Get that bead off your mandrel! A tip.....

AVTrout · #1 2012-11-25, 5:46pm

I used to have a vase full of lovely beads that I had gotten stuck on their mandrels. I had tried various methods (soaking in water-cola-efferdent..... nothing worked) but the beads were good, and I didn't want to throw them or the mandrels out. I discovered that if I use my husband's bench mounted vise and a squirt of WD40, the beads - most of the time - come off much easier or with no trouble at all. I wrap them in an old dust rag to pull them off, so that I can get a good grip (because they're super slippery with that WD40). Give it a try!

smpalmer85 · #2 2012-11-25, 6:26pm

in case you haven't heard, try a rivet tool as well. works like a charm with zero effort for the smaller mandrels.

Eileen · #3 2012-11-25, 6:29pm

Unless the glass is welded to the rod apparently. Then they shatter...
experience speaking.

PerfectDeb · #4 2012-11-25, 7:38pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eileen

Unless the glass is welded to the rod apparently. Then they shatter...
experience speaking.

i put a rubber stopper between the end of the tool and the bead, i lose less that way

because i mostly make long beads i routinely get them off with a rivet gun

AVTrout · #5 2012-11-25, 7:48pm

Rivet gun, I'm going to google that. Never heard of it. I also occasionally weld my beads onto the mandrels and nothing but the hammer will get them off, not even DH's vice and the WD40.

losthelm · #6 2012-11-26, 5:06am

Almost every hardware shop will have the pop rivet tool. The heads on better tools are inter changeable for different sized mandrels some provide more leverage.

I have used rubber or scrap leather with a small hole to cushion between tool and the bead.
I picked up a bunch of O rings that also do the job well. They work well for space inch beads with on mandrel displays as well.

Vinagar is also reported to work well at loosening the beads.
But it may etch or tarnish some glass over time.
A test bead might be helpful to avoid heart break.

PerfectDeb · #7 2012-11-26, 10:36pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Almost Gothic

Rivet gun, I'm going to google that. Never heard of it. I also occasionally weld my beads onto the mandrels and nothing but the hammer will get them off, not even DH's vice and the WD40.

search it here, theres a whole thread about it somewhere

Anne Londez · #8 2012-11-27, 2:41am

What's WD40 ?

Alaska · #9 2012-11-27, 2:47am

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD-40

Anne Londez · #10 2012-11-27, 2:56am

THanks. I wonder if I can find it in Switzerland.

Eileen · #11 2012-11-27, 6:21am

Formed in Fire made this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbZmRuoKO8k
showing the rivet gun.

I've used the rubber, and also in a pinch a square of sponge.

valjean · #12 2012-11-29, 10:13am

Here is a photo.
As Deb said there is a big thread about this somewhere here.

.....Val

jhuels · #13 2012-11-29, 6:36pm

I have also put them in a flower pot and forgot about them. When I try 6 months later, some come off!

MrsD · #14 2012-11-30, 5:48am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eileen

Unless the glass is welded to the rod apparently. Then they shatter...

And you bend the mandrel - & the bead is still stuck on the mandrel ...

Go on, ask me how I know

Eileen · #15 2012-11-30, 6:52am

dusty · #16 2012-11-30, 8:51am

My rivet gun bent every mandrel. Maybe it's that I try harder to get the beads off before using the gun, so if I'm using it it means they're really stuck, or maybe it's because it's a cheap model off of ebay.