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We are at the stage where I will dip the steel rod into the bead release. And, it is very
simple. Just go straight in and pull straight out. And, voila! Now, we set it into a can.
In this can over here I have sand and it acts as a support for the mandrel and keeps them
spaced. You do not want them to touch each other. Let us do it again. Straight in and
go right on into the can again with the sand in the can so the bead mandrels do not touch
each other while they are wet. Mandrels are different sizes. This last one was very thick.
This one is one-eighth inch. This one here is medium-thick, five-thirty seconds. But,
these correspond to diameters of steel rod for welding that are available at welding
supply houses. Stainless steel rod. And, this is known as bead release. It comes in different
formulations. Different people make them and put them out. This one is a brand new one
called Dirty Louie's made my Louis Wilson or using his name. He is a great pioneer in
the lampwork glass movement, flamework glass movement. There is other companies that make
a good product. This is an old standby known as Sludge and Sludge Plus, available through
Arrow Springs. France Art Glass that I previously mentioned has a Bucket O' Mud, proprietary
bead release product. There is another company called Fusion Products FPI. They make a bead
separator. And, most of these bead releases today on the market are bead releases where
you dip your mandrel and then you can flame dry the bead release on the mandrel. What
the bead release does is it acts as a barrier. Once you are melting the glass it acts as
a barrier so that the glass does not stick to the steel rod, but actually sticks to the
bead release and then can come off easily in water once the bead is back down to room
temperature.