I thought the mandrel spinner was an urban legend....

[magpiejst]

Has anyone ever seen or used this?

[kimberly]

Yes! It is real! I watched Scott Bowens (sp?) who invented it demonstrate it at Tuscon last year, and recently in Seattle. It is a very cool tool and I am currently saving for one!!!
Kimberly

[WhiskerWood]

He has them here at the Gathering too!!!

Very Neat!!!! :biggrin:

[magpiejst]

ooooo. do you think if i ask for one in pif i'll get one?
:doubt: :doubt: :roll: :grin: :roll: :doubt: :doubt:

[Silver Mist Studios]

We bought one and sent it back.
Not to bash the product or anything though.

[Jude Rose]

I saw it in action at teh Milwaukee B & B show.

I wouldn't buy it. Not my style.
I have more opinions but I don't want to harm anyone.

[BillBrach]

Sorry if this sounds rude or whatever, but if you can't spin a mandrel properly, you probably ought to get into another hobby !!!

[ltsexpressions]

Sorry if this sounds rude or whatever, but if you can't spin a mandrel properly, you probably ought to get into another hobby !!!

although I have a customer who only has ONE arm who might be able to make beads with it that I'm sure would make us all think about the positive uses of a tool like this..... maybe it has a place with people like that...

My DGf was told not to use power tools after his stroke and it would have KILLED him if he had..... That man could do MORE with one hand than most people I know with two... and much of his work was on a scroll saw...

my 0.02,

stacy

[Silver Mist Studios]

Neat idea, but when you see it up close and in person... couldn't justify the cost. You slow it down by forcing it by holding the spinner as it spins. It had electrical tape holding it together, nothing covering the battery, and a little wheel with a little rubber band type thing spinning it. You also have to get the mandrel in there 100% perfect the glass won't wrap evenly cause it will spin all crooked.

Sorry just our input from our purchase. We sent it back next day, I didn't want to be rude or hurt their feelings... but when they asked I told them we couldn't justify that amount of money for something we felt would break easily and was so hard to manipulate.

[ltsexpressions]

Neat idea, but when you see it up close and in person... couldn't justify the cost. You slow it down by forcing it by holding the spinner as it spins. It had electrical tape holding it together, nothing covering the battery, and a little wheel with a little rubber band type thing spinning it. You also have to get the mandrel in there 100% perfect the glass won't wrap evenly cause it will spin all crooked.

Sorry just our input from our purchase. We sent it back next day, I didn't want to be rude or hurt their feelings... but when they asked I told them we couldn't justify that amount of money for something we felt would break easily and was so hard to manipulate.

Misty,

I had read your comment and it was completely understandable... it was not your "tone" I was reacting to........

[Silver Mist Studios]

Oh I know! I just wanted to be honest about our purchase, but at the same time I dont want to come off as bashing them... yanno?

I mean I have very little hand dexterity and I wouldn't even use it.

[BillBrach]

Like I said, I wasn't trying to be rude or insensitive. It just seems to me that if you REQUIRED a device like this to make beads, then it might be best to try something that is more easily done. As an example, something like painting might be better.

Lets assume one handed or one armed for a second. Think about the safety aspect of trying to "balance" the tasks of torch control, mandrel control, AND rod control. with just one hand. I'm not saying it is impossible, I'm just saying there is a steep learning curve. Theoritically, you could have some custom devices made that you could control with a foot, knee, or elbow to control things.

And Misty, big <<HUGS>> to you for trying this device and reporting on it. The first time I saw it it looked a little flimsy to me too. I guessed that the prototype was probably made by someone to assist a person with a handicap, and that was a good thing to do.

And Stacy, your DGf (I don't know this acronym) deserves MUCH praise for giving woodworking a try. A scroll saw is perfect because if it is bolted down, it is pretty safe to use even with limited mobility. I've learned that dealing with a handicap is much more about the mental aspect than the physical. I've been on crutches for almost 6 weeks and I learned (and witnessed) a LOT about handicap people and facilities, such as doors, stairs, and even parking spaces.

What WOULD work well for a one handed person would be a glass lathe. Unfortunately, they start at about $10,000 for a good used one.

