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

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  #1  
Old 2013-09-25, 5:58pm
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Default liquid core technique

Just wondering if anyone else is trying or has done the liquid core technique? Taught by Beau Anderson. Today I finally got brave to try it. I know there is a learning curve.. I actually got the first two beads to come off. The 3rd one was a no go. I thought it might be fun to share our experiences. and show our beads that work out well.
Here are my first two.. Unfortunately bead number one the clear rod to remove it. I had attached to it broke off.. and it stuck to the bead.

bead number two looks much better but I was so nervous. I didn't melt in the little tibit from the glass rod.

I don't have bead three because it refused to loosen, and was stuck! so into the quenching jar it went.. its in bits as we speak.. lol

Also let me know if this is not the place to post this.. Thanks Diane


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  #2  
Old 2013-09-26, 4:28am
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What is the "liquid core technique?"

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  #3  
Old 2013-09-26, 7:25am
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Sue, I think it is about the tungsten mandrels you can get at Arrow Springs that I just saw the other day.

You don't dip them in release. You build your bead right on the tungsten and then when you're finished you super heat the mandrel and pull it out. You just keep using the same mandrel over and over again and no cleaning out release.

I am not sure how the bead holes look after you pull out the mandrel though, that is why I didn't order the mandrels. I'm sitting back and waiting for other people to guinea pig 'em. LOL
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  #4  
Old 2013-09-28, 5:05pm
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I bought some and tried them out too. I prefer using my marble grabbers to get them off.
http://lampworketc.com/forums/showth...light=tungsten
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  #5  
Old 2013-09-28, 5:10pm
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I don't like the idea of superheating mandrels with my beads still on them. Seems a little risky. Unless there is something I am not understanding here. I don't like dipping mandrels, but at least the bead release I use makes it very easy to get them off.
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  #6  
Old 2013-09-29, 10:13am
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Risky like how?

I get ya though....I'd rather just dip mandrels.
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Old 2013-09-30, 8:00am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Moth View Post
Risky like how?

I get ya though....I'd rather just dip mandrels.
Risky as in reheating the bead after it cools down and removing it from a mandrel while it is still hot? It doesn't make sense. Why would anyone want to go through that trouble? I assume these beads have been cooled on these mandrels in the kiln. Why heat anything up again? Cold bead + mandrel re-heated in the flame = crack! Hell, I do that to get stuck-on beads off! lol!

I guess I will just have to go to the Arrow Springs site to see what these mandrels are supposed to be used for. Tungsten would be a little expensive too, I suppose.
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Old 2013-09-30, 8:07am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mountain Snail View Post
I bought some and tried them out too. I prefer using my marble grabbers to get them off.
http://lampworketc.com/forums/showth...light=tungsten
I just read that thread. Yep, like I thought. Too much trouble! I would rather put the beads straight into the kiln and be done with it. Especially if I was doing larger work. It's best to not be messing around with glass once it is out of the flame after you are done shaping and evenly heating it all over. Just MHO.
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  #9  
Old 2013-09-30, 8:15am
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You don't cool the beads then reheat them. You remove the mandrel as soon as the bead is finished. But I still think it's more trouble than it's worth.

edited to add

I make big sculptural beads though. It would probably work a lot easier for smaller, round or donut beads. I just don't see it working out well for what I do.
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Last edited by Moth; 2013-09-30 at 8:18am.
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  #10  
Old 2013-09-30, 2:17pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Moth View Post
You don't cool the beads then reheat them. You remove the mandrel as soon as the bead is finished. But I still think it's more trouble than it's worth.

