How do I get stubborn beads off? ..and other questions!

[theflyingbedstead]

I have tried Sally's recommendation of using Cillit Bang Lime & Grime...it works a treat.

[Dreams of Glass]

small vice (from the pound shop) and a microfibre cloth for grippiness!!! after soaking for about 10 mins I twist the bead gently back and forth until I feel it give and then pull upwards, if that fails a hammer on the wall outside does the trick ( only used so far to rescue keys where i haven't even used bead release)... good luck

[kerensky]

I have not really had too much of a problem with this - perhaps only 3 beads stuck in a little over a year of beading, with Fusion that is...

But recently I bought some "Dirty Louie" from Martin and this seems to have caused me no end of problems in terms of bending my mandrels trying to release the beads after firing. The thicker mandrels are fine but all of my fine mandrels are nearly fit for the bin, bent at both ends trying to get the beads off.  I have tried dipping the night before with this release ( that makes it worse), dipping on the day - slightly better but not as good as fusion, and finally -  mixing the release with some fusion lurking at the bottom of the old pot - better,  but I wouldn't buy it again. I have watered it down too - to the correct consistency, but clearly it is just more difficult to work with.

I am going to order some more fusion from Martin soon because otherwise it is going to cost me a fortune in replacement mandrels......Does anyone on here use this release, with any success that is? Perhaps it's me :-(

[Linz]

I've read about the same problems you're having with Dirty Louie. I decided as I was pretty much alone in struggling with Fusion, I'd give it another go as it was more likely to be me causing the problem (think I'd watered it down too many times!  ) Since I bought the new Fusion (it's over half empty now!  ) and finding an old vice that was hiding in the garage, I've not had a single bead stick since!! Sorry that doesn't help with your issues, but I know you're definitely not alone! 

[Magpie]

If you truly can't get them off and want to sacrifice the beads to reuse the mandrels, instead of sticking them in the flame to make them explode, warm them up in the kiln (or hot oven) then shatter them by sticking them in cold water, a bit safer. Watch which mandrels they are though, I had a bunch of mandrels and just about every bead stuck, since I wheedled the dodgy ones out I've not had any problems.