Cleaning BHBs

[Torcha]

Hi-
I have read through some threads in other parts of the forum, but hope to get some more specific help here. I am hoping there are some simple ways to clean big hole beads without having to order and wait for a bunch of special materials to come in the mail!

So...whaddya got? I bet there are some folks who have this down nicely. Whenever I use the dremel, it does not leave the nice smooth surface I am looking for. Help and Thanks!
Alana

[Torcha]

Bump

[Chuckie]

Find a local woodworking shop or an online supplier and buy some wet/dry sandpaper. It comes in a lot of different grits. Get a coarser grit to clean the bulk of the release out of the hole and some superfine grit to finish it off.

[twiggyinaz]

Alana,

I use my dremel with a very light touch with the regular bit to get the release removed.

Then I use a white bit, don't have a clue what it is, but it is white and shaped like a cone with the tip cut off, and that polishes the glass.

I use Foster's Smooth and Tuff, so it comes off quite easily.

Takes me about 3-5 minutes to do each bead, but a light touch is really the secret.

[Torcha]

Twiggy and Chuckie - thanks for the info. I have tried wet/dry sandpaper of many different grades. I have tried my dremel with different tips. I have tried cerium oxide - that polishing stuff and still can't seem to get the teeny tiny little left over bits off!

Twiggy - is the white cone a polishing bit that is soft to the touch or hard? I am determined to figure this out. I have a couple I need to clean and will try a much lighter touch. Maybe it is that simple.
Thanks!
Alana

[twiggyinaz]

i have searched and searched online to find one, and i can't!!!

panic is beginning to set in... i use this bit ALOT!

i will scan it and post a pic tonite.

[elle]

Like you, no matter how much I filed, sanded and buffed the hole wasn't quite shiny enough for me. So I put a thin coat of clear nail polish in it and that seemed to help shine it up a bit. I don't know how easily it flakes off with wear, though. I'm keeping an eye on it to see what happens. The semi-rough surface seems to absorb most of the nail polish, so flaking might not even be an issue over time.

If you don't like the idea of polish, you can try a little olive oil. It won't be quite as shiny or permanent, but it will help with the rough appearance.

Hope this helps! :)
Sarah

[Torcha]

Sarah-
Thanks for the tips. I will try both and see if I have a preference. If I stumble upon any new ideas I will post here as well.
Alana

[shawnette]

Brush on a layer of clear epoxy. It's shiny and won't wear off.

[Three Muses Glass]

I use the same mandrel that the BHB is made on and go through various grits of silicon carbide. I think Jessica (Phoenix) sells it in small amounts. Just add a tiny bit of water for a paste and make sure every last bit of grit is washed off the mandrel and bead before going on to the next finer grit. It may be overkill but I might use 5 or 6 grit sizes before getting to the cerium last. Looks good though and doesn't really take all that long. The first couple grits take the longest, have to make sure all the bead release is gone. I start at 120.

[Sylvie D.]

Here is what works for me:

I clean it really well with the mandrel itself (I use bucket o'mud and a minimum residue), then I sometimes user a pipre cleaner brush and finally, I coat with finger nail polish the part of the bead close to the hole and I etch just the hole (I use a Q-tips dipped my etching liquid or I use a paint brush with etching cream on it).
The hole of course won't be shiny, but it will have a soft matte finish to it.

[twiggyinaz]

I am not going to get that bit scanned soon, my studio is in remodel mode, and I can't get my scanner hooked up right now. So Sorry...

My favorite:
etch the whole danged bead!