Making mandrel holders

[ChaosMom]

I'm very new to this world of hot glass, and I'm already addicted like you wouldn't believe. I've put in over 100 hours on the torch in the last 3 weeks, and no indication that I'll be slowing down

I am so inspired by these tutorials, and they help me so much, I'm hoping my little idea will help someone too. My first challenge when I set up my studio was to figure out how to store coated mandrels. I didn't want to spend money since I've way over-shot my budget on glass, so here's what I came up with. It works really well!

What you'll need:

Plastic 20 ounce softdrink bottle (Avoid the flimsy, skinny water bottles, as they tend to tip over. I use Crystal Gyser mineral water bottles, just because I have a bunch on hand).

Popcorn or rice
Funnel
Mandrel(s)
Paper towel
Torch or lighter


Step 1:
Wash and thoroughly dry the bottle (I even use a little bleach water to make sure I don't have anything growing in my bottles down the road). To get the bottle bone-dry, wrap a paper towel around a mandrel and swipe it inside the bottle.

Step 2:
Using a funnel, fill bottle 2/3 full of either pop corn or rice. I used popcorn because I found a 12 lb bag at Cash N Carry for $5.00.



Step 3:
Using a torch or a lighter, heat up the end of the mandrel. On the torch, this only takes about 5 seconds.


Step 4:

Starting about 1/2 inch above the popcorn line, gently plunge the heated mandrel end at a 45 degree angle into the bottle. If you need to use any pressure, the mandrel is not hot enough.
Wiggle the mandrel a bit to enlarge the hole. If your hole is too tight, the wet bead release will splatter as you place the mandrel in the hole.

Make your next hole at the opposite side of the bottle (just as if you were placing a row of evenly spaced dots on a bead). Continue around the bottle until you have six evenly spaced holes.

Make a second row of holes about 1/2 inch above the first row. Space the top row of holes so each is between two holes in the bottom row.

Note: Obviously, the picture shows the mandrel way higher than 1/2 above the popcorn line. I was juggling the camera and mandrel, so sorry for the inaccuracy. The angle of the mandrel is what you want to pay attention to.


That's it! I think each holder cost me about 10 cents to make, and they are really convenient.

Thanks for reading - hope this helps someone! Maybe one day I can write a tutorial on something artistic

[Deb Hopeful Journeys]

Very clever

[swamper]

Cool - I mean HOT!

[Anne Ricketts]

How clever! I just use sand in a planter pot!

[tracidawn78]

If you get hungry you can just wave the bottle in front of the torch for a few seconds and have delicious popcorn!

[Vicki Ellen]

That's very clever. I use Kitty Litter in a small plastic bucket that, I believe, used to have honey in it, but your method looks as though it will stop the mandrels leaning over and touching each other.

[Wonker]

Very clever....I use a block of styrofoam that's about 1 1/2 inches thick....just poke them down and they stand up...

[cadia]

that's popcorn abuse, maybe use lima beans

I use styrofoam or vermiculite in a tin can

[ChaosMom]

Originally Posted by Vicki Ellen

That's very clever. I use Kitty Litter in a small plastic bucket that, I believe, used to have honey in it, but your method looks as though it will stop the mandrels leaning over and touching each other.

That's the problem I was having too - My mandrels kept mating with each other and it was all a great big mess. I like these bottles because if you throw an elbow into it (as i've done a time or two), you don't have popcorn/sand/kitty litter all over the floor!

[IF-Designs]

I have a large deli container filled with rice and I just shove the mandrels in the rice. No top on it or anything I can predip a ton of mandrels this way. But its definately a cool idea what you did especially if you wanted to have cz's on a mandrel ready to go etc etc

[ChaosMom]

Originally Posted by cadia

that's popcorn abuse

Yeah, but at less than 50 cents per pound, I felt I could afford to waste a little popcorn

[Janie]

I use a large empty baked bean can filled with sand. It holds a bunch without letting them touch.

[Dale M.]

What a waste of good popcorn....... use "dry" sand instead....

Dale

[dogmama45]

I use a small galvanized bucket with sand in it. The wider top makes it easy to get a bunch of mandrel in it. Popcorn is a good idea, though! I like your way of putting the holes in the bottle! That would be a great way to create a flower arangement, too!

[Little Brushy]

I use a coffee can with sand in it. Simple, but does the job.

Beth

[Lara]

Originally Posted by Little Brushy

I use a coffee can with sand in it. Simple, but does the job.

Beth

Ditto! Can get a lot of mandrels in it.

[Juliac]

Cute idea! I use Cafe DuMonde coffee cans with sand I scoop from the beach. They do mate sometimes.

[Jenfire]

What a great idea! Good way to up-cycle something.
Jen

[maren]

Originally Posted by Little Brushy

I use a coffee can with sand in it. Simple, but does the job.

Beth

Originally Posted by Lara

Ditto! Can get a lot of mandrels in it.

I have 3 of those for different size mandrels.

[cadia]

I use a big dog food can with another smaller can inside it both filled with vermiculite, the smaller can keeps the mandrels in the bigger can stabilized and I can put different size mandrels in the different sections and instantly see what size I'm getting low on. I have two of these on my table. Having two takes up less space, fit in smaller spots on my table and easier to move than a bigger coffee can. I really have a space problem so I'm trying to figure out a place to keep them within reach so I can grab one but not have to lose valuable tabletop space! Rice sounds like a great idea being so clean but I wouldn't be able to just "throw" it away like that.

[Li]

Hi there!

I just took an big old tin can with sand in... EASY

Anneli

[Cassie]

Cool idea! Thanks for sharing!

Originally Posted by Juliac

They do mate sometimes.

Too bad they don't reproduce, though... I could use more mandrels and having them just show up outta nowhere from time to time would be awesome!

[Firefly glass]

Neat idea, I also use a large coffee can with sand in it. Holds quite a few.

[bubblebabeuk]

I drilled some holes in a some left over bits of wood and that works a treat too!

[PerfectDeb]

i was using a big container of salt till i worked out that might not be too safe...

now i'm using the same container full of damp sand

[ChaosMom]

Originally Posted by Cassie

Cool idea! Thanks for sharing!



Too bad they don't reproduce, though... I could use more mandrels and having them just show up outta nowhere from time to time would be awesome!

Yeah - I hadn't thought of that! If the promiscuous mandrels would just have babies, maybe I'd let em mate

[Elegance_1]

Originally Posted by Vicki Ellen

That's very clever. I use Kitty Litter in a small plastic bucket that, I believe, used to have honey in it, but your method looks as though it will stop the mandrels leaning over and touching each other.

Great minds think alike! I use a coffee can with sand and when I do alot of mandrel dipping I have to be oh so careful they don't all touch. I can see making 2 or even 3 rows using the pop bottle method with no worries and they take so little room.

[klcbeads]

I do the same as Ellie. Had dh drill some holes in some scrap wood and they stand straight up and don't lean into each other. It works very well.

[JelvehDesigns]

I use flower pots filled with rice, it works great...

[Beadbug]

great idea