Burning through mandrels?

[CarolinaDreamDesigns]

So - I'm trying boro. I am dead into the flame and getting it closer and closer and trying to find the hottest spot and I notice on the smaller beads (widthwise) that the bead release is cracking and flaking and "coming undone" on either side of the bead. I've yanked some out of the flame before I wanted to 'cause the release went wild and I had the sneaky suspicion that I was getting ready to burn through the mandrel.

Was I right? Or should I just see how long it can glow?? :eek: What do you do??

(I'm using fosterfire heavy for br)

thanks -

Martha

[rosiescreations]

I can burn thru a 1/16 in no time flat.
I have never on a 3/32
I'm not sure what it is I guess the way I do things.
I love Foster fire and have used it for a long time. But it seems that certain times of the year it flakes and won't hold my bead.
At those times I have started to use Bucket of mud.

This is just my experience at my house. I love both bead releases and am not saying bad things against FF.

[DesertDreamer]

Heeeheee Pattie! All I can say is you obviously haven't tried hard enough! :razz: I don't even THINK about using 1/16 mandrels with boro. I can easily burn through old 3/32 and have killed at least 6 or 7 1/8 mandrels. It tends to happen most easily with older mandrels. I guess over time they get stressed with all that heating and cooling and just fail.

Oh and yeah, that flaking/blistering thing? That's your warning sign. If you back off and don't reheat to that point, you can usually at least complete your bead, but I'd mentally mark that one for retirement after that. There's nothing worse than having a half finished bead with only 1/4" of metal sticking out at one end and dangerously loose bead release around the bead. :shock:

[IF-Designs]

ok what torch are you on firstly :)
secondly use 3/32 316L grade mandrels that will help alot
I use foster fire heavy duty thinned down to really smoothe texture love this tuff

what I do is NOT put my mandrel right in the flame if possible I keep it out of the flame until im ready to round out the bead or encasing. When I get to the point im melting it in I actually work on the outside top of the flame so the glass up to the mandrel is in the flame but mandrel isnt really in the hotetesy point.....
Also I work MUCH closer to the face of the torch with boro than soft glass :) I was on a bobcat and am now on a cheetah but I worked it that way on both even when I do demos of boro on a minor I work fairly close to the torch face about maybe 2 inches out.

[Cosmo]

Well, make sure when you are heating it up that you only have the top half of the bead in the flame, and the mandrel is below the flame. It will take longer, but you'll get better results, and won't burn through your mandrels.

[CarolinaDreamDesigns]

HHmmmm Piranha, one concentrator for now (Devilbiss) until I get my P-10. I guess I'm using good 3/32"? And probably keeping the bead and mandrel too much in the flame. I thought I would have to keep in as close as possible to the center to get intense heat to melt it down. That might change with more power/oxygen?

I'm horrible at the off-mandrel stuff I try so I was trying to learn the glass on mandrel. Always something ....

thanks - I feel like a doofus but it helps to be able to ask the dumb questions here and people help out!

Martha

[Mr. Smiley]

Never feel like a doofus. I've melted through mandrels trying to figure it all out. I've also noticed the flaking of the release happens when I've heated, cooled, heated, cooled and so on. If it's happening without that, maybe a different release will help. There are several designed for boro use and worth checking into. ;)

[Cosmo]

Yeah. I use Foster Fire, and don't have a problem with it flaking or cracking. They have a "boro forumla" but I just use the regular formula. I've also had good results with Sludge Plus.

[Dasi]

I always add a little fussion bead release to any bead release that starts flaking. Try mixing your bead releases in small batches. I find I like fussion and fosterfire mixed as the best bead release. I have not found one I like on it own yet......Must be the cook in me....

[LAG]

I have found this to be real important...

"secondly use 3/32 316L grade mandrels that will help alot" 316L is the keyword! High Temp steel can be bought at most welding suppliers...

[seafire]

Foster fire....316 ss 3/32 or 1/8 mandrels....heat using the bottom of the flame..heqting the top half of the bead as you rotate thru the flame....and stainless will degrade after extended use in the flame....I use tig welding rods cut down to 12 inch lengths.....real cheap to buy in bulk....