Nuts and threaded mandrels

[mel]

I bought some nylon lined nuts and threaded mandrels from the flame off and tried to make a ring topper. I burned off the nylon-but then the nut just went round and round so when I tried to add glass onto it, it just span and spiraled up the mandrel. What do you guys do to 'lock' it in position? I'm obviously missing something vital!

[julieHB]

Do you put bead release on the mandrel? If not, that's the problem.

This is what I do:

1) Screw the nut on the mandrel (no bead release) and burn off the nylon/rubber.

2) Dunk the nut in water to cool down.

3) unscrew the nut, dip the mandrel in bead release, and screw the nut on again, until the top of the mandrel is flush with the nut end. That way no glass can enter into the nut, preventing it to be wholly screwed onto a ring or pendant base)

4) leave to dry, or flame dry in the very top of the flame, working from the inside of the nut and outward - that way the moisture inside the nut will steam out at the top of the mandrel/nut.

Also, if you use a graphite paddle (or a beadspanner  ) to flatten the bottom of the cab, it helps if you always twirl the mandrel towards you (that is, if you hold the mandrel in your left hand, and your paddle in your right. If you do the opposite twirl the mandrel away from you). That makes the screw fasten rather than loosen as you flatten that glass, and you won't unscrew the nut. The glass will prevent the nut to screw further onto the mandrel.

Hope that makes sense 

[Katiequiggle]

Thanks Julie that was very helpful.  Do you not need the nylon washer on the nut then?

Kate x

[mel]

Thanks Julie, I'll give it a go. I'll have to think each time about marvering the base though as I swap hands all the time so presumably I need to turn the mandrel clockwise to stop it coming off. . .I may have to stick a post it note on the wall as a reminder!

[julieHB]

Kate, most of us use stainless steel nuts that have nylon/rubber inside (nyloc nuts), as these nuts have a little more surface to which the glass can stick. This needs to be burned away before you add glass. If the nuts you use have no such rubber inside you are ready to go. 

The little rubber washer you add to your ring base to cushion the glass topper when you screw it on the ring - don't burn that up! 

Nuts and threaded mandrels can be bought from Sabine: www.littlecastledesigns.etsy.com

Thanks Julie that was very helpful.  Do you not need the nylon washer on the nut then?

Kate x

[julieHB]

Thanks Julie, I'll give it a go. I'll have to think each time about marvering the base though as I swap hands all the time so presumably I need to turn the mandrel clockwise to stop it coming off. . .I may have to stick a post it note on the wall as a reminder!

Yes - clockwise it is (I had to think on that one for a bit...)  It's not absolutely necessary, but it does prevent loosening the nut if you are a a bit heavy handed with the marver!