Bead forming
- Thread starter Daven
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Bodrighy
Established Member
Must admit I use a skew for things like this. Actual wooden beads are so cheap to buythat I haven't considered making them. I would imaging that the tool you are looking at would basically be a scraper so it would depend on what wood you are using as the the result you get.
Pete
Pete
Thanks Pete will point wifey at the website - I have a lot of odds and ends of some nice wood so thought it would be a good way of using it up. We have looked at the beads that are available and agree it is not cost effective but it is always nicer to be able to say we also made the beads.
Having been made redundent last month time is not too much of an issue at present and these little jobs help fill the day.
I was also hoping the tool would come in handy for normal beading as well?
Dave
Having been made redundent last month time is not too much of an issue at present and these little jobs help fill the day.
I was also hoping the tool would come in handy for normal beading as well?
Dave
CHJ
Established Member
As Pete says the tool is basically a concave scraper, used in spindle mode it will work quite well on close grained wood but remember that for a jewelry bead it has to cut (part-off) right down to the central thread hole diameter.
Not always possible due to the weak nature of the wood on the last third or so.
OK for forming beads in spindle mode on a larger diameter, will tend to tear grain somewhat on any gross grain.
Not always possible due to the weak nature of the wood on the last third or so.
OK for forming beads in spindle mode on a larger diameter, will tend to tear grain somewhat on any gross grain.
Bodrighy
Established Member
I find that using a skew to make beads you can get a really good curve and as you are slicing the grain it is a lovely finish. If you are careful, using a curved skew you can also do coves as well. Use the short end of the angle more than the long one then you can see what s happenning
Pete
Pete
John. B
Established Member
Unless you make square beads with rounded corners it will be much quicker and probably a bit cheaper to buy them.
If you want make other types of jewelry, here's a few examples that I made some time ago.
Earrings, some matching brooches, and a pendant.
Sapele, African blackwood box, Ovangol, and Sycamore
John. B
If you want make other types of jewelry, here's a few examples that I made some time ago.
Earrings, some matching brooches, and a pendant.
Sapele, African blackwood box, Ovangol, and Sycamore
John. B
Richard Findley
Established Member
Hi guys,
Just to add my bit to this, I have an Ashley Isles Beading tool which is a handy bit of kit, and I think (correct me if I'm wrong) has a better cutting/scraping action than the one in the link so should leave a better finish. Unfortunatly I can't find a picture of one at the moment but I believe it to be a better tool.
I use it for a regular job I have for some beaded finials:
As you can imagine it speeds the job up a bit!! :wink:
The key to using the tool is to cut most of the bead EXEPT for the very top as this can often break out. The tiny flat that is left is easily sandable.
The other option is the old tube/pipe trick, to use a length of metal tube as a scraper to cut balls. This is easier to demonstrate than to describe...
Cheers,
Richard
Just to add my bit to this, I have an Ashley Isles Beading tool which is a handy bit of kit, and I think (correct me if I'm wrong) has a better cutting/scraping action than the one in the link so should leave a better finish. Unfortunatly I can't find a picture of one at the moment but I believe it to be a better tool.
I use it for a regular job I have for some beaded finials:
As you can imagine it speeds the job up a bit!! :wink:
The key to using the tool is to cut most of the bead EXEPT for the very top as this can often break out. The tiny flat that is left is easily sandable.
The other option is the old tube/pipe trick, to use a length of metal tube as a scraper to cut balls. This is easier to demonstrate than to describe...
Cheers,
Richard
Richard Findley
Established Member
Found a picture!!!
And in action:
HTH
Richard
And in action:
HTH
Richard
CHJ
Established Member
Well Richard you've convinced me to try one, if I can manage to get anything like the consistancy of your results and those demonstrated by Mark I'll be happy, certainly looks as though it gives a cleaner cut.
You could make something like it just by grinding a gouge with a bevel staight back from the top of the flute and using it upside down. I made one out of square stuff using a Dremel - you only need a very short flute. I use it a lot for beading but remember it only cuts one size and depends very much on the wood to give a reasonable finish. Fine for repetition, but not a substitute for proper hand turning.
BMac
Established Member
Wizer,
Try this link, took a bit of hunting but I think this is them
http://www.turningtools.co.uk/shop2/tur ... g_hss.html
Brendan
Try this link, took a bit of hunting but I think this is them
http://www.turningtools.co.uk/shop2/tur ... g_hss.html
Brendan
Richard Findley
Established Member
Blimey! I should be on commission!!! (Which I'm not by the way )
Tom, give Ashley Isles a ring direct. Their website is a bit rubbish but their service is pretty good!!
The tool does give a good finish. The finals I make are in Beech but as with all of these scraping tools the denser the wood the better the finish!!
Dave- the pipe method works well on balls upto about 35mm. Deffinatly worth a go!!
Cheers,
Richard
)Tom, give Ashley Isles a ring direct. Their website is a bit rubbish but their service is pretty good!!
The tool does give a good finish. The finals I make are in Beech but as with all of these scraping tools the denser the wood the better the finish!!
Dave- the pipe method works well on balls upto about 35mm. Deffinatly worth a go!!
Cheers,
Richard
jpt
Established Member
Turning beads can be fun and work out quite cheap to make and use up all those little offcuts. I have a regular order from a lady who makes hand made jewelry.
This is a sample
The way I make them is to cut the wood to size then drill a 3.5mm hole through them and use an Ian Wilkes light pull drive and mount them between centres to turn. I use a Sorby multi tip hollowing tool with the 5/8" bead cutter to turn them then sand and finish with melamine laquer.
Using the same method I also make long beads.
They cost her more than those commercially available but she likes the different woods.
john
This is a sample
The way I make them is to cut the wood to size then drill a 3.5mm hole through them and use an Ian Wilkes light pull drive and mount them between centres to turn. I use a Sorby multi tip hollowing tool with the 5/8" bead cutter to turn them then sand and finish with melamine laquer.
Using the same method I also make long beads.
They cost her more than those commercially available but she likes the different woods.
john
stevebuk
Established Member
hi tom
if you do as richard says and ring them, tony is very accommodating and will make you one to order, i recently had him make me a skewchi chisel, its brilliant.
if you do as richard says and ring them, tony is very accommodating and will make you one to order, i recently had him make me a skewchi chisel, its brilliant.
Lightweeder
Established Member
Richard Findley":10a8as6r said:
I find turning spheres very difficult - something like this might work, so thanks from me
LW
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