Announcing the XPress Bead Liner from Art in the Round - Page 32

Lyssa · #**931** 2012-05-16, 1:20pm

I love my Impress Bead Liner. Need to take pictures, especially of the silver cored ones. Has anyone noticed how much nicer (how even and you get less splitting) the silver comes out as opposed to the copper, aluminum and brass? My hubby says that's what makes silver a "precious" metal, cause it's so easy to work. Almost makes me want to core all my BHB beads with silver, but then I wouldn't be able to afford groceries. :^)

Glasstastic Treasures · #**932** 2012-05-16, 4:36pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lyssa

I love my Impress Bead Liner. Need to take pictures, especially of the silver cored ones. Has anyone noticed how much nicer (how even and you get less splitting) the silver comes out as opposed to the copper, aluminum and brass? My hubby says that's what makes silver a "precious" metal, cause it's so easy to work. Almost makes me want to core all my BHB beads with silver, but then I wouldn't be able to afford groceries. :^)

I believe you can anneal the other metals and see if that helps stop them from splitting. I do that with my copper. But someone with more experience will know more.

alb6094 · #**933** 2012-05-16, 4:40pm

Best tool ever. I love my impress, I couldn't do without it.

Lyssa · #**934** 2012-05-17, 1:43pm

Thanks for the suggestion Jamie. Question: Once you're done annealing the copper, how do you clean off the burn/oxide marks from heating it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glasstastic Treasures

I believe you can anneal the other metals and see if that helps stop them from splitting. I do that with my copper. But someone with more experience will know more.

alb6094 · #**935** 2012-05-17, 2:40pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lyssa

Thanks for the suggestion Jamie. Question: Once you're done annealing the copper, how do you clean off the burn/oxide marks from heating it?

I'll jump in with something I learned from Mary. Get some fine steel wool, it will clean firescale right off. You can also order Cupronil from Rio Grande, it's a fire scale preventative. Spray it on the copper once the copper is warmed a bit.

I do a combination usually but there are times I forget to use the Cupronil. You just have to scrub a bit harder with the steel wool, it gets the job done.

HTH!

Glasstastic Treasures · #**936** 2012-05-17, 5:38pm

Also, the fire scale is on the outside, so you'll never see it

Lyssa · #**937** 2012-05-17, 7:19pm

Ooh, I like that!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glasstastic Treasures

Also, the fire scale is on the outside, so you'll never see it

Purplicious · #**938** 2012-06-01, 3:26am

I recently acquired an Impress Beadliner from a fellow lampworker in the UK, and have found it really straight-forward to use, thanks to Dave's instructions etc. Here are some links to the first sets of beads I have core lined, including some with beadcaps.

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...edbluebead.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...lvercores4.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...ilvercores.jpg

I have used GinkoDesigns annealed silver tubing and bead caps (the tubing is very nice to use) and also some MetalMeThis bead caps. I am particularly pleased with how easy it is to add the bead caps, although I had to buy some extension pegs from Dave before I could do the largest beads.

I shall now work on producing some more complex beads -I thought I would break quite a few to start with, and didn't want to spend too much time in creating something really special, only to lose it. In fact I think I have only broken 3 beads and I suspect it would be quite difficult to break one with the bead caps, as they cover up any little irregularities around the bead hole

Kathy

Lyssa · #**939** 2012-06-01, 5:52pm

You did a great job, they don't even look like your first attempts! I love how the silver looks and it always comes out better than the copper, brass, or aluminum. Just wish it weren't so darned expensive!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purplicious

I recently acquired an Impress Beadliner from a fellow lampworker in the UK, and have found it really straight-forward to use, thanks to Dave's instructions etc. Here are some links to the first sets of beads I have core lined, including some with beadcaps.

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...edbluebead.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...lvercores4.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...ilvercores.jpg

I have used GinkoDesigns annealed silver tubing and bead caps (the tubing is very nice to use) and also some MetalMeThis bead caps. I am particularly pleased with how easy it is to add the bead caps, although I had to buy some extension pegs from Dave before I could do the largest beads.

I shall now work on producing some more complex beads -I thought I would break quite a few to start with, and didn't want to spend too much time in creating something really special, only to lose it. In fact I think I have only broken 3 beads and I suspect it would be quite difficult to break one with the bead caps, as they cover up any little irregularities around the bead hole

Kathy

Purplicious · #**940** 2012-06-02, 12:40pm

Thank you Aimee - I think it helps that I did some silver-smithing many years ago. I agree about using silver though - and I always use sterling silver findings with my beads. I do like the etched copper, brass and nickel bead caps though - they can make a fairly plain bead look really special!

Mickip15 · #**941** 2012-07-10, 8:01am

Can the impress coring tool do 5/32, 3/32 and possibly 1/16?? Are all those sizes extra parts to buy?? Is there a wait time to buy this unit??

