Bead Release

[Erica]

Ever since I started making beads, I've been using Fusion bead release. (The bead release that can be dried in the flame!) I've been doing a lot of encasing recently, and I keep cracking the release. I know it's probably because I'm being impatient and trying to wind the glass too quickly, but I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts about other kinds of bead release? Is there another kind that's stronger, but you can still get your beads off the mandrel?

[Rhapsody Fire Beads]

Hi Erica,
I use flame dry cause I am way too lazy to pre dip mandrels, and about one out of every 30 I guess, break in the flame. Try to keep the flame off the release directly, and on the glass instead, and get the glass really hot before applying it.
Hope this helps.
~Suzy~

[Rhapsody Fire Beads]

I just give the release one quick roll in the flame and just on the part where the glass is going to go. Don't heat it up hot. know what I mean?

~me~

[Miss Kitty]

Has anyone tried making their own bead release? I understand it is quite easy...but have not tried it myself.
Peggi

[jamied]

Lately I have been lazy and dipping and drying in the flame. I have had a LOT of release cracking on me. I find that if I don't flame dry, I have better results. I just have a deep pan with some brown rice in it, making the mandrels handy. I usually only dip as many mandrels as I think I will use ( which is usually a lot). I use Alice's Bead Release. It comes dry, in a plastice bag, and you just mix with water. I bought a bag 2+ years ago, and I still haven't used all of it. And I make beads approx. 20-30 hours a week. I can't remember where I got it though. Of all the releases I have used over the years, this is by far the best, and most economical.
Jamie

[shawnette]

I make my own. I ordered some Alice's but it took a month to get it, so in the meantime I made up a batch of my own and it works great. When the Alice's finally arrived, it looked suspiciously like my home brew, lol. Haven't tried it yet, though, because mine works so well.

[Rebekah]

Sludge Plus, baby. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Been using it since I started making beads about 3 1/2 years ago and never had a problem...and I am cheap. I will dilute that stuff so much that you can read through it. Can't stand to spend money on freaking dirt!

Rebekah

[cghipp]

Too funny, Rebekah!

I like FosterFire and Alice's, and Super Blue Sludge for hollows and blown beads. Neither FF nor Alice's is great for flame drying, but I think Alice's is slightly better for that. THey both do well when used pretty thin. I hate Fusion; it doesn't hold well enough for me. I think I am pretty abusive toward my bead release. I want to try Sludge Plus. I usually dip a bunch of mandrels and let them dry overnight - or over a fortnight if I'm not getting much torch time.

Courtney

[magpiejst]

I really love Bucket O' Mud from Timberwolf studios.
http://www.timberwolfstudios.net/

It can be flame or air dried, I've overworked beads like crazy, tugging when the glass is less than molten, pushing, pulling and almost never any breakage. And removal is really smooth - sometimes, I swear, I can slip the bead off without even using pliers.

Judy

p.s. i don't have any interest in the company :-)

[DreamMuse]

I use Fosterfire's, and I flame dry. (well, I dip a bunch at the beginning of each session, and by the end of the session, some are reasonably dry). I water it down a lot - it's transluscent.

I was having issues with the bead release breaking, IF

1 - I got the mandrels too hot for too long. I roll them in the flame briefly, going down the mandrel and only getting each area to where it just begins go glow. You can see the release drying and becoming lighter. Then, I get a dull glow on the spot where I'll apply the glass, immediately before I apply the gather.

2 - I break release if my encasing glass is not hot enough, and I accidently torque the bead too hard while I'm adding glass.

3 - If I'm too agressive with my tools, I can scrape it off accidently.

4 - If the bead release is too thick going on and has a very thick coating, it can sometimes break more easily than a thinner coat.

Otherwise, I'm super happy with Fosterfires. The cooled beads come off very easily, and the remaining bead release flakes off the mandrels without soaking or scrubbing.