[kimberly]

Okay, before this thread heads into "bash the inventor and the tool" land, which seems to be the way it is going, I am going to insert my 2 cents here. Here is a link to Scott's website. Best to get a description of the product from the inventor and take a look at his work. http://www.bearfootart.com/

I know Scott very well. I count him as a friend. He is an accomplished bead maker who needs no help at all to make fabulous beads. He has been around for a long time. The mandrel spinner was not made to be a substitute for skill and/or practice. Just like any other tool, including all of the presses everyone is so enamored with, if you can't make a good bead without the tool, then you probably can't make a good bead with the tool. Trust me, Scott makes good beads, with or without the use of this tool. Just take a look at his webpage, and I am sure you will see what I mean.

I think, as with anything, there is a learning curve. Any of the tools (torches, presses, what ever) that I have purchased took me a while to learn to use properly and to become accustomed to. A quick look and try is never enough for me (or maybe I'm just stupid and take a long time to learn). I can think of a number of uses for this tool and plan to purchase and use one. What uses?? Well, I hate like heck to make spacers. Even 6-10 to a mandrel. This tool would certainly shorten the time I spend making them. Raking, trailing and similar decorative techniques would also be much easier, more efficient and faster. I have seen them all done with this tool and it was slick. Would this tool help me make a better bead? No. I think you would have to be able to make good beads to begin with to be able to use this well. This tool will not make the bead for you. None of the tools out there will do that, although people keep looking for one. Another reason I am considering purchasing this tool is I like Scott's attitude of wanting to help you use the tool correctly, his willingness modfy it to my own requirements and his willingness to design other tools that fit my working style. In my book, that is worth a lot. A good and honest business person gets my $$ every time.

One other thing before I head to work. I had been looking at this tool for a while and was troubled by the fact that it turns one dieaction most of the time. I expected that dots melted flat then heated would tend to begin to spiral around the bead as they do when they are being made without the tool. This would have been a BIG issue for me (yes, I do make dot beads once in a while). I asked Scott about that and he made a dot bead, melted those dots FLAT and kept the bead really hot the whole time. Those dots melted in PERFECTLY. I was amazed and surprised, to say the least. Scott said it would work the same for stacked, raised dots.

Okay, I have said my piece and am now backing out of this discussion.

Kimberly

[magpiejst]

Hey, thank you to everyone who weighed in on this.
I was really curious. The brief videos on Scott's site are fascinating to watch and I was just amazed that someone went to the trouble to create this. In my first beadmaking class we were speculating about sticking a mandrel into a cordless drill
8-[
to see if it would spin more evenly than we could...

judy

[JavaGirlBT]

I saw him demo this at open torch last night. It is a really cool device.

[ltsexpressions]

DGf (I don't know this acronym) deserves MUCH praise for giving woodworking a try. A scroll saw is perfect because if it is bolted down, it is pretty safe to use even with limited mobility.

Bill,

first off, I probably should have my foot in my mouth for spouting off! that said, ty for the compliments for my DGf (Dear Grandfather) as he did AWESOME woodwork before and AFTER his stroke. I still have furniture he made and live in a house he built. I just know that if it had been taken from him after the stroke, he would have had little joy to live for... and he didn't have much with the stroke, diabetes, parkinson's, and moving from his home...

I do understand and appreciate your insights. It's just, as a clinical social worker, working with people in mental health, I see feats of determinism and faith work wonders daily. I also, of course, see feats of defeatism and anger work their destruction daily.

(btw, I thought it looked a little "unfinished" too for the money they want!)

Stacy

[dla]

Hi All -
I just want to say a couple of things please. Ditto to everything that Kimberly says and MORE ! I HAVE this tool and have absolutely no regrets in purchasing it. Scott and Monica are FABULOUS people ! The best customer service ! All the help you could ever want with this tool. I had a problem with mine and they replaced it NO PROBLEM with a brand new one. I have been using it nearly every time I sit at the torch and haven't had a single problem.
If you have hand problems, carpal tunnel, arthritis, cramping - this IS the tool for you ! Think about it, it spins that mandrel for you and that alone will save you from injury which DOES happen with repetitve work. No matter WHAT repetitive work you are doing. Lampworking is no exception.
The very first time I saw this tool listed on auction, it was a no brainer for me and I snatched it up immeditatley ! NO regrets at all and I'd buy a second one if I needed it ! lol ! :-D
If you ever get a chance to try it, do. You will be amazed !
Thanks,
Debbie A.