Dipping Bead Release on Hollow Mandrels
 

I made my first hollow bead last night, and loved it! At this point, I only have a couple hollow bead mandrels and am looking at getting some more.

One I have, and more I am thinking of buying have the blow hole about 4 or 5 inches from the end. How the heck do you dip your mandrel in the bead release that deep? Can I paint it on? Is there a trick to it?

I have several really tall pharmacy bottles with tap-on lids; they're about 6" tall. When they start getting too much release stuck into the lid, I just rinse, dry and put it back on so it seals well.

I am a serious glass addict so I got my bead release in the 6 inch bottle but I think next time I am going to have to go to the full quart size. :lol:


I have heard that some use a kitchen type spatula to slather it on the mandrel but I am not skilled enough to get an even coating that way.

I keep my release in baby bottles.

Shawnette-What a great idea-I've been having trouble finding a car deep enough-that will work for sure.

Georgia

I think the new deal for bubble blowing soap is long skinny bottles but you would want to wash /rinse the bottle out four ways from Sunday before you put bead release in it.

Some olive jars are tall and narrow (but be careful with glass jars and shaking), or the plastic jars that hold sunflower seeds, if you can find one with straight(ish) sides.

Most of them aren't super tall, but I often use spice bottles - glass and plastic.

I use olive or caper jars too. Tall and skinny.

I have not seen the ones with the hole that far down the from the end. You can also use the middle of the mandrel method, which should come up in a search here. You'd have to dip one end a bit to get it plugged, and then do the middle around the hole.

I made a hollow yesterday, and it was a total mess after getting it wound on and the middle closed. I did not take out enough glass to seal it with the rod, so wound up pinching it closed with my tweezers. It was u.g.l.y. Puffy mandrel fixed it right up! I love them.

^yes MOM for me, but mostly I'm lazy so I do swipe it on with my fingers lol. I just spin the mandrel fast and it smooths out ;) Sometimes just tapping the mandrel evens it out.

We manufacture the Puffy Mandrel and our hole is about two inches from the end. If you order directly from us, we will happily put the hole wherever you want! I dip using an olive jar, skinny and deep! Jeri

Great ideas!

I like to use a Starbucks frap jar. And it's pretty.. And someone usually thinks it's real and gets grossed out.