Quick Change Button 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.

• If you want to change the number of holes, follow these steps.
• Loosen two screws on diagonal corners. Do not remove the screws.
• Pull the un-needed tines out.
• If you want two tines, make sure they are on the diagonal.
• If you want four tines again, slide the extra two tines back in and tighten the set screws.
• Insert the screws and tighten with *slight* hand pressure.

• Check that the rods are fairly straight and spaced out in a square If not, straighten them out with your fingers or pliers.
• Dip in your favorite bead release and dry. Do not dip the brass part!
• If the bead release fills the gap in the center of the mandrels try any of the following:
  • Thinner bead release
  • Pulling it out of the release slowly.
  • Flicking the handle with your finger.
• Make four stringers from the same glass as your base color.

• You will have to experiment to see what works best for you. I wrap one layer of glass around the mandrels, making a hollow square. Make sure to lay the wrap on perpendicular to the mandrels.
• Get one side glowing hot and use the cold stringer to push the glass between the mandrels. Do this on all four sides in turn.
• Check that the middle of the mandrels as been filled by looking down between the mandrels. If not, use more stringer to push the glass inside.
• When finished, place the whole thing in the kiln for annealing.

• Remove with a straight pull or slight back and forth twisting motion. Don't try to twist the button off as with a single mandrel.
• If the bead does not want to come off, loosen all the set screws and pull the button and the tines from the brass block.
• Using pliers, gently twist each tine to free it and remove it from the button.

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