mixing 2 kinds of bead release?

maren · #1 2010-02-21, 2:52pm

Another newbie question:

I have Hotline Ruby Slipper (15905) which came with my hothead kit when I bought it, and it's about 2/3 gone now. I don't particularly like it because I have never been able to get a bead of a mandrel without other tools unless I double dip. Last year when my local glass store closed I bough some Hotline 1591. As the Ruby Slipper is going on empty, can I mix some of the other bead release in, adding more as the smaller jar is getting emptier?

Another question: can you re-use used bead release and/or buy bead release in powder form (other than Alice's, which, from what I read on her website, isn't really bead release)?

Moth · #2 2010-02-21, 7:18pm

I mix fusion and foster fire about half and half to get what I consider my perfect mix. Real thin.

~~Mary

zen-mom · #3 2010-02-21, 7:23pm

I mix Fusion and Alice's and I know a few people who do the same, as well as a few people who just use Alice's... I could never get it to mix right so that's how I started mixing it with the Fusion.

maren · #4 2010-02-21, 7:52pm

Thank you both, Mary and Donna. I think I'll use up what I have, probably mixing it together, and then switch to something different. I like the idea that I can get Alice's as powder (more bead release for the same shipping cost).

Thanks!
(though, at the moment my bead release may be too thin - or I really had to clean my mandrels, I'll see)

mini · #5 2010-02-21, 9:00pm

I hated both my bead releases so I took a bit of both of them & mixed them together. I keep them separate until I need more. I prefer the mixed version. It's foster fire & something random.

tammydownunder · #6 2010-02-21, 10:13pm

I've been blending for years. I started with the Hot Line but had a lot of trouble with it breaking mid bead -especially when I used a press. Then I got Purple Piffle which was so strong, I couldn't get the beads off the mandrel. In a moment of frustration, I mixed the two together and came up with a strong yet releasable mixture. Moved on to Foster Fire which I had great luck and I went to order more but one of my favorite vendors, sent me a free bottle of Fusion. Again, had some trouble so I mixed it with the remains of my Hot line/purple piffle blend and now, who knows what I'm using but the beads can take a fair amount of abuse.

maren · #7 2010-02-21, 10:28pm

Tammy, thank you, that sounds very encouraging. I think I may use the "new" Hotline stuff next to see if it works for me - and mix the two eventually. Shipping cost to here being what shipping cost to here are (I know yours are worse, but it's bad enough to here unless you can get USPS priority mail flat rate) throwing out bead release sounds wasteful.

Kym · #8 2010-02-21, 11:57pm

I am like Tammy. I mix this with that to fill the bottle. It seems to work out. I use foster fire in nearly everything though....but I found blue sludge on its own pretty good too.

maren · #9 2010-02-22, 2:46am

Thanks Kym, I don't have either, but I'll just use what I have to fill the bottle (as far as as I want to fill it). Right now the Ruby Slipper isn't just a problem in and of itself, but also getting low.

SadiesJewels · #10 2010-02-22, 10:14pm

I currently use Fusion mixed with Foster Fire (Boro version) and this seems about perfect for me for all uses ... however when I first started making beads I mixed Blue sludge with something (wish I could remember) and got a rock solid can't get it off the marver type release (that did not release)! So ... before mixing pints of it you might want to give it a short test!

maren · #11 2010-02-23, 3:36pm

Thanks for the heads up on that.

I don't currently have a pint of more than one bead release