I'll throw my two cents in here as far as etching the glass goes....
1. No and yes (sorry to disagree, HWC
) I have a single barrel tumbler with three barrels. One for shot, two for different grits abrasive
2. No sand here. One barrel has 600 grit Silicon Carbide, the other 1000 grit SC. My personal preference for etched glass is the 1000.
3. Time varies (don't you hate answers like this?
) It depends on the type of glass being etched and what end look I want.
4. I have a Lortone (ok, so I am cheap....or is that frugal?
). If you decide to go with one of them, you can check out Kingsley North for units and replacement parts.
Are you planning on etching your beads first, coring, and then polishing the metal?