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Jelveh Designs - Glass Beads Torched One-by-One

Beads of Courage


 

Go Back   Lampwork Etc. > Library > Tips, Techniques, and Questions

Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips

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  #1  
Old 2017-01-17, 8:28am
Jenefer Ham Jenefer Ham is offline
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Red face gripping beads to get them off mandrel

I have never seen this tip, so I hope this will be helpful to someone at some point...

You know when you've got your locking pliers on the mandrel and you're trying to hold on to a bead so you can break the bead release and get the bead off? But the bead is small and slippery, and glass is hard stuff. It hurts my fingers.

I used to use one of those nonslip-rubber jar-lid thingies, but once it's wet, the friction reduces dramatically, and I'm always trying to twist wet beads so I don't inhale the bead release. So it's a hassle to dry the rubber thingy and/or the bead surface and try again.

Something that does work, fantastically, is just paper towel! It grips, it has a little bit of cushion (extra nice if your bead has raised bumpies), and all I need is about a quarter of a turn with the paper towel and the bead release breaks and the bead is ready to spin and come off the mandrel. Eureka!

Nicer towels like Bounty last a long time, but even crappy napkins can be used in a pinch. But they disintegrate quickly.

Sending best wishes for a wonderful 2017!
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  #2  
Old 2017-01-17, 1:34pm
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Great tip however I just use a wet rag I always have on my table. Works like a charm and doesn't cost anything. It's always rinsed in cold water too before I start to play at the torch so always wet. Comes in handy too when needing to cool down brass tools or any tools really. Another reason - like yesterday, I touched the wrong end of a glass rod. Cool, wet rag was right there to soothe.
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Old 2017-01-17, 6:18pm
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Another tip is go to your local hardware store and buy (or in my case, steal my husband's) a "chuck." The chuck allows you to get a solid grip on the mandrel, and then you can just twist the bead off. I soak the bead in water first. Just my 2 cents.
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  #4  
Old 2017-01-17, 10:53pm
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If beads don't come of easily on my first or second attempt I go straight to the old pop rivet tool.

Some one here suggested using one of the smallest O rings you can get (usually in a kit with various sizes) as a bumper between the bead and nose of the rivet tool.

Only when the glass has welded it self to the mandrel through the broken bead release has the rivet tool ever failed to work.
( The bead will shatter sometimes if it is really stuck so wear some glasses when you try it and go slow.)
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  #5  
Old 2017-01-18, 12:36am
Jenefer Ham Jenefer Ham is offline
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Red face

Quote:
Originally Posted by dla View Post
Great tip however I just use a wet rag I always have on my table. Works like a charm and doesn't cost anything. It's always rinsed in cold water too before I start to play at the torch so always wet. Comes in handy too when needing to cool down brass tools or any tools really. Another reason - like yesterday, I touched the wrong end of a glass rod. Cool, wet rag was right there to soothe.
Great idea! I live in Malta where things rust very quickly and I've been hesitant to dunk my tools. I'll give this a try, as I've just gotten some raku and am looking forward to trying to get those gorgeous colors!

I've been using sandpaper to buff the rust off my tools (tweezers, razor blade tool, and the posts on my brass presses). I'd love to hear of a better way to keep them clean if anyone has suggestions... =)
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  #6  
Old 2017-01-18, 8:35am
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Default Free the bead

Drill a small hole in your workbench top big enough for the mandrel to go through, bout an eight inch. Put the end of the mandrel in the hole and tap the other end to release the bead. Keep it straight up and down. Tap with something heavy or use a hammer.

Last edited by hyperT; 2017-01-18 at 8:57am.
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  #7  
Old 2017-01-18, 8:55am
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Chocake Chocake is offline
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My hubs made me a bead remover -- Basically as hyperT described. He drilled a hole in two scraps of wood. I can drop the mandrel through one, so the bead rest on top of it. The other is threaded on over the bead. I use it to push straight down on the bead with even pressure all the way around.
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