|
Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips |
2015-01-21, 10:28am
|
|
Human Being
|
|
Join Date: Aug 22, 2013
Location: BC, Canada
Posts: 15
|
|
Bicycle spokes as Mandrels?
I was going to go out today and collect bike spokes to use as mandrels and wondering if there is anything I should know about using them...anyone else try this?
|
2015-01-21, 10:43am
|
|
Flame Dames Rule!
|
|
Join Date: Jul 12, 2005
Location: Alameda, CA
Posts: 2,749
|
|
I use bike spokes to display my beads at shows, with separators cut from aquarium tubing, but haven't tried them as mandrels.
I don't know how the metal would hold up in the flame, and there's the loop at the end and the screw grooves in the other - things that might get in the way of removing beads. If you were going to cut those off and the steel worked in the flame, old bike spokes would be a great resource.
But it might cost the same in time and money to just buy a big mess of stock from a welding supply. The last time I bought spokes from a bike shop they charged me 50cents each and I had to clean off the grease. My best find was a discarded wheel at a recycling place, got tons of spokes from that, BUT had to go to a bike store to buy a special tool to remove the damthings, cause it was a European bike.
If you can make it work, please let us know?
*sharon*
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Sharon Peters
New Bead Display Stands Available - pm me!
Specializing in Critters and Puns and other Cool Stuff... To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2015-01-21, 10:56am
|
|
Human Being
|
|
Join Date: Aug 22, 2013
Location: BC, Canada
Posts: 15
|
|
Hey thanks and I will let you know. I have been looking for the tig rods locally too, hoping I will find some through friends of friends, due to my very remote location everything I have available is not working for me... for instance, if I went to the only local shop for tig rods I have to buy them in a 10lb box @ $180 (and they are not even a good length at 16") and that's only 1 size.
Next time we travel to the nearest big[ger] city, I will definitely be seeking them!
|
2015-01-21, 11:18am
|
|
Dazed and Confused
|
|
Join Date: Jan 10, 2007
Location: Los Angeles, via London
Posts: 288
|
|
Wow, that's crazy expensive! I buy a 4 ft tube of (approx 12) steel welding rods from my local weld shop for less than $10. Then I cut them to size with bolt cutters and sandpaper the ends to get rid of burrs.
Don't know how well bike spokes will hold up under heat…. I'd hazard a guess that if you're doing boro you'll melt through a spoke in no time flat?
__________________
Cats prefer plain crisps
|
2015-01-21, 11:34am
|
|
Flame Dames Rule!
|
|
Join Date: Jul 12, 2005
Location: Alameda, CA
Posts: 2,749
|
|
You can buy TIG welding rods on Amazon.com, with prime shipping... let the supplies come to you!
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...ds%2Caps%2C211
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Sharon Peters
New Bead Display Stands Available - pm me!
Specializing in Critters and Puns and other Cool Stuff... To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2015-01-21, 11:44am
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Apr 08, 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 1,687
|
|
Are they plated? If so, I would be wary of the fumes.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Barbara
|
2015-01-21, 12:11pm
|
|
SCIENCE Teacher!
|
|
Join Date: Jul 19, 2005
Location: Wylie, TX
Posts: 2,140
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by 28676bhe
Are they plated? If so, I would be wary of the fumes.
|
My thoughts exactly. If you use recycled you would never be 100% certain of what they are made from. There is a possibility of hazardous fumes. Welding rods are a much safer choice. I use food grade stainless and they last a lot longer than the regular stainless.
__________________
Yes, I am FosterFire Bead Release.
|
2015-01-21, 12:13pm
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Mar 14, 2012
Location: Bennington, VT
Posts: 1,776
|
|
cheaper spokes are plated, no bueno for the flame. higher end spokes are titanium, which works great for a TI pen, idk how well it'll work for a mandrel.
i just order something like this, and cut it down to size and deburr the edges. purchasing "bead mandrels" is a sure way to get hosed.
http://www.metalsdepot.com/products/...cc=%20&aident=
__________________
now i've got a Mirage To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2015-01-21, 12:16pm
|
|
SCIENCE Teacher!
|
|
Join Date: Jul 19, 2005
Location: Wylie, TX
Posts: 2,140
|
|
The food grade stainless is 316, I think.
__________________
Yes, I am FosterFire Bead Release.
|
2015-01-21, 2:12pm
|
|
ScrapSurfGlassPaddleSew
|
|
Join Date: Jan 22, 2012
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 3,223
|
|
Check online - in the states I can order one pound of Stainless Tig rods in 1/16, 1/32, or 1/8 for around $6 a pound. Cut into 9 or 12" lengths a pound will give you mandrels galore.
