Lampworking day #8. On making "fine round beads" and taking beads off the mandrel.

I spent 5 (FIVE) hours today just sitting in front of my computer reading about making beads.  One thing that I saw that I really liked was this tutorial which basically explains why and how to make a "fine round bead".  Also I read a bunch of stuff about mandrel release and decided to fix the problem with my bead release.  I obtained three results when I finally got to torching:

1.  I used the horrible murrini from yesterday to make this bead and ended up with the most awful color bead ever... With a pretty nice shape.  And which came off the mandrel... without much of a struggle!  (please note the keyword *much*)

I snapped these shots in case the bead didn't come off the mandrel, like some of the previous ones. 

Check out the swirls!  I know I shouldn't give this away, but they were totally accidental!  hehehe

(Also snapped these shots in case the bead would break while taking the release out)

Anyway the story with the bead release is that I significantly watered it down accidentally.  Then I tried two things:  I did two of these beads with two coats of the watered down bead release and one of them with only one coat.  This was one with two coats. 

Finished product!  Despite the horrible colors, so proud!  My dad used the word "beautiful"!  :)

2.  Made this bead with the intention of making it with dimples like the previous one, which evidently didn't work out.  I also wanted this bead for a spacer in case I ended up liking the color (I hated the color at first  but now I kind of like it)

(I like watching them change colors as they cool) 

Unfortunately the dimple didn't quite work out and I still haven't been able to take it off the mandrel!  (This was the bead with one coat of bead-release)  :(  Also I think it might crack because there's a suspicious little line in one of the corners. 

3. I made a FINE ROUND BEAD.

I seriously did.  And the dimples are amazing.  But guess what...

Yep!  Totally cracked.  FML.  Even with the previous success with similar bead-release technique... I refuse to take it off the mandrel just yet.  Any chance annealing fixes cracked beads?  According to what I understand it shouldn't... but I wish it diddddd!

Oh and also I attempted taking the murrini beads off their mandrels... with terrible luck. 

 

(please note that in the following parragraph when I say "I" what I really mean is "we")

Well I tried nearly EVERYTHING and I could NOT get them off.  I'm soooo pissed.  I put them in the freezer.  I put them in hot water.  I held the mandrel with pliers.  I held the bead with inner tube.  I did everything but smash it on the countertop.  These beads are still on their respective mandrels.  AUXILIOOOOO!!!