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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips |
2012-12-03, 7:50am
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No Longer an LE Member
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Join Date: Sep 09, 2012
Posts: 173
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bent mandrels
bye
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2012-12-03, 8:01am
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Nov 13, 2006
Location: Calgary, Canada
Posts: 506
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I have the same problem, no solution though - Sorry
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Dayna - Metamorphic Beads To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
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2012-12-03, 8:04am
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~ a.k.a. Sharlee22 ~
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Join Date: Aug 27, 2005
Location: Somewhere in the middle, QC, Canada
Posts: 1,103
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All my 1/6'' mandrels get bend easily. I try to straight them up as much as I can but at one point, I just buy new ones as there get unusable
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Liz To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
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2012-12-03, 8:16am
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Nikki Haverstock
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Join Date: Oct 10, 2010
Location: NW Colorado
Posts: 1,686
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1/16 bend very easier. One time I glared too hard and one bent. I often use 3/32 Mandrels.
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Nikki Haverstock
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2012-12-03, 8:20am
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Senior Member
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Location: Albion NY
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The rivet tool method may help if mandrels are getting bent when you remove the bead.
It helps grip the mandrel a bit closer to the bead then your average chuck.
Often when dealing with thin mandrels you might just make a plain bead on the end and cut off a few inches to make a some Pins. They seam to go over very well for scarves, viels, and hat pins.
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2012-12-03, 9:01am
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Oct 26, 2011
Location: Amarillo, TX
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Mine usually get bent on the end & I cut them off. I have a lot of mandrells that were cut in half to make two out of one. I didn't do it, I bought them from someone, but I like 'em shorter.
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2012-12-03, 9:56am
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Dix Harrison
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Join Date: Mar 31, 2009
Location: KCKS - But my heart is in Scotland
Posts: 526
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Suggestions:
1. Can you cut off the bent end? (I can work with mandrels way shorter than I thought.)
2. I turn my mandrels around (and use the other end) when I bend one end beyond repair.
3. If you send a PM with your mailing address to me, I could send you some new 1/16" and 3/32" mandrels next time I buy the rod.
Dix
kansassky
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2012-12-03, 10:03am
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Senior Member
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Location: west of Atlanta, Georgia
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If they aren't too bad. I go down on the tile floor. Roll the mandrel back and forth and hit it with the side of a small hammer. Sometimes I can get it straightened out. But the smaller mandrels do bend easily.
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2012-12-03, 10:25am
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Aug 01, 2005
Posts: 2,159
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Are you giving them a good soak before you try to remove the beads? Also try holding the mandrel up next to the bead with pliers and gently twisting the bead back and forth. I use 1/32 and 1/29 mandrels a lot myself and they are very easy to bend. A cheaper solution to buying pre-cut mandrels is to buy some 309 or 316 filler rods from welding supply and cut your own. They will get softer and bend more easily with use.
Robert
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Robert Simmons
(Former) Director for Bead Donations
Beads of Courage, Inc.
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2012-12-03, 10:26am
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Flame Dames Rule!
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Join Date: Jul 12, 2005
Location: Alameda, CA
Posts: 2,749
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I hammer bent mandrels on a steel block (but any hard even surface would probably do). Rotate while I'm hammering, and they go straight pretty quickly, and the hammering work-hardens them.
Started doing this when I had my teaching studio because the beginners would trash the mandrels removing the beads. It saved about 80% of them.
I've been following your posts, and it's wonderful what you're doing with the kids. Bravo!
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Sharon Peters
New Bead Display Stands Available - pm me!
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2012-12-03, 10:59am
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I think I could be a bead
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Join Date: Jun 28, 2006
Posts: 10,992
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Thanks for the tip, Sharon. I usuallly just cut mine off, but I'll try that next time!
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Mallory
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2012-12-03, 2:49pm
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Unmedicated since '62
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Join Date: Jan 18, 2009
Location: Hunter Valley, Australia
Posts: 5,907
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try using a rivet gun to get the beads off, it does less damage
also, try buying the rod i bulk from a welding store, i bought $30 worth two years ago and havent even cut it all up yet
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Deb
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2012-12-03, 3:20pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 11, 2006
Location: Switzerland
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In my experience using a vise to hold the mandrel while trying to get a bead off is the surest way to bend them because it is very difficult to keep the effort along the axis of the mandrel. I try to avoid doing it unless the bead is really stuck. I usually soak the beads then grip the middle of the mandrel with good serrated pliers and rotate the bead back and forth without putting a lot of strength to avoid bending. When the beads are difficult to grip I wrap them in a wet sponge, it helps holding them.
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Anne
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2012-12-03, 3:20pm
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No Longer an LE Member
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Join Date: Sep 09, 2012
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beads come loose
bye
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2012-12-03, 5:08pm
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Wonder-wench
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Location: land of milk & honey
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I rotate them at eye level looking for the inflection point and gently bend them to straighten at that point.
I think I'm gonna try Sharon's beat 'em straight method next time, I like the idea of work hardening as they do seem to be getting annealed soft in the flame.
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Elizabeth
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2012-12-03, 5:15pm
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hi ho hi ho its off to ..
