Cleaning Mandrels...

[spheresofglass]

Ok, does anyone have any suggestions on cleaning these little buggers quickly

I have nearly 200 of the things and I'm lazy, I don't clean them as a I go along I put them in a pot and wait until I don't have any clean ones left before I attack them.

I usually soak them in water and rub a bit of wet and dry on them cleaning off the bead release then let them dry... but there's 200 of the things!  By the time I have finished I have wrinkled fingers and have lost the will to live

I'm really only loitering here to put off getting on with the job to be honest....   I could sharpen them and throw them at a dart board, I'm sure Tan would approve! 

How about a bucket of acid?  Would that work?  But then again it's getting them out without burning myself and there's also health and safety issues around having so much dangerous stuff in my studio, adding acid to it would not go down well with hubby!! 

Oh well, I'll stop messing about and go find a bucket and some wet and dry...... At least the sun is shining, I'll sit outdoors and watch the crows fight with the cows in the field!

[Buzzybead]

I clean my mandrels when they're dry, with a piece of plastic pan cleaner. I then wipe them with a soft cloth to get the dust off. No doubt I'm doing it all wrong  but it works for me!

[glassworks]

steel wire wool OR the dishwasher - i kid you not.... hot as hell and blast them...

works for us!!!

[Sulis (Hazel)]

I clean my mandrels when they're dry, with a piece of plastic pan cleaner. I then wipe them with a soft cloth to get the dust off. No doubt I'm doing it all wrong  but it works for me!

So long as you're not breathing that dust in?! 

[Vicki]

Ooooh the dishwasher

[Shirley]

Brush or scourer under running tap for me.

I am in awe of someone who has 200 mandrels. Sorry, 200 straightmandrels

[Stacy]

I lay all mine down in a washing up bucket (one of the pastic quare things that you put in the sink) so they are touching and then cover them in warm water. I simple roll them back and forth really quickly and the friction of them rubbing together cleans the mandrels. I've got about 60 or so and can do them all in one go. Takes about 2 minutes.

[Buzzybead]

I clean my mandrels when they're dry, with a piece of plastic pan cleaner. I then wipe them with a soft cloth to get the dust off. No doubt I'm doing it all wrong  but it works for me!

So long as you're not breathing that dust in?! 

No - don't worry Hazel. I'm outside with my P3 mask on. The neighbour thinks it's hilarious.

[spheresofglass]

ooooooohhh  THE DISHWASHER......    Never thought of that one!!!

I'm about a 1/4 of the way through and my fingers are shrivelled!! 

I only have 200 as I'm lazy   and as for straight, well there's probably a few in there that I ought to throw away but I turn them up the other way and use the straight end

[Esther]

I hold them under the tap in the sink and clean them with a little sponge with a somewhat sharp green top on it. Don't know the word but will look for a picture.

[Esther]

[Monique]

I hold them under the tap in the sink and clean them with a little sponge with a somewhat sharp green top on it. Don't know the word but will look for a picture.

That could've been me replying, I do it exactly the same way 

[Shirley]

Me too, except my scourer is yellow and green. Don't know if the colour makes any difference

[beadammed]

Me too

[Sulis (Hazel)]

I clean my mandrels when they're dry, with a piece of plastic pan cleaner. I then wipe them with a soft cloth to get the dust off. No doubt I'm doing it all wrong  but it works for me!

So long as you're not breathing that dust in?! 

No - don't worry Hazel. I'm outside with my P3 mask on. The neighbour thinks it's hilarious.

Phew! I was worrying about you there 
My neighbours think I'm crazy - I tend to sing to myself when I'm torching out in the shed!

I do the washing up bowl and the rubbing thing too, it's pretty good except if you get a mandrel that's had a troublesome bead on it and then it needs the green scratchy thing from the kitchen