Thanks

Micki

Lyssa · #**942** 2012-07-10, 11:25am

ETA: Dave was so nice, he gave me a call yesterday and walked me through a couple issues I'd been having, the most important of which was that I wasn't even following the instructions that are RIGHT on his website for how to core the beads with the Impress! I was making it way more complicated that it really is!

Here's a couple pictures of newly-cored beads that I just did, FOLLOWING the instructions! LOL

I've been struggling with the Impress Bead Liner. I haven't been able to get consistently nice bead cores. For a few beads a couple months ago, I thought I'd "gotten" it, but I was wrong. Then last night I think I finally DID "get it!" Sadly, it was the last bead in a batch of 10 I was coring, now I have to wait until I've made, annealed, and cleaned more to see if I really do GET the technique to make the core perfect or if it was just dumb luck. Blah.

The technique I used on that last bead was this (can anyone tell me if they've discovered the same thing):

(I think this will only work with silver.) Instead of turning 90 degrees, then flipping, over and over and over until it's done, I turned almost a full 270 degrees, maybe even farther, until I had a big flare, then I flipped the bead over and turned about the same amount until the first flare had pressed flat and gotten the same shape/size flare on the second side, then I flipped the bead over again and turned the crank only until the second side flare became flat. Contrary to everything we know about work hardening metals, I noticed with the silver that once I got the big flare on one side, when I turned it over the and pressed down, the flare folded over really easily, like it had almost been "work softened". Weird, huh?

I'm gonna have to make a video of this so people can see what I'm talking about. I don't think what I wrote made any sense.

DaveF · #**943** 2012-07-10, 12:37pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lyssa

I've been struggling with the Impress Bead Liner. I haven't been able to get consistently nice bead cores. For a few beads a couple months ago, I thought I'd "gotten" it, but I was wrong. Then last night I think I finally DID "get it!" Sadly, it was the last bead in a batch of 10 I was coring, now I have to wait until I've made, annealed, and cleaned more to see if I really do GET the technique to make the core perfect or if it was just dumb luck. Blah.

The technique I used on that last bead was this (can anyone tell me if they've discovered the same thing):

(I think this will only work with silver.) Instead of turning 90 degrees, then flipping, over and over and over until it's done, I turned almost a full 270 degrees, maybe even farther, until I had a big flare, then I flipped the bead over and turned about the same amount until the first flare had pressed flat and gotten the same shape/size flare on the second side, then I flipped the bead over again and turned the crank only until the second side flare became flat. Contrary to everything we know about work hardening metals, I noticed with the silver that once I got the big flare on one side, when I turned it over the and pressed down, the flare folded over really easily, like it had almost been "work softened". Weird, huh?

I'm gonna have to make a video of this so people can see what I'm talking about. I don't think what I wrote made any sense.

Lyssa,
You have pretty much re-discovered the standard "recipe" for a domed rivet I published in the original Impress instructions on the artintheround website.
http://www.artintheround.com/article...he-Impress.htm
.
Here it is again for your convenience:
(By the way, for the math and trig challenged, Lyssa's 270 degree turn is simply 3/4 of a full turn)

Cut a tube 3.6 mm longer than the bead width at its widest point.

Debur the inner edge of the tube on each end.

Place the tube and bead onto the alignment peg.

Screw the cone down till it contacts the tube, but apply no force at this point.

Slide the bead to the mid point between the top and bottom, and keep it there with thumb and/or forefinger as you perform the following steps:

Screw the cone down till it is good and snug, but not enough to begin flaring the tube.

Don't forget to keep your bead near the center of the tube, away from the part that is being stretched by the cone, or it will crack. Glass does not flare very well!

It helps to imagine a clock face with twelve o'clock placed at whatever position the handle is in at the beginning of each turn.

(1) Turn the handle 3/4 turn. (9 o'clock)
(2) Flip bead and tube together, end for end. Snug it.
(3) Turn 3/4 turn.
(4) Flip. Snug.
(5) Turn 1/2 turn (6 o'clock)
(6) Flip. Snug.
(7) repeat 5 and 6 three times.

With a soft mallet such as rawhide or plastic, or a very small smooth faced metal hammer, gently tap the edges of the rivets down all around the circumference while turning the bead, until the core is tight.

There are video links there too. http://www.artintheround.com/pages/videos.htm

Regards,
Dave

Lyssa · #**944** 2012-07-10, 2:01pm

Thanks Dave!

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveF

Lyssa,
You have pretty much re-discovered the standard "recipe" for a domed rivet I published in the original Impress instructions on the artintheround website.
http://www.artintheround.com/article...he-Impress.htm
.
Here it is again for your convenience:
(By the way, for the math and trig challenged, Lyssa's 270 degree turn is simply 3/4 of a full turn)

Cut a tube 3.6 mm longer than the bead width at its widest point.

Debur the inner edge of the tube on each end.