__________________
Pat The journey is the reward To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. L-111
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2015-01-21, 3:56pm
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Oct 27, 2014
Location: North of Nowhere
Posts: 2,684
|
|
I tried spokes once. They produced a funky greenish flame, stunk to high heavan and did weird things to the bead release so it cracked. I don't recommend it.
|
2015-01-21, 5:26pm
|
|
<---RamboPatootieSuperbun
|
|
Join Date: Apr 27, 2007
Location: Sonoma County
Posts: 1,694
|
|
Some bicycle spokes are coated with zinc. Others are stainless steel. I don't know how to tell if they are coated without testing them in the flame. The coated ones will sputter, pop and do weird things to bead release like Chocake said. My dad had a bunch of bicycle spokes (he has a bike shop) that he gave to me when I first started. Some were fine and some weren't. But I recommend getting 308 or 316L SS welding rods and cutting them down yourself and sanding off the burrs. 308 doesn't last as long before it starts to fatigue, but sometimes that's all the welding shops have and it works fine.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2015-01-21, 5:40pm
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: May 27, 2008
Location: Albion NY
Posts: 517
|
|
Zinc oxide vapor does bad things to the human body.
so avoid plated spokes.
I sell stainless mandrels on eBay fairly cheap.
The stainless comes from the welding shop 316 tig rod.
I cut them, sand/grind the ends, and pack/ship them fairly cheap.
Beadboxman also makes and sells mandrels.
Divardi and most glass suppliers also sell them.
look at your resources and it may cheaper or more convient to either make them in larger lots or buy them from somone already making mandrels.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2015-01-21, 6:40pm
|
|
member
|
|
Join Date: Nov 24, 2006
Posts: 524
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tia Marie
Hey thanks and I will let you know. I have been looking for the tig rods locally too, hoping I will find some through friends of friends, due to my very remote location everything I have available is not working for me... for instance, if I went to the only local shop for tig rods I have to buy them in a 10lb box @ $180 (and they are not even a good length at 16") and that's only 1 size.
Next time we travel to the nearest big[ger] city, I will definitely be seeking them!
|
Wow! That's even more expensive than I pay on Kauai: $100 for a 10-lb box. At least that's how much it cost four years ago. I will never need to buy any more again. They are 36 inches long, so its easier to get multiple decent lengths than from only 16-inch ones, especially if the short ones also have the flat tags at each end. Be sure to heat thoroughly and then quench to make them stronger before using; I just do a huge batch at a time in the kiln.
Buying them ready-to-go may be the best way though as they're already cut and the ends are polished smooth. Otherwise you will need to have bolt cutters and sandpaper, or similar equipment. Also, your initial cash outlay will be significantly smaller. Several LE people sell them at good prices.
|
2015-01-21, 7:42pm
|
|
I fart diamonds
|
|
Join Date: Jun 14, 2005
Location: Altamonte Springs, FL
Posts: 3,893
|
|
You can use spokes, as long as they're stainless. I use them as mandrels when I make ring toppers. (They're 2.5mm threaded. Perfect!) They're not cheap, though. TIG is definitely the way to go. Call around. Some shops will sell by the lb, as little or as much as you want.
__________________
-Shawnette the original "everybody get a grip" girl
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2015-01-22, 8:39am
|
|
SCIENCE Teacher!
|
|
Join Date: Jul 19, 2005
Location: Wylie, TX
Posts: 2,140
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by losthelm
Zinc oxide vapor does bad things to the human body.
so avoid plated spokes.
I sell stainless mandrels on eBay fairly cheap.
The stainless comes from the welding shop 316 tig rod.
I cut them, sand/grind the ends, and pack/ship them fairly cheap.
Beadboxman also makes and sells mandrels.
Divardi and most glass suppliers also sell them.
|
Hmm, after looking at your prices I think I would buy from you rather than hassle with making my own.
__________________
Yes, I am FosterFire Bead Release.
|
2015-01-22, 9:07am
|
|
Shelarious
|
|
Join Date: Jul 18, 2007
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 1,953
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by losthelm
Zinc oxide vapor does bad things to the human body.
so avoid plated spokes.
I sell stainless mandrels on eBay fairly cheap.
The stainless comes from the welding shop 316 tig rod.
I cut them, sand/grind the ends, and pack/ship them fairly cheap.
Beadboxman also makes and sells mandrels.
Divardi and most glass suppliers also sell them.
look at your resources and it may cheaper or more convient to either make them in larger lots or buy them from somone already making mandrels.
|
Your prices are awesome. I just bought a bunch! Thanks!
__________________
~Shelley
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 7:41am.
|