Impress Bead Liner - getting confused (now ordered !!!!!!!!!!)

[jobead]

I'm am very lucky to be getting an Impress bead liner for Christmas, but the more I read the more confused I am getting.

I would like to be able to use thin walled and thicker walled tube and will use 5mm mandrels so do I need more than one size of peg ?

Also does it come with risers, do I need extra risers or any risers at all ??

On a more technical note could I anneal silver tube with my hothead or would I need a butane torch ??

Help  

[julieHB]

1) It is the inner diameter of the tube that is of importance, that has to fit reasonably snugly down on the centre peg. You can get away with a more loose fit for the thicker tubes, but with thin tubing the danger is that the tubing will initially start turning inwards instead of outwards. The pegs don't cost a lot - get a few different ones around the size tubing you are going to use.

If you are only going to use 5mm mandrels you'd be safe to get the tubing with a 5mm OUTER DIAMETER, but different thicknesses of tubing will obviously have different INNER DIAMETERS, which will decide which centre peg to get.

Example:
a) thin walled tubing with 5mm outer diameter and 0.3mm wall thickness: The inner diameter of the tube will be 4.4mm, so you need to get the centre peg nearest but smaller than that.

b) 5mm tubing with 0.5mm wall thickness: inner diameter is 4mm, so you need the centre peg nearest, but smaller than that.


2) You only need risers if you are going to core beads with a long core - I cannot remember exactly how long a bead can be before you have to add the risers. You can also use a pair of nuts to rise the liner, as long as you can source the correct longer American threaded screws. Doing it this way might require realigning the press as well.

3) I wouldn't anneal using your hothead - a cheap butane torch will do the job. You can also anneal in your kiln, but it is hardly worth it for just a few beads.

HTH! 

[jobead]

Thanks Julie, I know what I need to think about now, I've seen a butane torch for about £20 and I'm thinking coke might be ok to pickle with.

Thanks again 

[julieHB]

You might want to check out this thread on various pickles: http://www.frit-happens.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=5351.msg96864#msg96864

Also, you need something to put the silver on when you anneal it. I use a soldering table, before that I had some solid old bricks (they will "steal" the heat away more, though).

[jobead]

Right I've done it !! I am so excited, can you believe I had to talk my OH out of buying a Jim Moore one  cos he thought it looked a better tool !! But when I explained all the other stuff I will need to buy he gave in, I told him I can always trade up if I get good.


Yippeeee, Yippeeee, Yippeeeee

Off for a celebratory glass of something