Waaaaah!! Can't get my first beads off the Mandrels

[Fruddy]

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!!!!!!!!

[Trudi]

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! 

[Magpie]

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?

[Fruddy]

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!!)

[Fruddy]

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? 

[sparrow]

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

[Jay9]

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! 

[Fruddy]

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???

[sparrow]

Back safe & sound! 

[Teddie]

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.

[beadysam]

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.

[Lush!]

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.

[Krysia@No98]

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

[Helen G]

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 

[Hotglass28]

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