How to start on large holed Mandrel?

[Tutti-frutti]

Is there a tut on how to wind glass around the big holed mandrel?
Would you melt a huge blob of glass and try to make it all the way around or thin stripes of glass.
Ah and when it all comes together how do you clean the insides out?

Thanks

Katja

[InspirationToolworks]

Hi Katja!

On my large hole mandrels, (3/4" across) I just start winding, and slowly work my way around. I lay the glass down near one edge so I can use that edge for a visual guide for keeping the glass on straight.

For cleaning, any diamond bit will do. Just work you way around inside.

-Jeff

[Laurie L]

I heat up a large section of my rod about 2 - 3 inches or more . Get it very very hot and glowing but not out of control and start winding on the whole piece of heated rod. Then let the glass melt down on the madrel. ( I dont let the glass ball up...I keep it just as it appears looking like a rod - but super hot and glowing. I flip flop the rod around as I heat it because it tends to want to droop, sometimes using my marver to straighten it out. When its as hot as I need it I let it droop onto the mandrel but its still fairly much in the shape of the cold rod.)

I find it it gets too soupy on the mandrel its hard to get nice holes.

[LyndaJ]

Anybody try these with Zippz bead release? I use it without issues for all my smaller mandrels, but every time I've tried it on one of the large mandrels it flakes off. So I never get to the "put glass on mandrel" phase. Is there a trick with bead release on large mandrels?

[Tutti-frutti]

Thanks for the reply, will try soon.
Katja

[InspirationToolworks]

I've had troubles with Zippz flaking off on my larger mandrels as well.

I've had the best results on large mandrels with Fusion FPI and Kragg Mudd.

-Jeff

[Cosmo]

I use Sludge Plus on all my mandrels, with all types of glass. No problems in the last two years. In fact, I'm such a fan of Sludge Plus that it's the only brand we keep in stock.

[MaryBeth]

I used one of my big mandrels the other day and I used Fusion. I had no flaking problems and the bead came off with no problems.

[AKDesigns]

I use Sludge Plus on all my mandrels, with all types of glass. No problems in the last two years. In fact, I'm such a fan of Sludge Plus that it's the only brand we keep in stock.

My fav too! I recently switched to Bucket O Mudd and I really like Sludge Plus better. Must order more!

[LyndaJ]

Sorry to hijack! (sorry, sorry)

[Laurie L]

I use a mix of fusion and foster fire heavy duty bead release. I have nothing else to compare to but I really like how it works. I will say that I do find air drying the mandrels tend to work better ( no bead release breakage ) that flame drying.

[CalamitysClan]

I just started making large holed beads myself (and selling the mandrels, plug, plug, lol). I find that if I can just get enough glass to go around the mandrel once then I can start adding more glass around until it is kind of disk shaped. I heat the glass evenly until it starts to slump towards the mandrel and then I let gravity droop the glass further on to the mandrel while I turn it slowly enough to keep the glass from slipping off. I keep doing this until I have the footprint I want on the mandrel and then I pull it out of the flame and round it out. God does that make any sense at all? I'm not sure how else to explain it.

[Islandgirl]

I'm still using Mike Franz's release.... However I find with the large mandresl that the release has to be fully air dried or it does pop off. No problem using it once it fully dried though! I gently flatten out my first ring off glass and then work from there!

Lynne

[Carmen Isaacs]

How do you get the holes nice, shiny and smooth without nail polish? I have used a diamond bit but still get the rough looking surface.
Carmen

[Kevan]

I find mandrels over 1/4 inch really hard to turn. I have a 1 inch mandrel and a 1/2 hollow tube. They are both so big I can't turn them smoothly. I made a bead on the 1/2 tonight. It's so difficult to turn and I don't have small hands or anything.

[Firebug]

Anybody try these with Zippz bead release? I use it without issues for all my smaller mandrels, but every time I've tried it on one of the large mandrels it flakes off. So I never get to the "put glass on mandrel" phase. Is there a trick with bead release on large mandrels?

I've had that problem too! I'm kind of glad to hear others have had trouble with ZippZ on larger mandrels, I thought I was doing something wrong. I agree, it's fantastic on the smaller mandrels, but really flakes badly on the larger ones. I have to use Bucket-O-Mud on those.

Cheers
Kathy

[dpglassworks]

I am planning to buy some large hole mandrels and I am wondering if the large hole bead mandrels that taper down to a regular sized mandrel (see link) would be easier to use than the ones that are large all the way down... oooh... did that make sense?????

http://www.delphiglass.com/flameworking/supplies/5-8-large-mandrel.html

[jknapp]

I get the rod hot and lay down a "footprint" , then I add the glass as if I were making a disc bead and melt it down to donut shape. If I want it flat, I use a graphite marver.

