Hi, all! I just joined Lampworketc.com so I could pass this idea along. I was in the process of making my first million with an invention to remove stubborn beads when I thought of using a rivet gun; then a search showed that several others had already thought of the same thing. So, to save face, I hope my NEXT idea will help all of those who found that a rivet tool can still break your beads. Here it is: put a short tube (1" is plenty long) over your madrel before inserting it in the rivet tool. Use a tube with a hole only slightly larger than your mandrel. (Suggested: a piece cut from a ballpoint pen refill -- plastic or metal--, thin tubing from hobby shop -- copper is softer, and may cushion bead just a little -- etc.) The tubing will concentrate the force provided by the rivet tool at the part of the bead closest to the mandrel, not on the outer decorations or bumps. I must confess that I have not tried this yet; I'm barely started in the flamworking realm, but I have engineer genes, and I know it will work. Anyway, hope this helps some of you. Let me know if you have success!
Dave
Portland, Oregon
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