Blow pipe for hollow bead, use bead release or not?
 

I am hoping to try making hollow beads using the Venetian method (David Penso) with a hollow blow pipe rather than the puffy mandrel method.

Should I put bead release on the end of the blow pipe, obviously keeping the hole open? Or should I just put glass on bare metal and clean up the pipe afterward by cold shocking the residual glass?

You don't need bead release for this. Just add the glass to the end of the blow pipe gently, without pushing it into the hole. Once you are done, you can dip the blowpipe in water to get rid of any residual glass. Just remember to cover the mouthpiece end with your thumb before dipping.

That could have ended bad! You're braver than me. :lol:

Having taken a class with Davide Penso, I can tell you that you don't use bead release. He uses Carlo Donà blow pipes. After each use you can heat and plunge in water with your finger over the mouthpiece hole and reuse again.

I've also just bought a blowpipe, sheer etc. And my goal is also to take a class wit Davide Penso. I'm just wondering how i have to anneal these beads? Do i put them in the kiln as all other beads? I used so far vermiculite but they all crecked after some days... :(

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Kiln annealing would the wisest course I should think.

Even if you are working boro you really want to give the stresses a chance to even out and relax the tension inherent in cooling glass from molten to room temperature.