Gee, I think a conical mandrel that tapers down would give you an odd shaped center hole if you made the bead wide-- would need to see it. Might be better if it was stepped!

Jill

[Dasi]

When I do big holed beads I start with a wet paper towel. As I am working I find the tube can get very hot when I am holding the tube-mandrel. I use the wet paper towel to cool it off and continue working.

When I lay down my initial footprint, I use a 2-3 mm commercial stringer. I can melt it fast and get an even line on both sides of the future bead. I usually have two bands of glass. I also use my marver to nudge the stringer bands into a straight line and make sure the footprint is perfect on both sides before I add more glass. I also flatten it so I know that the footprint is not going anywhere as I add more glass. This also keeps from trapping air between the two footprints when I add glass to the center, filling in to create the bead.

This what you were asking about.....?
I also use fosterfire and fusion mix as bead release.

[playswithfire104]

When I do big holed beads I start with a wet paper towel. As I am working I find the tube can get very hot when I am holding the tube-mandrel. I use the wet paper towel to cool it off and continue working.

.


Thanks for that hint. I have some large mandrels that get hot and I didn't know how I was gonna be able to use them. I'll have to try the wet paper towel method!

[Tutti-frutti]

Again thank you for the tip's. I think i'll try the stringer method soon,
Katja

[Kevan]

I am planning to buy some large hole mandrels and I am wondering if the large hole bead mandrels that taper down to a regular sized mandrel (see link) would be easier to use than the ones that are large all the way down... oooh... did that make sense?????

http://www.delphiglass.com/flameworking/supplies/5-8-large-mandrel.html

I have a one inch mandrel like that. It's so heavy, so weighted on the big end, that I attempted a bead on it only twice. It would be great for making some napkin rings or something, but I just can't turn it. I need some sort of thing to rest it on or something. I'm sure it's easier than a hollow tube 1 inch around. The 1/2 inch is almost too big to turn smoothly.

[debkauz]

I am planning to buy some large hole mandrels and I am wondering if the large hole bead mandrels that taper down to a regular sized mandrel (see link) would be easier to use than the ones that are large all the way down... oooh... did that make sense?????

http://www.delphiglass.com/flameworking/supplies/5-8-large-mandrel.html

I use that kind and I love it. It doesn't get hot and really isn't that heavy.

[Artistic License]

Ditto on the Zippz. The stuff just flakes off no matter now much I thin the product out. I also bought the Zappz to polish the glass especially in large mandrel beads since the release (I found foster fire works best for me) leave the inside of the ring very rough. Well it didn't smooth it out much at all. I'm rather disappointed in both of these products.
Red

[artyfacts]

When I lay down my initial footprint, I use a 2-3 mm commercial stringer. I can melt it fast and get an even line on both sides of the future bead. I usually have two bands of glass. I also use my marver to nudge the stringer bands into a straight line and make sure the footprint is perfect on both sides before I add more glass. I also flatten it so I know that the footprint is not going anywhere as I add more glass. This also keeps from trapping air between the two footprints when I add glass to the center, filling in to create the bead.



What a great idea! I've only ever tried to make a large holed bead once before and it was a complelte disaster. I will try the stringer trick....sounds much more sensible than what I was trying to do!

Thanks again,

Liz :)

[LyndaJ]

Update. If you really thin out the Zippz, it works great. I had two bottles, emptied most of one into the other, and thinned out the one that was more empty. Heat the release up to a red glow everywhere then lay on the glass. No more flaking, and the beads slipped right off.

[NLC Beads]

I use Fusion and a mandel that drops to a maybe 1/8" size to work with and love it.... I lay down one line of glass, then add to the sides if needed to even if out, then keep with the disc melted in method until it reaches the size I want - normally they turn into raked stars on that size mandrel...

[dichromary]

I have a one inch mandrel like that. It's so heavy, so weighted on the big end, that I attempted a bead on it only twice. It would be great for making some napkin rings or something, but I just can't turn it. I need some sort of thing to rest it on or something. I'm sure it's easier than a hollow tube 1 inch around. The 1/2 inch is almost too big to turn smoothly.

Check out the mandrel master. It allows you to adjust the height and has grooves for your mandrel for turning and support.

http://tqtime.com/mandrelmaster.html

[MistyCherie]

Cool - that Mandrel Master looks like a drywall mud applicator. May have to look at those next time I'm at Home Depot....