Lumpy Fosterfire

amber0307 · July 19, 2008, 11:18:16 PM

I haven't used my Fosterfire for about 6 weeks (!) as we;ve been moving halfway across the UK

Now it seems dried out and lumpy, what should the consistency be like, any idea how much water I should add to it?

Thanks!

Shirley · July 20, 2008, 07:40:23 AM

more water than you think. I suggest you put some of the dried out stuff in a different jar - I use a spice jar - then add the water to it to make up the consistency. If you think single cream that is about right. When you dip the mandrel if the release looks grainy them it probably needs a little more water.

firedinglass · July 20, 2008, 09:03:22 AM

I recently bought fosterfire for the first time and am still not sure I like it. Admittedly i'm talking about the extra strong one but it sets like concrete! Also as you say it is very lumpy and i have to add extra water every time - I was thinking of ordering the regular but now not sure. Which bead release do the rest of you like the best?

Shirley · July 20, 2008, 09:30:15 AM

I use the regular. Love it

garishglobes · July 20, 2008, 09:31:48 AM

Don't forget to use distilled water, not the tap stuff!
I'm using Foster Fire at the moment - I have to admit I'm not over keen, but it is ok. I'm using the tuff stuff, and it still breaks up on me. Think I must just be very heavy-handed! Getting beads off the mandrel is ok, though, unless they get too hot.

afina · July 20, 2008, 09:34:06 AM

I switched to BOM, because the FF broke too often while making bigger beads for me and even the "smooth and tuff" stuff isn't really smooth. But I still use it for smaller beads with not so much manipulation (dots etc.).

beadammed · July 20, 2008, 09:57:31 AM

Mine went a bit thick and lumpy too after not beading for a while. I added water and a few fuglies to it and shook it around like a cocktail shaker and I was back in business.

Shirley · July 20, 2008, 09:59:41 AM

tap water is fine. It's water that's been through a softener that is no good

Trudi · July 20, 2008, 07:58:23 PM

I was gonna say - I just add tap water to mine!

♥♥Tan♥♥ · July 20, 2008, 08:16:50 PM

Mine is getting like this now because its pretty near the end of the bottle, I have chucked a couple of fuglies in and then top it off with warm water from the previously boiled kettle, that isn't essential, sometimes I cant be arsed and just use tap.

Dont worry if you go too thin just leave the lid off overnight

garishglobes · July 20, 2008, 09:30:56 PM

Oh, and to think all this time I've religiously used distilled!! Good thing it wasn't expensive. Wonder if our brand of cowpat-infused beck water counts....

garishglobes · July 20, 2008, 09:33:17 PM

OH just read that as I was posting - he says he never knew I appreciated our water supply so much!

Trudi · July 21, 2008, 12:38:47 PM

Quote from: tanok on July 20, 2008, 08:16:50 PM
Mine is getting like this now because its pretty near the end of the bottle, I have chucked a couple of fuglies in and then top it off with warm water from the previously boiled kettle, that isn't essential, sometimes I cant be arsed and just use tap.

Dont worry if you go too thin just leave the lid off overnight

chucked a couple of fuglies - never thougt of that!

AS a tip - I "decant" a small amount into an old 35mm film pot - nice size to coat the mandrels!

Vicki · July 21, 2008, 01:24:52 PM

I decant mine into my old fusion pot, I've been having problems with my 2nd pot of FF, I find no matter what consistancy I make it, thicker or thinner it seems to run down my mandrels, I never had that with my 1st batch which was brilliant!

♥♥Tan♥♥ · July 21, 2008, 03:12:52 PM

did you buy it from the same supplier?