Place the tube and bead onto the alignment peg.

Screw the cone down till it contacts the tube, but apply no force at this point.

Slide the bead to the mid point between the top and bottom, and keep it there with thumb and/or forefinger as you perform the following steps:

Screw the cone down till it is good and snug, but not enough to begin flaring the tube.

Don't forget to keep your bead near the center of the tube, away from the part that is being stretched by the cone, or it will crack. Glass does not flare very well!

It helps to imagine a clock face with twelve o'clock placed at whatever position the handle is in at the beginning of each turn.

(1) Turn the handle 3/4 turn. (9 o'clock)
(2) Flip bead and tube together, end for end. Snug it.
(3) Turn 3/4 turn.
(4) Flip. Snug.
(5) Turn 1/2 turn (6 o'clock)
(6) Flip. Snug.
(7) repeat 5 and 6 three times.

With a soft mallet such as rawhide or plastic, or a very small smooth faced metal hammer, gently tap the edges of the rivets down all around the circumference while turning the bead, until the core is tight.

There are video links there too. http://www.artintheround.com/pages/videos.htm

Regards,
Dave

DaveF · #**945** 2012-07-10, 2:14pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mickip15

Can the impress coring tool do 5/32, 3/32 and possibly 1/16?? Are all those sizes extra parts to buy?? Is there a wait time to buy this unit??

Thanks

Micki

Hi Micki,

You can do all those sizes except 1/16. That is just too small. 3/32 is great for attaching bead caps but it doesn't make much of a lip on its own. 1/8 and 5/32 will flare enough to be decorative with or without bead caps.

I usually make Impresses to order although I do try to keep some in stock. Typical lead time is 5 to 10 days. If you ordered today I would probably be shipping your tool about Tuesday.

As for cost, I can't hawk my wares here, but look on the website for a pleasant surprise. (Or two.

)

Thanks,
Dave

Glasstastic Treasures · #**946** 2014-07-07, 4:12am

I found aluminum tubing on Ginko Designs for coring beads. LOVE the stuff. Very soft and cores like butter! And way cheaper then silver to practice with.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ginkodesig...ef=shop_search

Mountain Snail · #**947** 2015-11-29, 7:46pm

Where can we buy that tubing now that Ginko Designs is closed?

AKDesigns · #**948** 2015-11-29, 7:53pm

https://ijsinc.com/p-7697-ss-tubing-...-437mm-id.aspx

Mountain Snail · #**949** 2015-11-29, 8:06pm

Thanks!

Mountain Snail · #**950** 2015-12-08, 3:52pm

Any ideas for copper? Maybe for 3/32 beads?

betsymn · #**951** 2015-12-10, 10:11am

Or brass? So many of my beads have a gold tone, I like to use brass.

DaveF · #**952** 2016-01-08, 6:22pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mountain Snail

Any ideas for copper? Maybe for 3/32 beads?

Ace Hardware stores carry brass, aluminum and copper tubing from K & S Engineering. They have 1/4, 3/16, 5/32, 3/32, 1/8, 3/32, and others. Also try Hobby lobby etc, but Ace is cheaper and better selection usually. The K&S copper has to be annealed or it will split. Just cut it to length, slip it on the end of a mandrel and heat it to red hot; only takes a couple seconds. Allow to air cool. DO NOT hold a copper, brass or aluminum tube, no matter how long it is, in your hand and try to heat the other end. One or two seconds later, you'll be sorry! Copper has 40 times the heat conductivity of stainless steel.
Brass will flare easily without annealing. I haven't tried aluminum but I expect it won't need it either.
The 3/16 will fit on a Pandora size centering peg on the Impress. 1/4 inch pegs will fit the 1/4, and for the smaller sizes (5/32, 1/8 and 3/32) you'll need the little flaring dies of the appropriate size, instead of a regular centering peg.

Hope that helps,
Dave

neagle · #**953** 2016-01-09, 7:23am

Thank you-very clear and helpful.

Mountain Snail · #**954** 2016-01-10, 2:49pm

Dave, THANK YOU!

bellavistaglass · #**955** 2018-03-15, 7:51pm

Can any one point me in the right direction please? And now that IJS and Ginkgo designs don’t carry it, does anyone know where to find the right kind of sterling tubing? Thanks so much for your thoughts!

DaveF · #**956** 2018-03-17, 10:33am

To Fit Pandora bracelets:

Santa Fe Jewelers Supply
Item# 118200 Sterling, 5.03 x 4.3 mm
https://www.sfjssantafe.com/SmetalsI...g&DepId=metals
OR,
Rio Grande
Fine Silver, soft Item #: 100917
https://www.riogrande.com/product/99...ng-Soft/100917

bellavistaglass · #**957** 2018-03-17, 6:47pm

Thanks so much Dave! I continue to enjoy my beadliner from you. Thank so much!!!
Cheers!