Smooth and Tuff

[littlegiggles]

Ok so this is supposed to be amazing but I want to throw my bottle out of the window. 

What consistency should it be to work at its best

I have the original pot where it is like thickened double cream.... and I have a separate pot which I have been slowly adding water to and its now like milk... I havent found the right consistency yet... surely I must be missing something

[Mary]

I love mine. I watered it well down, give it a good shake, and it's just fine. Not as thin as milk.

[glassworks]

not as thin as milk - needs to be like single cream...

when you decanted some did you stir it properly?.... i'll also get robin to look at this thread and ask her opinion - i know she follows her bead release issues VERY closely!...

we only use smooth and tuff, nothing else - and beads twist off...

[littlegiggles]

Thanx Mary and Q

.... the stuff I used at the meet up worked fine, I just cant get mine to work

There is a bead in both the containers which I use to make sure everything is mixed through thoroughly

[littlegiggles]

OK... mini update... some of it has worked for me today... the beads came off the mandrels ok, in fact better than the fusion I was using for some of the similar beads... the problem was the the bead release cracking on the mandrel with very little contact as the glass was going on ... although it did survive being pressed multiple times... Due to the cracking  of the bead release I did loose a fair number of beads early on

[Mary]

Julie, you need to get it nice and hot before adding the glass, mine only breaks if I've not heated the mandrel enough. Do you think that might be it?

[littlegiggles]

I heated them exactly how I have done with every other bead release and it's not happened before... will try hotter

[Mary]

Sorry, that sounded like I was stating the obvious! but I meant I get it hotter than usual, or I get the same breakage. I'm using it for boro and I need to keep the rod in the flame, so I'm finding I need to consciously heat the mandrel thoroughly.

[fosterfire]

Hello!  Sorry I didn't get here sooner. 
The consistancy should be like tomato sauce form a can or slightly thinner.  All bead releases are a suspension not a solution.  A solution is like sugar in your tea, once mixed in it's in there and doesn't settle out.  A suspension is like muddy water.  You let it sit in a jar and the dirt and rocks settle to the bottom.  Each time you use any bead release it should be mixed or shaken or stirred really well to make sure you're using the same ingredients each time.  You might add a couple round beads so that when you shake it, the beads will help with the mixing action.

Generally, when the release is cracking is usually when it needs water added.  It should be easy to tell if it needs water as it will form a ridge when dipping the mandrel and/or look patchy on the mandrel.  Also, the release will look rougher when it needs water and smooth when the consistancy is just right. 

When pouring some into another container it is best to mix the whole container first, and then pour off some to be thinned to insure you have the proper mix of ingredients. 

Heating - you should not have to heat until a red glow with any of the FosterFire releases.  That direction usually applies to Sludge and Fusion releases, where there is a large percentage of graphite.  The mandrel does need to be heated before applying the hot glass.  You can tell if you heated it enough as the release will have turned slightly whiter. 

I think I got all the questions and will check back here a few more times.  If you need an answer fast please feel free to e-mail me at robin@fosterfireglass.com. 

Thank you to Quinton and to all you beadmakers for using our bead release. 
Happy torching!