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Join Date: Oct 27, 2007
Location: Odessa, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 289
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to straighten mandrells place on a smooth flat surface 5 or 10 at a time place a heavy flat object on top the length of the mandells or longer and roll them back and forth will straighten out 99% of them. I aslo occasionally heat all my mandrells up in a kiln and drop them hot into a bucket of water hardens them up right away
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2012-12-03, 6:24pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jun 22, 2005
Location: west of Atlanta, Georgia
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I fixed my post. I also use a hammer like Sharon. Not a mandrel. Oops
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2012-12-03, 6:57pm
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honorary bead lady
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Join Date: Jan 14, 2008
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Pin vise
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2012-12-03, 6:59pm
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KitseyBelle
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Join Date: Sep 03, 2005
Location: Central Point, OR
Posts: 137
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When are the mandrels getting bent? When you are making the bead or trying to remove it?
When I started, I had a bunch of dowels cut into 6 in. long pieces. I drilled a hole in the dowel deep enough for an inch or so of the mandrel to poke into. I used this as a handle. When it came time to put the bead in the kiln, I used a pair of pliers to remove the hot mandrel from the dowel handle and put it into the kiln.
Added bonus, I was able to use shorter pieces of welding rod since the dowel handle was part of the length. I think my initial mandrels were only 6 in. long.
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Jennefer
Just moved up to a Minor on a concentrator.....so much to discover!
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2012-12-03, 7:24pm
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Senior Moment
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Join Date: Jun 16, 2012
Location: New Yawk
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Sadly, bending in mandrels that thickness is just inherent. You may want to try making your own Dr. Bill. Check your local plumbing supply stores, and see if they carry stainless steel rods, L304. If they do, have them cut the rods to your preferred length, and just file the burrs off then ends when you get home. It's a heckuva lot cheaper than buying them as mandrels, and since mandrels that thickness are going to bend anyway, why not save some money?
There is a bunch of threads about making your own here on LE; here's one to start you off if you're interested: http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=90254
HTH!
Alli
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I never finish anything. I have a black belt in partial arts.
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2012-12-03, 8:34pm
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Unmedicated since '62
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Join Date: Jan 18, 2009
Location: Hunter Valley, Australia
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bill, are you hardening your mandrels before you use them? i always heat the last two inches or so (of new mandrels) till cherry red then dunk them in water, i dont get a lot of bent mandrels that way
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Deb
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
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2012-12-03, 10:43pm
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professional gimme fiver
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Join Date: Feb 12, 2007
Location: Lancaster, PA
Posts: 1,207
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I would totally try the 3/32 or even larger, if I were you. Using a larger mandrel will also help to absorb some of your hand shakiness, allowing you to make a better bead. I get mandrels from Howaco, because they're good quality, cheap, and I can buy as much or as little as I want. I have shaky hands, too, on many days. I make a lot of big hole beads!
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Alexis
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2012-12-03, 10:54pm
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Eugene, Oregon
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Join Date: May 30, 2007
Location: Eugene
Posts: 311
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I buy the wire and cut the mandrels so they are really cheap. I cut a 3' length into 3 12" mandrels. If they get a bend in them I cut that end off and have a shorter mandrel. The short mandrels I work with first, it helps in staking the kiln. I can push them all the way in to the back as the first row of beads. If the short ones get a bend in them I can cut them again, usually twice is it. I have made fairy garden mushrooms on the end of the very shot ones. Then you them as plant sticks. Recycle is part of my compulsion to use up stuff. Sometimes its a good thing.
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Cheers from Nancy Gant
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2012-12-03, 10:55pm
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professional gimme fiver
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Join Date: Feb 12, 2007
Location: Lancaster, PA
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I also wanted to share with you that if you use COE 96 or 90 glass, it's a bit stiffer, and works a little slower, so you have more time to even the bead out. I used a lot of 96 & 90 when I was first starting out. Made some of my best beads using it.
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Alexis
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2012-12-04, 9:03am
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No Longer an LE Member
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Mandrels hate me
bye
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2012-12-04, 9:40am
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Salt Box Beads
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Location: Heading to Paradise
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I soak my mandrels overnight in palmolive dish soap water and usually most of them are laying in the bottom of the jar in the morning...
Very easy to remove, most just slide off. The trade off is that the madrels have to be cleaned very well and I take a very soft manicure block buffer to them before I dip them into bead release. But it is worth it.
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2012-12-04, 9:55am
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Junior Member
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Join Date: Jun 22, 2011
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I roll(just as I was taught in my Lamwork classes here in Switzerland) my mandrels between two wooden cutting boards to straighten them. One at a time while pressing really hard. This works really well for the thinner mandels that easily get bent.
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2012-12-05, 3:22am
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Senior Member
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Location: Switzerland
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Dr Bill, unfortunately I can't see how you can get the beads past the bend once it's been made. Cutting off the mandrel at the bend seems the only solution...
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Anne
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2012-12-05, 3:35am
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Senior Member
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Roll them on my drive way under my feet. Shoes on of course.
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2012-12-05, 4:59am
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Senior Member
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Consider using larger Mandrel and thin tubing to bring the hole down to a smaller size?
I bend a lot of my 1/16s but not many 3/32s.
Kym
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