Optical Grade Bead Polish - The Fast-Cutting, High-Gloss HOLEY GRAIL of Transparents
Lampworking techniques vary just as much as our creations. This can lead to inner bead-hole surfaces that detract from the appreciation (and value!) of an otherwise beautiful transparent art piece. We’ve fought this problem forever.
ZAPPZ! Optical Grade Bead Polish ensures crystal-clear transparent bead holes time after time, even under the most demanding conditions. And unlike the other “fixes” we’ve all tried, ZAPPZ! results are fast, permanent and flat-out amazing. Simply put, the inside of your bead will be just as invisibly clear and glossy as the outside, and will look wet when perfectly dry. FOREVER..!
What it takes to get there depends on where you’re starting from. If you use ZippZ! Bead Release, you’ll get there faster than most. Simply dunk/soak and clean the bead as usual (stiff pipe cleaner or brush with soap, ~15 seconds). Other releases can be removed using the “fast-cut polishing” procedure which means that you need to use a mandrel and heavier hand pressure, but results will vary with the grittiness of the release.
One obvious note, ALWAYS ANNEAL BEADS BEFORE GRINDING OR POLISHING unless you’re trying to make cabochons. Also, ALWAYS WEAR EYE PROTECTION while grinding or polishing glass, for obvious reasons.
“Fast-Cut Hand Polish”
Pre-moisten the bead (in your off-hand), dip a dry, smooth mandrel (same size used to make the bead) into ZAPPZ!, then run it back and forth through the hole while rolling the bead and applying pressure with the mandrel to scrub all sides of the hole. Rinse, re-dip, flip the bead end-for-end, and repeat. Do this near a bowl or trickle to add moisture as needed, but not underwater. Heavier pressure at first to cut faster, then let up to polish smoother. You’ll know when you’re done because the “scratchiness” will smooth out. Then just suds up well with a *clean* pipe cleaner and rinse.
“High-Gloss Polishing”
The objective here is to find and use an applicator that fits what you’re trying to polish, and let the polish and applicator do all the work. A Dremel is my tool of choice when seeking high gloss, because it’s such an excellent polishing tool and has many felt applicator choices that work for exterior surfaces and large-mandrel bead holes. For standard-size bead holes, my tool of choice (so far) is a long-shank nylon-bristle pipe brush available from most tobacco shops and just about everywhere on the net. I clip it off so the bristles start just beyond the locknut on the dremel, and then nip off the part of the twisted-wire tip that extends beyond the bristles. These brushes will NOT fit into 1/16” mandrel holes when new, but will after you get them worn down a bit. These little guys also do a great job of holding polish and pumping it through the bead as the dremel runs (again, NOT OVER 30% SPEED, and ONLY while the bead is held firmly in place on the brush.) Two 30-second polishes, one from each side and with a fresh dip of polish for each, is all it takes. Then just add a dollop of hand/dish soap to the brush & bead, suds up and rinse well, and you’ll have a forever-wet-looking bead!