edited to add

I make big sculptural beads though. It would probably work a lot easier for smaller, round or donut beads. I just don't see it working out well for what I do.
Yep, like I said, it's just too much messing around. But tungten is great for raking and poking. Doesn't stick like metal tools can.
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Old 2013-09-30, 3:41pm
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Sounds really complicated, i would be scared of droping the bead while putting it in the kiln, or taking too long and letting it crack.
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  #12  
Old 2013-09-30, 5:39pm
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I love mine. It's nice because you can get a crystal clear hole rather than the frosted hole you end up with after cleaning out bead release. Great for transparent beads. And then no cleanup afterward. It's much less time overall than dipping mandrels, cleaning bead release, cleaning mandrels.
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Old 2013-10-01, 6:27am
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I get crystal clear holes from using KRAG Mudd bead release and cleaning the holes with a BeaDreamer. My holes in my transparent frit beads and plain spacers are never frosted.
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Old 2013-10-01, 10:04am
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Caliente (sorry, don't know your name), could you give us some pointers? I purchased these in hopes of perfectly clean holes and can't seem to make it work. I've tried heating the sides of the bead and everything I make on them just gets stuck. A video would be the ultimate!

Thanks!
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Old 2013-10-01, 12:16pm
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I think that they may wind up being perfect for the transparent hollows I plan on making. Heat consistency may be an issue, but not having to blow out bead release bits afterward would be wonderful!

I may have to try it.
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Old 2013-10-01, 1:04pm
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I don't think it would an effective thing to do with small beads but for big ones it looks like a great technique. There was a demo at The Gathering this year and it looks simple enough. Although I'm sure it requires practice, lol.
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Old 2013-10-01, 1:23pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by preciousglass View Post
I think that they may wind up being perfect for the transparent hollows I plan on making. Heat consistency may be an issue, but not having to blow out bead release bits afterward would be wonderful!

I may have to try it.
A waterpik does that job nicely.
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Old 2013-10-01, 3:40pm
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I don't know if you could get enough heat in there to get a big bead off, Susan.

Anything with a small footprint is good. Once you're done the bead, heat the mandrel to red hot on either side until you can get the bead off by jiggling it back and forth to get it moving. I like to use hot fingers to pull it off. I think Beau used a punty on his but I can't recall specifically - I'd have to check my notes. Once you've heated the mandrel to red hot on either side, the bead should slide off. Fire polish your hole and throw it in the kiln.
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Old 2013-10-01, 3:47pm
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That's good to know Melody. I know he said you could do tube beads but I can't remember how long he said they could be. I can see where something thick would be tough.
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Old 2013-10-01, 3:52pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swamper View Post
A waterpik does that job nicely.
I may need to make the investment then. Thanks for the tip. I just told my baby sis that I would try to make a few hundred hollows, to string like bubbles, for her wedding next year.

Making them: No problem
Cleaning them: May just drive me batshit crazy!!!!!
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Old 2013-10-02, 5:27am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by preciousglass View Post
I may need to make the investment then. Thanks for the tip. I just told my baby sis that I would try to make a few hundred hollows, to string like bubbles, for her wedding next year.

Making them: No problem
Cleaning them: May just drive me batshit crazy!!!!!
Sounds like that idea is going to be beautiful!

Soak them in soapy water (Dawn) before rinsing and doing the Waterpik treatment. The soap will lift away all traces of dusty bead release and oil from your fingertips. Dry and store them in layers in between lint-free cloths or towels in a covered container until ready to string together for the wedding. That should keep them crystal clear!
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Old 2013-11-22, 6:07pm
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Well, sorry I missed all the posting here. My issue with the mandrels if found was getting the beads off. Maybe out 4-5 beads made I'd get one or two off clean and it would make it into the kiln. The other three not so good.. they either cracked or my punt would break off , just when it was coming off.. then it would reattach to the mandrel.. what a job! I only tried a few more times after posting the picture.. hoping things would get better.

I have to say the demo this summer seemed very easy.
so caliete how long did it take for you to get good at it? I think I need to just do it some more and practice… but seems like I heat that rod over and over again and it still doesn't let the bead go.. maybe I messed up the rod with to much heat? what do you think?

