Bead Release

[hotratz]

Newbie here. I'm wondering what bead release most prefer.

I got a little bottle of Frantz' Bead Separator in my beginner's kit. It's worked well for me, but I got low. (Although I can't seem to get the lumps out. Is lumpy bead release okay?)

Anyway, I bought an 8-oz. container of Bucket o' Mud as it was highly recommended to me by a shop owner, but I haven't had any luck with it at all. I dip, stand the mandrels to dry, and the release develops fine cracks. I tried slowly flame drying it -- it just curled up and flaked off. I tried getting a thicker coating. Same results. The one time I got it dry without cracks, it broke mid-bead and I couldn't finish (which I have been able to do the couple of times the Frantz brand broke).

My partner in crime got a smaller bottle of the stuff, and she likes it fine. She pre-dips hers, too, but she isn't getting the cracking at all and finds she prefers it to the other stuff.

Am I doing something wrong, or might it be that I have electric heat (and a drafty house), and she has a woodstove within feet of her work table? Any suggestions for better results?

TIA, Hotzy

[Cosmo]

I use Foster Fire. I have used Sludge Plus in the past, and it works well too.

Both of them can be flame dried or air dried.

[pam]

Hi Hotzy, Bead releases are such a personal thing. They work for some people in some locations with the type of work they do and then other people they don't work for. If Fusion bead release works for you, then I would use it. I think lots of times environment has something to do with it, but then again it could just be the way you work. I have heard of some people that love Bucket of Mud and some that hate it. I just tried the new Dip and Go Sludge and Blue Sludge from Arrow Springs and it works for me. There is nothing wrong with trying other products, but at least you have one that you know works.

[shawnette]

Personally, I hated Bucket O Mud. Always cracked and broke on me. But then Arrow Springs had a big sale on the Dip N Go Sludge and Dip N Go Blue Sludge, so I bought them both (I'd used Sludge Plus before). Well, the other day I got a wild hair and decided to try the Bucket again, but this time I mixed it 1/2 and 1/2 with the Blue Sludge and it's perfect! No more cracks or broken release and the beads come off pretty easily. I call it Bucket O Sludge, lol.

You can add water to lumpy release and mix it in. You can also run it through the blender. A wand style hand blender works great. Try mixing the 2 together (Bucket and Frantz's) and you might get something you like. (or you might not...)

[Reenie]

I used foster fire bead release that came with my kit and it did pretty well. Occasionally just the slightest tug would crack it though.
I ordered the Sludge from Arrow Springs and I haven't had one bead get stuck on it yet! Works great for me!
Irene

[Lisi]

I have some Bucket o' Mud on it's way to me now, I just wanted to try it out of curiosity. I've been using Alice's, and it's strong and the beads come off, but you have to mix it for a long time in a blender to get all the grit out of it. I'm probably going to mix these two releases 1/2 and 1/2, and I do have Krag Mudd that I use for transparents. It's wonderful, but the beads are really hard to get off. To me, anyway. :)

[sassy]

I use Foster Fire I put mine in a glass jar with a lid on it and place two wonkie beads inside. The beads help mix it when you shake it up. If it gets too lumpie you can put it in a bowl add a little water and whisk it.

[parisgal]

I do have Krag Mudd that I use for transparents. It's wonderful, but the beads are really hard to get off. To me, anyway. :)

Funny, I love it too, particularly for transparents, but find it really easy to get the beads off. And so easy to clean the holes.

[meadowesky]

I have bucket o mud. I bought it from Moretti and more and started with 2-2oz bottles. I love it. Dont have any problems and just ordered a bigger bucket. I have only tried the Fireworks stuff before this and that stuff was terrible! Cracked off most of the time, really hard to flame dry it, chunky as hell. So maybe it is the huge improvement that makes me like the mud so much. you will find something you like somewhere. I would just recommend buying the smaller bottles to start with that way you can try it out without being out a bunch of money.

[hotratz]

Thank you, everyone! I had decided to go with the larger bottle because the Frantz brand in the little bottle had run out so quickly, but it does seem odd that I'm having trouble with the big bottle and my friend is fine with her small bottle. I thought maybe it could be too wet, so will try leaving the lid off for a little while. I am definitely going to mix some Mud into the Frantz leftovers, though -- I would not have thought of that!

Thanks also for the suggestion about putting a couple beads in the bottle! Just like fingernail polish bottles! I hadn't gone so far as to whisk it, but I've spent a lot of time trying to pulverize it into a smoother consistency.

Krag Mud -- I hadn't heard of that yet. Why is it better for transparents? Does it clean out better so it leaves the bead more transparent all the way through?

Thanks again! H.

[Mr. Smiley]

I normally use Sludge plus and just got a bucket o mud sample. So far, so good. It's a little more crumbly, but I'm working with boro and it doesn't like to be heated cooled and reheated... the sludge plus didn't mind so much. ;) It's kind of like torches... it all depends on how you work and who you talk to. :love:

[Lisi]

Krag Mud -- I hadn't heard of that yet. Why is it better for transparents? Does it clean out better so it leaves the bead more transparent all the way through?

Yep, that's exactly it! It's real smooth and so easy to clean out. I think it's worth it, and I will probably always buy it to use with my transparents. Double dipping it makes it easier to get the beads off though. I was having a bit of difficulty with one dip.

[hotratz]

Wow, that could make a huge difference in how I feel about using a transparent base! Thanks for the Krag Mud tip!

And all the other replies.

Hotzy

[kandice]

I use Fusion Bead Separator exclusively, and it has always been wonderful. It rarely breaks while I am working, dries fast in air or the flame, and is easy to get beads off of.