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

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  #1  
Old 2015-09-15, 8:12am
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Default Bead Release - Yes another thread

Why is it that every bead release I've ever tried, EXCEPT BOM, crumbles when using a press or mold ? I don't get it. I've tried everything and it's always the same. It crumbles, breaks, gets in the bead, etc. They work fine when I don't use a press or mold. The one thing I do every time when coating mandrels, they sit and dry at the very least overnight. Rarely do I use them the same day and sometimes it's days. Lately I've been playing with Sludge Plus and it crumbles nearly every time I use a press or mold but works fine otherwise. It's so odd I have this sort of issue because how different can these muds be ? They're all made out of clay after all.

I have 3 bottles of BOM left and will save it for when using presses I guess. lol ! I LOVE this stuff and sure do wish it was still being made. It does last forever. Can't even remember when I got it all. I guess last time he was making it. I've been making beads, on and off for 10 plus years now so I've tried it all with the muds out there.

So what do you use and how does it work for you ? Are there ANY bead releases that are similar to BOM that you know of ?
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Old 2015-09-15, 8:27am
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I use Dip n Go Blue Sludge. Unless I hit it with the press, it holds up for me. I know a lot of others that swear by Fusion, but I always have trouble with it. I gave away my jar of it.

My mandrels can sit for weeks before I use them, so I am always a little leery of the release breaking. And if you bump it with the press, I think most of them will break. The biggest issue I have is not getting the mandrel settled just right into the mandrel slot.
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Old 2015-09-15, 9:19am
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I use Fusion and have for years. I continue to love it. I just started lampworking again after nearly a three year hiatus and began with dipped mandrels that had been sitting on my workbench the entire time. They worked great and, on a few beads, I was pretty punishing to the bead release (I stretched and pulled the glass for the designs I was making).

I typically don't use presses except to play around. I get frustrated easily using them with boro However, when I have played never had the release crumble.

The consistency when I dip my mandrels is like a slightly melty milkshake and I dip once. When I use them I preheat the entire length of the separator before applying glass. Because of the boro I also work hotter than with soft glass but I use pretty small mandrels. If I am going to have an equipment failure it is typically the mandrel and not the release.
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Old 2015-09-15, 1:02pm
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The mandrel slots are exactly the main problem for me as well, as Kathy said.

I use Blue Sludge Dip & Go mixed with Alice's. Besides hitting it with the press, I have to heat the ends of the bead and make sure that part of the mandrel is is not too cool. Pressing will stress it too much otherwise. I find this is true regardless of the type of release that I use.
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Old 2015-09-16, 10:08am
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Funny you say that because BOM is the one release that I wouldn't buy again, even if you PAID me. That crap flaked and crumbled if you looked at it sideways!

Sludge, on the other hand, is awesome. All of them!
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Old 2015-09-16, 4:30pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shawnette View Post
Funny you say that because BOM is the one release that I wouldn't buy again, even if you PAID me. That crap flaked and crumbled if you looked at it sideways!

Sludge, on the other hand, is awesome. All of them!
I have to think then that it really depends on your torching environment. I do know that some of the BOM did have issues when Frantz had it for that period of time. I didn't buy any then.
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Old 2015-09-26, 6:06am
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I've had issues with my newest batch of blue sludge... I can't get my damn beads off without a big fight! It too strong! So I've bee using fusion.

I really think bead release in general has to do with humidity and weather stuff wherever you are in the world.
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Old 2015-09-27, 2:00am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jaci View Post
I've had issues with my newest batch of blue sludge... I can't get my damn beads off without a big fight! It too strong! So I've bee using fusion.

I really think bead release in general has to do with humidity and weather stuff wherever you are in the world.
OH brother, I've had the exact same issue lately with the Sludge and the BOM. I've been using both to find out any differences in removing the beads and wow ! Both are giving me issues with getting the bead off. I have found the more humid it is, the harder it is. The last two longish focals I made took two days of soaking in chilled/cold water and loosening the bead every so often before it came off and it was still a struggle. I generally use vise grips but that didn't even work. Had to put them in my husbands vise !

So yep, I agree, I do believe it has a lot to do with your working environment. That will be so different for everyone.
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