Lampworking - Lessons Learned

When I first started lampworking making glass beads, I watched videos on the internet to see how to do it. It looked easy, so off I went - working in the spare bedroom with a beginner glass package, a small torch, and a little bottle of propane (and a fire extinguisher by my side.) My first major problem was with the beads sticking so hard to the steel mandrel that I could not get them off. I tried every suggestion that I could find - to no avail. Finally I got them off by smashing them with a hammer, so I have a lot of frit to use now in other projects. It turned out, after so much failure, that the problem was not with my technique as I suspected, but it was the beginner kit bead release. Lesson learned: buy a good bead release; don't use the one in the beginner kit. I love the Dip and Go Blue Sludge (despite the name.)