Am I ironing my perler beads wrong, or is it just the iron/beads I’m using??? Any tips for ironing?

jamboscrimblo 1/21/2023 01:45 pm 8366

What the title says. Whenever I make things out of perler beads, I can never get them to look right! Some of the beads look like they are supposed to, but others look just melted rather than fused. Sometimes they warp & get giant holes in the middle, or have weird gaps in between two beads that are next to it other.

Here is an example. Some of the beads look like they melted normally, either having just small holes in the middle or being completely flat, while others got larger holes, warped, melted down further than neighboring beads, etc. I use a mix of newer beads & older beads, which I was worried might be an issue, but I still have these problems when I use only new beads from the same new pack??

I’ve tried multiple things, like ironing directly on the board, doing the tape method, poking holes in the tape, using different heat settings, but I keep getting very similar results every time. The iron model I’m using is Black & Decker Quick N’ East X315. I just now learned you are supposed to put water in it for steam (oops), but I’m not sure if that could be what’s making it look weird because I’ve heard multiple people say not to use steam?? I usually iron on the medium setting used for polyester.

If you have any ideas on why I’m running into issues, please let me know in the comments!! I would very much appreciate it

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Strawberry_BroStrider
Member

Jan 21, 2023 5:22 pm

-you're not supposed to use steam, no! you're not actually ironing out any wrinkles so you don't need it. no clue if this affects anything, but it is unnecessary!

-I have my iron set all the way to "cotton/linen". You're technically supposed to iron perlers on medium heat, but I haven't had any problems with doing it on high except that you have to kinda be on top of checking your beads to make sure they're not over ironed or getting any indents from the iron. You also have to peel the parchment paper off the bead sprite immediately or it will stick to it!

-you should try your best to iron the bead sprite with even pressure. i usually do it in slow, circular motions.

-I tend to iron one side for a lot longer than the other so that one side is more even looking, and so that the beads hold their shape. this helps prevent the warping + expanding of the pattern, and also helps a lot with the uneven-ness!

-poking holes in the tape does help with heat distribution, which can lessen the amount of holes in your patterns, but sometimes it still happens.

-it's also good to keep in mind that some beads will melt slightly different than others, so slight uneven texture is normal and to be expected. especially with transparent beads for some reason.

if it helps, this isn't just a you problem! Ive never been able to iron my pearlers perfectly. a lot of it is just finding what works best for you and your iron i think.

Jayrogue
Member

Jan 21, 2023 5:31 pm

Hii, theres no right or wrong way to iron beads (as far as i know). This has happened to me and i can usually fix it by adjusting heat levels and making sure im ironing everything evenly. If the iron is left in one place for longer than others it will melt more. I also feel like if its hot but u move too quickly it wont properly melt every bead. I would play around with heat levels + how much u move the iron to see what works best for u. Start with a low heat setting + moving ur iron around slower, then adjust heat & pace as needed. Also, if some beads are different shape (shorter or longer) that can cause issues too. Lmk if that helps !!

Betelgeuse
Member

Jan 21, 2023 6:49 pm

looks like your heat may be a bit too high and you may not be ironing them evenly?

garrett
Member

Jan 21, 2023 9:31 pm

i adjust my heat setting to what's best for my iron, and ensure that i'm getting all the beads ironed well. it also makes projects more durable if you iron both sides. i have a 2nd hand 'black+decker easy steam' green iron, and i usually use a 5 heat on anything 25+ beads wide. if it's something small, i use a 4. if it's huge, i may use a 5.5, but every iron is different. and it helps to keep in mind that i work with perler minis, not the standard size. i find minis to be much easier, and they aren't as huge and bulky on earrings/ accessories. i get mine off of amazon, and i believe beadtin carries them as well.

also, just double check that you're ironing the beads for even intervals (each section gets the same time). and try not to lift your iron, lifting your iron while heating can pull up some beads which might be what's making them uneven(?)if you need to check the beads, try moving the iron away from that section slower instead of pulling upwards, not sure if that's an issue for u tho!

good luck! i hope this helped a bit

P1nkGh0st
Member

Jan 23, 2023 2:05 pm

I always put a heavy object on top of my beads IMMEDIATLY after I'm done ironing, on both sides, and wait about a few minutes, take the object off, and then iron the other side, do the same thing. I found that books work for me, like school textbooks lol-

shark_bonez
Member

Jan 24, 2023 11:54 am

what kind of beads do you use? i have a feeling that might make the ironing process different. i normally use perler brand beads, but i've also used beads from hobby lobby (they were a gift, i don't shop there) and i find that those beads have a hard time ironing with other beads. they also look similar to the picture above.

other than the bead type, i'd recommend a medium heat setting on the iron, as well as ironing them evenly. if you let the iron sit for a minute at the desired temp, then iron the beads, the temperature will be more consistent throughout the project.

XxFuN_gH0uLxX
Guest

Jan 24, 2023 12:03 pm

did your perler fall apart at some point while you were ironing?? i've had the same problem with beads melting lower than others and generally being more glossy whenever i have to put chunks back together

punkrockopossum
Member

Jan 24, 2023 12:32 pm

it could be that the beads are different heights, sometimes the machine the cuts the perler tube (tm) isnt very precise and some get very tall and melt very fast and kind of ruin the piece in some cases, it could also be that you leave the iron on a part too long, its easier to do it on a low setting and do slowly move it in circles!!

crazycookiemp3
Member

Jan 24, 2023 1:01 pm

that happens to me sometimes but only on larger pieces... are the beads youre using different brands? if so, that might be why, because not all melty beads are made the same. also, you aren't supposed to use steam(according to my mom), but if it's in your iron it doesn't really matter as long as your steam setting is off

Am I ironing my perler beads wrong, or is it just the iron/beads I’m using??? Any tips for ironing?

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