Mandrels

[wendy j]

Hi all,  do mandrels have to be stainless steel?   Hubby works with metal and can get me some things, so I was just wondering if there is a reason behind using stainless steel mandrels.
Thanks
Wendy J

[Kaz]

I am utterly convinced that when I heard Martin demo'ing on Sunday that he said that they could be made out of anything, including wood, as long as they were covered in bead release but stainless steel was used because it was re-usable - presumably he was having a larf
Other than that I have no idea
Kazx

[Pat from Canvey]

Other metals conduct heat more readily but I have used hollow brass tubing to make hollow beads, just because I found some at a local DIY store. I just made the tubes a bit longer so that the heat didn't reach my fingers at the end of the tube until I was finished. I've also bought stainless rod at 6mm to make some very large holed beads.