help with presses please?
 

is there some kind of maintanence I should be doing to them? It seems that my lentil press is leaving scratches on my beads which are then turning to scum on my glass. This is happening when I marver the glass before I press it.
I have heard of using beeswax for something to do with them. Should I do this? Will it help?
Thanks!

anyone?? please? I finally have some time to torch and took a break to ask. thanks!!

Brandie, I haven't ran into this problem with any of my presses. Have you always had a problem with this press or did it just happen? Can you feel a burr? If so, you may be able to gently file the burr off with some crocus cloth. Would it be possible to not reheat the bead as much after marvering so the scum doesn't have a chance to grow? Have you used the press recently with enamels? Could it be a small bit of enamel left behind?

Kathy

I dont feel any burrs and I am trying working in a cooler flame. It isnt seeming to help. I have never used enamels. I just noticed it with transparents last night but I dont usually do many transparent lentils that arent covered in frit or something else. I will keep working and see what happens as I try different flames. thanks!!

You should definitely use beeswax, too.

Which colors are you having a problem with? Are you using a graphite marver? Certain colors pit easily on their own and others can have pitting induced if you marver them too much on graphite.

BE transparent red and BE trans. green. the schott does it also a bit but you cant see it once it cools.

good to know yeepers!

I don't think it is the press. Hot glass isn't going to scratch. It sounds like a marver issue. OR, you could have dust in your press. Try cleaning your press and your marver.

Any bead release in your press?

On the subject of cleaning...though it won't apply here. Brasso works great to make your presses look like they have never been used. I use it with a soft scrubber and even go over it with a very fine piece of sand paper wet!
Just adding my 2 cents for no reason whatsoever!
Irene

I have a block of Beeswax but could never work out what exactly I am supposed to be doing with it!

Could someone explain how your putting the beeswax on the brass stuff?

do you melt it first or scrape it on, surely that would leave lumpt bits of wax and not a smooth surface?

I think putting it on the press melted is best. Then wipe it out really good. You just want a thin film of wax.