Ribbon Mandrel - Directions

Think Safety:

Be proactive about safety. Take classes, do research, and talk with experts. Actively work to identify, and then reduce or eliminate hazards. You are responsible for your own safety and long term health.
Always use the correct filtered glasses to protect your eyes.
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
Always work with proper ventilation. Talk with an expert about your situation.
Set up and operate your torch system safely. Take a class or get an expert to show you.
Keep your workspace clean and organized. Set up your tools and glass so you don't need to reach over or around the torch.
Be careful with water. Putting hot tools or glass in water can generate steam. Long tubes can create jets of steam.
Watch out for repetitive strain injury (RSI). Take breaks, watch your posture, and cushion your elbow rests.
Always remove and clean your beads while wet to minimize bead release dust in the air.

Ribbon Mandrel Safety:

With the ribbon mandrel it is unlikely, but possible to get small jets of steam when quenching in water. Be careful.

Preparation:

Inspect the mandrel and wiggle the tubing to check the weld. In the unlikely event of a lose weld, do not use the mandrel and contact Inspiration Toolworks for a replacement.
Dip in your favorite bead release and dry.
If you have trouble keeping the bead release from cracking, you may want to try air drying instead of flame drying.

Bead Construction:

Build a bead in the normal manner. You will need to be a bit more careful than normal to build it evenly, as you can't just "melt it round". A marver is very useful with this mandrel.
Make sure not to make the bead on the "squished" part of the mandrel. You may not be able to remove your bead.
When finished, place the whole thing in the kiln for annealing.

Bead Removal:

Bead Stringing: