some point...
I might look into a sawing blade for my dremel to see if I can at least make them into 1M lengths  
You should never buy long lengths of metal rod on impulse...
Jessie

[Krysia@No98]

I figured that if I was having problems cutting them I would take then round to my usual Wednesday night thing and 'challenge' the big butch men to do it 

3mm, 4mm and 5 mm

That does sound like a dremal job.  If you cut them down and want to do swapsey at some point...