Pastille shape with no dip?

[CarolinaDreamDesigns]

OK - I tried the lentil presses and failed badly. Plus I do not like the indentation. at the holes. I'd rather it be even top to bottom. I tried the tabs and wasn't crazy about the edges and depth (picky aren't I?). Plus by the time I got enough glass to fill, it stuck! I look at the pastille shapes but would rather try the rounded edge but not the dip. I work with 5/64 mainly so I don't think the sweetie rounds would work although that or the "spree" candy shape is the one I'm drawn to most (taken from an eBay description - I can't remember who - my apologies).

Am I looking for too much in the size I work? Should I just buy a LOT of 1/16"s and learn to live with the bending?

Thank you!

Martha

[yeepers]

Martha,

I use 1/16" mandrels exclusively and have not had problems with bending. Are you talking about bending when removing the beads? I use a pair of small pliers right up against the side of the bead to hold the mandrel and then twist with my other hand. Bead comes right off and no bending.

What size beads do you normally make? If you're into larger beads perhaps the button is the best solution for you?

-Yee

[VickieLee]

OK - I tried the lentil presses and failed badly. Plus I do not like the indentation. at the holes. I'd rather it be even top to bottom. I tried the tabs and wasn't crazy about the edges and depth (picky aren't I?). Plus by the time I got enough glass to fill, it stuck! I look at the pastille shapes but would rather try the rounded edge but not the dip. I work with 5/64 mainly so I don't think the sweetie rounds would work although that or the "spree" candy shape is the one I'm drawn to most (taken from an eBay description - I can't remember who - my apologies).

Am I looking for too much in the size I work? Should I just buy a LOT of 1/16"s and learn to live with the bending?

Thank you!

Martha

Martha..

I am going through the same thing. I don't care for the indent in lentils and find myself trying to correct that and either ruining the bead or spending way too much time with the indent. I too don't like the dip on the pastille shape, so what I've come up with so far is the Orb shape that Corina offers on her website. I'm not sure if she is currently selling them, but I'm beginning to look at those as a good possibilities. The only thing I can't decide is what set to get? It looks like she offers one size with three depths, or three sizes with one thickness. I've seen a few of these beads on Ebay, but don't know what version of that press they are using. If you check it out, post here and let me and others know what you think.

Vickie

[ocdlampwork]

I think the orrb would be the perfect press. I really want one but have been hesitant to buy since I wasn't sure if sales were being completed in a timely fasion with everything else going on there. I want the 3 sized so I can have different shapes in different sizes. Like pastille, orrb, lentil & tabs.
If you buy the uncoated stainless steel welding rods (which is all a mandrel is) in bulk form then the bending is no big deal.:biggrin: I only have a bending problem with larger focals. All the others come off fairly easy unless I'm impatient.:)

Tracey

[ms-priss]

Just to let you know, Pat is shipping presses, daily! I got the Orb about 2 weeks ago. It came not long after I ordered it.

And, yes, I do think that's the shape you're implying. It's kinda like the pastille with out the dip! I like the name "spree" better, though :-)

Smiles,
Priss

[CarolinaDreamDesigns]

Whats the button??

I just feel like the 1/16" are too flimsy for my big hands and I do bend them up when trying to remove beads. Plus the intro ones I got were 9" and I need longer so I can move them around in the kilm without burning ... I need to go visit Machine Welding...

thanks!

Martha

Martha,

I use 1/16" mandrels exclusively and have not had problems with bending. Are you talking about bending when removing the beads? I use a pair of small pliers right up against the side of the bead to hold the mandrel and then twist with my other hand. Bead comes right off and no bending.

What size beads do you normally make? If you're into larger beads perhaps the button is the best solution for you?

-Yee

[CarolinaDreamDesigns]

Hi Priss - can you tell us what the sizes are like? or post some pics? I read the descriptions and get my ruler out and it just isn't the same!!!

Thank you -

Martha

Just to let you know, Pat is shipping presses, daily! I got the Orb about 2 weeks ago. It came not long after I ordered it.

And, yes, I do think that's the shape you're implying. It's kinda like the pastille with out the dip! I like the name "spree" better, though :-)

Smiles,
Priss

[CorvetteJuliet]

Just posted this elsewhere... thought I'd say the same thing here too. :D

Pastille shape without the dip is a Zoozii Sweetie round. The dip drove me dippy trying to fire polish out the rings.

Are you re-hardening your mandrels after each use? The 1/16's soften when you anneal the glass and then bend easily. I take a pile of cleaned ones, put them in the kiln at startup in a pile with the handles sticking out. Once the kiln is up to temp I take a hot mitt and toss the handful into a sink with 3-4" of cold water in it. SIZZLE... hardens them babies right back up! As soon as the beads come off the mandrels, they go into the unhardened pile. Once the wet ones come out of the sink they go into the ready to be dipped in bead release pile. ~Juliet

[Starrr]

If you don't like the indents in the lentils, you can buy a lentil press from Kai beads, they won't leave an indent, nice tools too! Why don't you like the indent, when making jewelry, they make the perfect spot to snuggle a 4m crystal in, just curious.

The lozenge shape is probably my favorite shape, and to me by far the easiest to get perfect results with all the time, and a favorite seller with my jewelry customers, earring out of this shape sell like hotcakes.

I only use 1/16 mandrels and have never bent one, melted through doing boro, but never bent. What you want to buy is Uncoated SS TIG rods from your welding store, 1/16 are the 308L's and 3/32 are the 316L's. They come in 36" lengths, so you can get 4, 9" or 3, 12" per rod and it's very inexpensive. I use a pair of bolt cutters and don't even bother to grind down the ends, or wash the mandrels, pretty lazy huh! I do use Foster Fire heavy duty bead release which makes the beads fall off the mandrel after a short soak in warm water, so I'm sure this contributes to the mandrels not bending.

Edie

[Steph'sBeadCorner]

I felt the same way about the pastille press - and ordered an orrb thinking it would solve my delimma. It really didn't work for me - although it is a pretty shape.

I'm back to the drawing board looking for a pastille shape without the dip. I think the closest is the zoozi sweetie round.

I've also written Catt to find out if she'd be willing to make one. Maybe if there were several people requesting this then it could be a new shape. I'm all for that!

Steph

[taneres]

isn't the pastille shape without the dip just a tab?

[Steph'sBeadCorner]

isn't the pastille shape without the dip just a tab?

I think the tab has sharper edges than the pastille, pastille is more rounded..

Steph

[taneres]

It might be, but for me it seems if you add just a bit more heat to a tab it gets all rounded out like a pastille without a dip. They are all very very close in shape. Who would think that a subtle slope this way or that in a press could make such a difference.

[JavaGirlBT]

There's a big difference in thickness between a pastille and a tab, so it's not just a matter of the rounded edges.

[taneres]

ya, this is true.

[Steph'sBeadCorner]

Hello! I talked with Catt and she is making a tab press, that matches the thickness of the medium pastille and the edges will be rounded off. I'll let you know how it works and if it's what I'm aiming for.

Steph

[shawnette]

Why not just make a round bead and use parallel mashers? (Or that handy dandy parallel press by Cattwalk)

Personally, I think any "round flat bead" press is a waste of money if you can make a round bead. Just mash it and spend the $$ you save by not buying a tab press on more glass, lol!