Instead of the punty I tried using large tweezers to twist the bead off. Which worked but then the next bead would be a disaster.
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Old 2013-11-23, 6:28am
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I don't think you've messed up the rod. I have on,y tried a few but didn't have issues. Maybe I just got lucky. I was using grabber to pull off the bead rather than a putty. I plan to torch today. Maybe I will give it another go and see how it works.
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Old 2013-11-23, 8:38am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by caliente View Post
I don't think you've messed up the rod. I have on,y tried a few but didn't have issues. Maybe I just got lucky. I was using grabber to pull off the bead rather than a putty. I plan to torch today. Maybe I will give it another go and see how it works.

I sometimes felt like the shape of the mandrel was off.. like the bead wouldn't slide off. When I run my fingers over the mandrel( after totally cooled lol) its a little bit rough? Wondering if little bits of glass are left behind and I can't get the bead off… then it just resticks and then it ends up cracking because I'm spending way too much time on it out of the flame. I may give it a light sanding. since is so minuscule the amount of glass on the rod.

Looking forward to hearing how your torch session goes. I may fire up today too! Good luck!
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Old 2013-11-23, 9:59am
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I see I've been a victim of autocorrect. Obviously I do not try to remove my bead with putty!

That may be the case that you've got bits of glass on there. Might be worth a heat in the flame and dunk in water. It's not the best for the mandrel but if it's not working, might be worth a try?

I haven't made it down to the studio yet. Got caught up in JFK conspiracies! Learning lots that I didn't know about the assassination and why he was so popular at the time. Interesting but isn't getting beads made any faster.
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Old 2013-11-23, 10:37am
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I know don't you hate Auto correct.. it seems to think it knows better… don't worry I knew what you meant. I had a problem too it not sure if it was my or the auto correct "punt" yup it was autocorrect...

I know I haven't either.. this computer just sucked me in. Have a great day and hope if you do torch its smooth sailing!
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Old 2013-11-24, 7:42am
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This is an interesting concept, I wish I could see a demo. I've pierced glass with tungsten before and had to superheat it to do so, so I'd be afraid I'd change my bead shape once it was done.
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Old 2013-11-24, 9:04am
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Hi ezzy. He heats each side of the tungsten rod for 3 seconds x3 and it doesn't affect the shape of the bead. Its the figuring out how to get it loosened and off the mandrel… I find it is difficult when using a glass rod to loosen it,, I always end up with extra glass… or a piece of the glass rod attached to the bead.. using something like tweezers or hot fingers seems to work better. I still need to get to the torch.. It is a great idea, and there is a learning curve for sure.. I wish there was a u tube video out there.. maybe there? I'll take a look.
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Old 2013-11-24, 9:17am
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well, I couldn't find one sad to say… I wonder if someone who has done it would consider making one. YOu would have really enjoyed the video beau narrated while doing his talk. It was wonderful, and inspiring. Well i will give it another try, the 3 "P"s can't give it up yet.
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Old 2013-11-24, 1:46pm
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Default omg!

I torched today! and decided to get this liquid core thing working!
The first 3 beads.. NOT GOOD… cracking,one had to be given up on.. just would not release..so in the quenching jar it went..

SO finally it started to jell… I realized using the coe33 glass punt-y glass just didn't work for me.It would either stick and never let go or would totally break off while trying to remove the bead.... so I switched to coe104 . I found also that using tweezers or metal holders of any type just didn't work for me either.. the glass would slide agains the metal..

I also learned that when you are heating the mandrel watch the glow go into the bead hole… and quickly hit the other side to make sure it is hot all the way through…

by the end of it.. I could get this done in 3 heatings of both sides… As soon as you get it heated , then start twisting the mandrel while holding the punt-y in place, it will let go and thats when you can pull the mandrel out… most times with a twisting action if it sticks heat the mandrel again to get it liquid again… and pull… once out heat the holes, slide back on the mandrel loosely ,pull off the punt-y and heat that spot but just that spot ..

Slide that sucker onto the kiln floor!!! I'm glad I stuck to it. It actually is very easy once you have the feel for it.
Here is a picture of those beads in the kiln.. in a few hours I can check them up close.. and see if they survived my technique..

I think its great once you get the hang of it..
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