If you want to know more about cores generally I did cover this in last year's A to Z, however this is about how I core my own beads as part of My Glass Beadmaking Journey.
I know that a lot of people prefer a 1 piece core that is manually folded over at the ends to make the bead core. So I set out to learn how to do this!
When I started doing these I had quite a high failure rate; several cores split and I even had 2 beads split by tightening the core too much.
Luckily I've improved my technique a lot since then which means I don't waste so many beads and too much silver!
I start with a tube that I cut down to size to fit each individual bead, I use a tube cutter, a deburring tool (top left) and a file to make the ends smooth. I practiced a lot with brass and copper tubing (bottom left) after realising it wasn't as easy as it looked on YouTube!
I now use Argentium Silver 960, which you can read more about here. This is a very pure silver and my supplier anneals this (makes it soft) for me so I don't have to, the metal needs to be softer to start with or it won't bend in the right way. You can see that you need a lot more tube to start with than the width of the bead (top right).
I then use a tool which slowly starts to fold the tube over itself to form a lip, you do this very slowly, bit by bit, turning the bead over and over so that what you do to one side, you've done to the other until you have a finished bead with a core! Ta-daa!
What new skill have you had to learn recently?
Beautiful beads, do u make them
ReplyDeletehttp://jindalpackers.com/blog/cold-chain-supply/
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Hiya, yes I do these ones are all mine :)
DeleteMars xx
You must have a lot more delicate touch than me, if I tried that there would be fractured glass everywhere!
ReplyDeleteDo you have to get your beads hallmarked since you're using silver?
As for a new skill I've learned recently, this is very boring, I have been learning VBA to use in an excel spreadsheet I'm developing to track word counts in my writing. I've programmed in many languages from BBC Basic to Java and PHP, but I had never turned my hand to the weird world of macros before - they have their own unique 'charm' and by charm, I mean headaches! ;P
Sophie
Sophie's Thoughts & Fumbles | Wittegen Press | FB3X
I don't hallmark the cores, I don't need to as the weight of the silver is under the limit where you have to (7.78gr) it would be a nightmare if I had to hallmark! The weight limits for other metals is much smaller.
DeleteI've only fractured 2 beads so far, but I have split quite a lot of silver cores, I do need to get myself a jeweller's saw at some point so I can recover the silver and some of the beads!
I don't envy you your new skill, it sounds rather painful!
Mars xx
That looks hard! Hmmm ... new skill ... I've been learning about new various ways to market ebooks at their launch. Last one I used seemed to work too. Now I need to learn how to keep it going. :)
ReplyDeleteTasha
Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)
Yeah I was worried about having to anneal the silver tube but was lucky enough to find a supplier who would partially anneal it for me. It's not splitting the cores that I've really had to work much harder at.
DeleteMarketing is something I'm feeling my way with, learing all the time!
Mars xx
Wow, Mars... That does look hard. You must have surgeon hands! I'm enjoying your posts... learning something completely new :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the visit over at Life In Dogs on Saturday!
Thanks Guilie, I used to glue in two end pieces when I started, but there is something much more satisifying to manually finish a core like this - it just takes practice to not destroy your work ;)
DeleteMars xx
wow! Did not realize there was such a thing as coring.
ReplyDeleteIt helps to protect the silver bracelet from the harder glass, it also makes a neat finish on the beads - not every beadmaker does this and I have beads that are uncored, but those beadmakers are better at beadmaking and making lovely need glass sides to their beads ;)
DeleteMars xx
Really interesting as I didn't know how it was done.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to work out how to use my new phone, argghhhh!!!
xoxo
Ooh feel your pain, I have a new work phone and tablet that are both Windows 8 based and this is the first time I've used that system so it's taken a bit of getting used to.
DeleteI thought this would make for an interesting C, as quite a few bead lovers have seen a bead be made, or at least a video of one being made, but you don't usually see anything about the coring side of things... they just magically appear ;)
Mars xx
What you do is so interesting! You are right, there is something new to be learned every day with the A to Z Challenge. Yes, this year is my first and so far so fun! Cheerio!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Enjoy your first year, and I'm definitely going to try Roasted Chestnuts next time I see some!
DeleteMars xx
Wow, that looks way more complicated than I imagined... O.o But the result is very pretty!
ReplyDelete@TarkabarkaHolgy from
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MopDog
Well I'd shown the "naked" picture of that last bead for B, so figured I should show it in all it's cored glory!
DeleteMars xx
I just hadn't realised what was involved in creating the core - in fact I don't think I really noticed this piece of the bead - but boy I would have done if it was missing - one of those strange things really. Absolutely beautiful beads that you've created - you must feel really proud of your new skill :) I've recently become a Nordic Walking instructor - so that's my new skill!
ReplyDeletePempi
A Stormy’s Sidekick
Special Teaching at Pempi’s Palace
Ooh just had to look up Nordic Walking as I'd never heard of it before, looks interesting!
DeleteYes I am proud, like most people who create something I tend to focus on the bits that didn't work out or the flaws, or my mistakes, but I'm learning to look at a pretty bead, and go, hell yes, I made that, that's cool! I do get an immense satisfaction by finishing a bead with a manual 1 piece core, in a way that didn't quite happen when I was gluing in 2 end pieces to finish a bead. Although that's been good for me as I've learnt to love 2 piece cores whereas I was a bit reluctant before.
Do you take groups out as an instructor or is it more 1-1 teaching you do?
Mars xx
It's interesting how much longer the core has to be to get it to the right length in the end - definitely not something that I would have guessed!
ReplyDeleteHmm, new skills ... I don't know that I've learned any new skills lately. Although I am till trying to master taking pictures with my light tent :D
Tracy (Black Boots, Long Legs)
Yes, I thought that photo of the beads sat with their cores cut was an interesting one, it's not the best photo as it was a quick snap I took to show some friends, but it does illustrate that you use quite a bit more silver than you'd think! For me, even when the core is finished, and I cut the length of tubing, I wouldn't have guessed how much silver there was!
DeleteI'm loving my phone/photo cloud dome for jewellery pics, I only get the tent out now for bigger pieces as the dome is only really for a few beads at a time... it's made taking photos so much quicker!
Looking forward to your first copper bead, but obviously take your time :)
Mars xx
Wow I haven't a clue at all about glass bead making except that it sure is pretty! It does also sound quite tricky!
ReplyDeleteSharlene (http://olduvaireads@gmail.WordPress.com)
It's something I never knew about until I started to buy Trollbeads and then got curious as to how they were made, then one thing led to another!
DeleteMars xx
P.s. Still craving Chicken Rice!
Such intricate work! It's interesting to learn how beads are made. Sadly, I'm not good with my hands, except for typing on a keyboard. :)
ReplyDeleteNow that's a skill in itself! So glad I learned to touch type as a teenager on a typewriter, makes life so much easier when blogging!
DeleteMars xx