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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips

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  #1  
Old 2015-05-13, 3:25pm
5betsy 5betsy is offline
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Default how do people sort beads by size?

By eye?
With a tool?

I often spend time sorting by eye using a mandrel. I start by going from largest to smallest and then using the biggest as the center of a graduated string by removing them from the mandrel and putting them on either side of the biggest bead, alternating sides as I go.

Anyone got a better method?
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  #2  
Old 2015-05-13, 5:54pm
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Looks like you have a handle on it.

Other ideas that jump to mind would be two straight edges in parallel, well one would wind up canted once the sorting starts.

The other idea is calipers but I would be using them more when the glass was still hot before it went into the kiln to know if I needed to add more glass to approach uniformity while attempting to make sets.

They use two almost parallel rods and roll things on top until they drop down in industrial sorting. Might be the quickest way to get rough sizing out of the way in a hurry for larger quantities.
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  #3  
Old 2015-05-13, 7:12pm
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artwhim artwhim is offline
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I do it like you do. I've tried using a digital caliper, but by eye seems to be faster for me.
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Old 2015-05-13, 7:57pm
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Betsy, I do it exactly as you described, but I use metal calipers while I'm making beads like Phill suggested, if I really want exactly matching sizes. I've also made marks on my graphite marver that I can hold a hot bead up to if I'm doing a series of the same size so I can get the length correct before I start decorating.
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  #5  
Old 2015-05-13, 8:48pm
rjohn7 rjohn7 is offline
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I use this:

http://www.riogrande.com/Product/Sto...t/113120?Pos=3

these are good for larger beads:

http://www.riogrande.com/Product/Acr...e/113116?Pos=4
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  #6  
Old 2015-05-13, 9:42pm
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I have seen some videos with one inch grids chalked on the workbench below the torch flame to use as a visual reference.



ETA: Oh Robert, I like that last set. Fits my budget but if I were doing production work the metal ones in first set would be a wise investment.
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Last edited by Speedslug; 2015-05-13 at 9:46pm.
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  #7  
Old 2015-05-13, 10:05pm
5betsy 5betsy is offline
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It's nice to hear I'm not alone in my sorting process.

And those graduated discs - I'll be saving my pennies.

My original dream tool is a flat piece of wood that has a graduated channel carved into it with ruler marks on it too.
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  #8  
Old 2015-05-14, 2:02am
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CheriB CheriB is offline
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Eyeballing them on a mandrel like you do is the fastest and easiest method for me, although I misjudge them sometimes because the heated ones look bigger than the cooler ones. After they come out of the kiln, digital calipers show that some I was not sure about are only a millimeter apart. That is usually close enough for me.
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Old 2015-05-14, 2:06am
Alaska Alaska is offline
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Sounds like you are sorting beads after they are made. On this end use a digital caliper and list on the website each bead as to OD, hole size and thickness. One could also make a simple go no-go gauge for sizing.

Also when making beads, the donut beadroller by cg beads works well for gauging size as the bead is being made. And could be used after the fact also if so desired.
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