Pulling beads

When I learned to make beads, I was taught to pull them holding the mandrel with pair of pliers.

But this is much easier on the wrists.

A good quality vice, mounted on a sturdy table that is attached to the wall. 

• open the vice, 
• clamp the mandrel, close to the bead
• twist the bead off
• release the mandrel and repeat

The bead release ends up falling on the floor, and is easy to sweep up, but you could set up so there is a pan to catch the bits.

If you are pulling beads that might break or have rough edges, I suggest holding them with a cloth.

You can soak the beads in water if you want to keep the dust down. It might help lubricate stuck beads, but improving your technique and buying good bead release will probably help more.


Cheers!

Comparison: Double Helix Lotis vs Effetre Veiled Rubino

Effetre Veiled Rubino is a light version of Rubino, made lighter by mixing clear into the rod - you can see it if you look down the end of the rod. (Actually Rubino has a clear core too, as it is so dense, it does not show well by itself. Which is why, if you are trying to be frugal, and doing tiny little dots pulled from the center of the rod - they come out clear and won't strike, because you are pulling out clear glass. Anyhoo ... )

Comparing the colours of Double Helix's Lotis (a light version of Rhea) and Effetre's Veiled Rubino (a light version of Rubino) ... the Lotis is on the left - over dichro, with some clear in a dots (mostly to fill in the shape). Veiled Rubino is on the right, self-coloured spacers and a cube over dichro. The Lotis is lighter and pinker, the Rubino is more ruby and smidge more raspberry.

Both are pretty. Just different.