Hi
Pete, re the beading tool I used. It was actually a Sorby fluted parting tool I bought at a flea market years ago for a couple of quid.
Fluted parting tool Go down the page a bit, the one I used is the left hand one. Makes a bead of about 4mm, but if you move it gently side to side while cutting it will make a bead of half that size. Once one bead is done just push in again with one tip at the side of the previous bead. No measuring, and very little tidying up if your careful.
I have made them before from mild steel just using files. The edge don't last long but it was only for a one off. The way to make them to last, is to either use pieces of HSS strip (Ashley Ilse) or old carbon steel firmer chisels. Mark out the half circle needed at the end, and use a angle grinder to gently grind it to shape. The thinner the wheel the smaller the bead that can be made. Grind the sides to almost points for the valleys either side, and finish off with a shaped oil stone. When you stone the end make it slope back as you would with a scraper edge, and oil stone the top edge. To sharpen later just rub the top edge over the oil stone.
Or the easiest way is to buy them, but there ain't no fun in that :wink:
If you ain't got a angle grinder, you can buy small grinding wheels that fit into a normal electric drill, that would probably do the job as well. Your mini drill would do the job, just take a bit longer is all, and you don't want the cutout too big normally, you tend not to use big beads that often..
