Napkin Mandrels....
 

Hello!

Does anyone know the best place (best place = inexpensive) to buy a napkin mandrel? I've seen them at Sundance for $12.00, but they require a minimum of $50.00 purchase (AND in order to read their PDF file on torch/oxy set up, you have to make a purchase...I think that sucks-on both of these accounts....) Just MY opionion...=;

Anywho....does anyone have one to sell or know where I can find one?
Thanks very much,
Lynn

You can BIG big hold mandrels from ArrowSprings....you can definitely put a napkin in the opening of the bigger ones!!! Don't remember the price....but there is no minimum and they are great to deal with.

Wow, Lynn, I didn't know that about Sundance. I know GlassCraft has a $20 minimum order, but that seems to be a more reasonable amount. I don't like the idea of minimum orders, but I guess I can see why some suppliers do it. I wonder who else has minimums and what they are?

Anyway, if you are in a pinch and cannot wait until your order arrives to make something like a napkin ring, you can try the old steel wool and bead release trick to make a form to build the napkin ring around.

Rough up a section of a mandrel. Get some steel wool and wind it around the mandrel into the short barrel shape needed for a napkin ring center. Dip the form into bead release and coat it well. Let it dry. When it has dried, lightly file the shape to smooth out the surface (wear a mask for this). Wind your glass around the form to build your ring. Keep in mind that if you want to do a set of these, then it would be a good idea to make all your forms ahead of time and get them all the same diameter, or as close to it as you can get.

It really is better to use a large diameter mandrel for this for consistancy and ease of use, but if you want to play around, there it is.

:)

Small Parts sells SS tubing. See: http://www.smallparts.com/products/d...mgptx-gpsx.cfm

Is this what you need? The price seems right! Is the one-inch in diameter size big enough?

JanMD

It is hard to turn and marver with large diameter tubing. That's why I asked Craig of Arrow Springs to make Big Glasshole Mandrels. (Nobody calls them by the name I gave them...:cry: )

Thank you SO much for that information!!! I really think I'm going to try that! I really wanted to make some for my Mother-in-law for Mother's Day (Guess I really SHOULD have thought about it earlier!!!).

Thank you for your message!!!!
Lynn

I would love to order from Arrow Springs, they have so much great stuff but I can never figure out how to buy stuff from them. If anyone knows the secret, please let me know!

There is no online ordering from AS. You have to call the toll free number listed on the contact page. (http://www.arrowsprings.com/html/con...licy_info.html)

You can also just send them an email.