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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips

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  #1  
Old 2015-02-28, 5:43am
Tat Tat is offline
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Question Old lampworking stuff

About 6 or 7 years ago, I tried my hand at lampworking. I took a class, bought a ton of glass some basic tools and a bunch of mandrels. My interest in actually making beads lasted about 3 or 4 months.
All these years I'm still buying beads, sometimes making myself jewelry, but most of the time I buy them just to look at them. I'm a true addict. My heart beats nearly out of my chest when I see beads I want but could never afford. I got really sick of that, which brings us to now. I'm going to do this again, and this time I will succeed.
I bought a new, hotter torch than the little hothead they gave me during that class I took many years ago. I pulled out all of my glass and tools, my husband set my torch up for me and it's literally downstairs, ready to go. My problem and questions have to do with my tools. Everything is rather filthy. I rinsed off all the glass, most still bundled like I bought them, with their little tags on them. My tolls just needed wiping off, but all these mandrels. I have dozens of them but they look like I need to clean them with a brillo pad. Seriously. They're not all rusted, they're just gross and I need to know if I should scrub them with steel wool or will that screw them up
.
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  #2  
Old 2015-02-28, 7:20am
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echeveria echeveria is offline
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Scrub them with steel wool - I do that to all of mine when they are new just to rough them up a bit so that the bead release will hold better.

And good luck on trying again! Be patient with yourself.
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  #3  
Old 2015-02-28, 7:25am
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If they are metal don't worry about them or go ahead and scrub them, but they probably won't be shiny long. Most of the grunge will wear off with use. If they are carbon or graphite wash them gently. Distilled vinegar works well to clean glass.
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Old 2015-02-28, 10:06am
Tat Tat is offline
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OK, thanks for the responses. I will try to be easy on myself, but I've seen some beads that nearly make me cry, I want them so bad, but can't afford. I know, I'm a big baby. I just need to start slowly, watch the millions of tutorials on youtube, and maybe someday my beads will make someone else cry. LOL!
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  #5  
Old 2015-02-28, 6:02pm
Colors Colors is offline
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You're so cute! Just enjoy. Be patient with yourself and take pleasure in the process of learning. Here is something I heard on National Public Radio, "This American Life", by Ira Glass. It is about being a beginner in the creative arts:

https://vimeo.com/24715531
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Last edited by Colors; 2015-02-28 at 6:25pm. Reason: embedding did not work
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  #6  
Old 2015-02-28, 6:13pm
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You could also just toss them all of your mandrels in your hot kiln for 10-15 minutes and probably burn off the gunk.
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  #7  
Old 2015-02-28, 7:55pm
Tat Tat is offline
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I got them cleaned up and everything is ready to go. I can't just throw them in the kiln. I use a friends kiln and she doesn't have it running much lately. I'm going to have to break down and buy my own soon. Any ideas on where i can get a good one for a fair price? It can be used too. That wouldn't matter to me.
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  #8  
Old 2015-02-28, 8:16pm
snoopdog6502 snoopdog6502 is offline
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Here is a nice one new at MGA.

http://www.mountainglass.com/Jen-Ken...l#.VPKEUnskIfl
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  #9  
Old 2015-03-01, 2:46am
chendrick chendrick is offline
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If you are coming to the Glass Craft Expo in Las Vegas in April, they sell the brand new kilns they use for their classes at a discount. They bring all sizes depending on the classes. The discount varies with the cost of the kilns. check out their website and download the class catalog for more info. The seller always post a listing for contacting them in the catalog.
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  #10  
Old 2015-03-01, 11:28am
28676bhe 28676bhe is offline
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Craig's list - but you have to be patient.
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  #11  
Old 2015-03-01, 1:14pm
losthelm losthelm is offline
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They show up hear in the garage sale are.
Shipping can be an issue.

Batch annealing works well and should be fine.
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  #12  
Old 2015-03-02, 2:39am
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I built one for the cost of a large mailbox, a controller with a temperature sensor, some two inch kaolin wool (which I bought from ebay) and an old 1000 watt space heater with the quartz rods.
I think I spent $250 on it but I am a retired electronics technician so it was more of a hobby thing for me.
There is a really good thread here some where with instructions but you do need to be cursed with the technical bent.
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