Stupid question about a silver chain for beads...

[lynn's lampwork]

I KNOW this is a stupid question and this probably only exists in my pea brain because I know NOTHING about jewelry making, but....I want to wear a couple of my small beads, with ss bead caps on a silver chain. Is there such a thing as a chain that I can take the ring off the end of the chain so the beads and bead caps can slide on? AARRRGGG....I feel so dumb and embarrased even writing this OR...I guess I can use a larger mandrel for my beads, but do they have small bead caps with larger center holes?



Thanks for listening!!!
~Lynn

[lynn's lampwork]

I found it!!! EXACTLY what I was looking for:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=018

I'm so excited!!
~Lynn

[gayle janczarek]

Lynn, you can purchase a small sterling chain that has a small almost flat end that bead and silver spacers will slide right over. I have found them at Meijers, Walmart, TJMaxx. I keep a loose bead in my pocket that I can try on the chain before purchasing. Local bead shops will also have chains. gayle

[ez2remember]

Originally Posted by lynn's lampwork

I found it!!! EXACTLY what I was looking for:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=018

I'm so excited!!
~Lynn

Hi Lynn,

Once those are crimped on, they are not really meant to be removed....

edz

[lynn's lampwork]

Thank you to you both! I have a few silver chains that I don't use and I thought I would devote a couple of them to just my beads. I thought I should start wearing some of my beads, well, I WANT to wear some of my beads and I thought it was a good way to do it...it's sad that I don't "promote" my own stuff, isn't it!?

I appreciate your responses!!! Thanks again~
~Lynn

[LoriBird]

Originally Posted by lynn's lampwork

Thank you to you both! I have a few silver chains that I don't use and I thought I would devote a couple of them to just my beads. I thought I should start wearing some of my beads, well, I WANT to wear some of my beads and I thought it was a good way to do it...it's sad that I don't "promote" my own stuff, isn't it!?

I appreciate your responses!!! Thanks again~
~Lynn

LOL I'm bad about wearing my own stuff too... I like wearing OPB's
(other people's beads) but then people always ask if I made them then I have to go into the schpeel about no, but a friend did...blah blah...lol

[Listenup]

I believe what you're looking for is called an Add-A-Bead Necklace. Here is a place that has the gold ones, but not the silver:
http://www.glitzetal.com/prodinfo.as...0%20%20%20GOLD

Aha, I finally found a place online that has the silver, but they're more expensive on this site:
http://www.rubbernation.com/servlet/...i-beads/Detail

It has a really cool closure. Let me see if I can find a pix of it.......OK, I couldn't find one so I got mine out to scan for you and it's also called a Slide-A-Bead chain. Here is an e-bay listing for some:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=170158193059

I got mine at Hobby Lobby.

[Emily]

Lynn -- what size mandrel do you use? If you use 1/16, it's going to be difficult. The chains that Gayle is talking about are probably the silver snake chains. They'll work with a 3/32 hole, but probably not with anything much smaller. This is the kind of end you're looking for if you want that kind of chain. If you buy a silver snake chain by mail, always make sure you see a picture of both ends, because the clasps differ. Some have a round ring instead of the little squashed one like this, and you can't get a bead over it. (This picture is swiped from eBay, from a seller called selectlinesinternational. I've bought from them in the past and haven't had a problem.)



If your beads have smaller holes, I guess you could get a chain that has an unsoldered jump ring at the end, and take the ring off to get the beads on. Eventually, though, the jump ring would break from repeatedly being manipulated from being taken on and off, but you could always replace it. You'd just have to be careful to get the jump ring closed carefully when you put it back on, so the end of the chain doesn't slip through the spot where the jump ring closes.

There are also a bunch of different add-a-bead/interchangeable bead-type pendant and jewelry findings on the market now that you can slide over a chain. I don't know if there are any for 1/16 holes, but I've been told that Beth Williams' version (I don't know whether she makes it, or sells it, or designed it, or whatever) will fit beads that are made on a 5/64 mandrel, so that's a little smaller. Mary McDuck has quite a variety. According to the website, some of the styles will fit a 1/16 mandrel, but for some of the other styles, I can't tell. You could always shoot her an e-mail if you see something you like. She's at http://www.mcduckcreations.com/index.html.

[Teague]

Omega Chains usually have a fairly small end, I have one that I wear all the time with different beads. A little spendy, but very elegant. They look a bit like snake chains, but they're stiffer, they hold a nice round shape.

TEague