How do you make fan pulls?

Cabanlet · #1 2010-01-20, 11:58am

Ok, this may be simple, but...
I want to make some without having some special kit or whatever. I just don't know how you would attach the bead to the ball chain?

Thanks,
Amy

Kalera · #2 2010-01-20, 12:05pm

I make beads on 1/8" mandrels and the bead chain fits right through them... add a ball end and it's a cute, simple fan/lamp pull.

beadbroad · #3 2010-01-20, 1:07pm

I wirewrap whatever I'm going to use on a headpin to a little loop finding I get at the hardware store that slips onto the chain. Sorry I'm photo-challenged or I'd show you, but the hardware people should be able to help.

Elizabeth Beads · #4 2010-01-20, 1:20pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kalera

I make beads on 1/8" mandrels and the bead chain fits right through them... add a ball end and it's a cute, simple fan/lamp pull.

What is a ball end?

neagle · #5 2010-01-20, 1:24pm

I put the bead on a headpin and attach the headpin to the endpiece of a ball chain. They have these endpieces that have one end a loop and one end attaching to the chain. I get them from ballchain.com.

Cabanlet · #6 2010-01-20, 2:02pm

Ok, I will check it out. Thanks for the info.

Elizabeth Beads · #7 2010-01-20, 5:12pm

Well Lowes didn't have any ball chain that would fit through my beads (made on 3/32 mandrels). I already made the beads for my daughter's birthday, 6 of them. I wonder if the size 3 would work. I know size 2 would but ballchain.com doesn't have many choices in the size 2, or end pieces that work with that size.

crystalflipz · #8 2010-01-20, 6:35pm

I use these
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php...ng_id=34066591

Elizabeth Beads · #9 2010-01-20, 10:28pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by crystalflipz

I use these
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php...ng_id=34066591

Cool. So, how do you attach the bead? A head pin seems like it would be too fragile?

getdul981 · #10 2010-01-21, 8:21am

Quote:

Originally Posted by erose

Well Lowes didn't have any ball chain that would fit through my beads (made on 3/32 mandrels). I already made the beads for my daughter's birthday, 6 of them. I wonder if the size 3 would work. I know size 2 would but ballchain.com doesn't have many choices in the size 2, or end pieces that work with that size.

I would think that you need to know what size the chain is already on the fan and work to fit that. If the hole in your bead is too small for the appropriate size chain, you can take some sterling silver wire of the right size and heat the end to make a ball. Then cut the other end to make your loop to attach to the chain.

Greg

Elizabeth Beads · #11 2010-01-21, 8:54am

Quote:

Originally Posted by getdul981

I would think that you need to know what size the chain is already on the fan and work to fit that. If the hole in your bead is too small for the appropriate size chain, you can take some sterling silver wire of the right size and heat the end to make a ball. Then cut the other end to make your loop to attach to the chain.

Greg

Another cool idea, what would you do for brass finish chain?

Dale M. · #12 2010-01-21, 9:42am

My take on this but in another thread.....

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...82&postcount=2

Dale

getdul981 · #13 2010-01-21, 9:48am

Quote:

Originally Posted by erose

Another cool idea, what would you do for brass finish chain?

?????

Greg

Janelle Zorko · #14 2010-01-21, 9:58am

I used to buy the most awesome findings from Shawnette (she's here on the forum). I don't know if she still makes them. It was worth it for me to buy them but if they're not available anymore, I think they're a change-a-bead type finding with a fishing swivel and ball chain. Very cool.

crystalflipz · #15 2010-01-21, 10:08am

I use either a heavy gauge headpin - 20g - and wire it directly to the loop, or I use a 21-22g head pin and attach it to the loop with one or 2 heavy gauge jump rings.

Here's one I did this way

Puddy Tat Glass · #16 2010-01-21, 10:26am

So interesting...I've been wanting to try this ever since one of my customers told me she turns my kitties into fan-pulls. This is great, thanks to everyone for sharing and to Amy for asking.

Jody Lee · #17 2010-01-21, 11:07am

I bought a bunch from Karen Thomas..there are silvertone and goldtone ones - a lot of people at the shows had fun guessing what they were

I say that they're a great gift for the person that has everything, or as a hostess gift, say for staying at someone's cottage.

FourTailsLampwork · #18 2010-01-21, 12:20pm

I use 1/4" steel mandrels that my local Ace hardware store threaded (about 1/2" down) in fine threading. I use 1/4" fine threaded nuts, about three or four of them, to make the socket, and I wrap the glass around that being careful NOT to get the glass on the tip of the mandrel. You can use an acorn cap on the top if you like, but it can be harder to remove the pull. Then use a finial-to-fan pull adapter to hang the pull. (If ANYONE has a good source for these, LMK; my source dried up!).

Here are pictures:

I want to see if I can construct pull adapters from lamp parts. You can get the brass pull chain at Ace. Assuming, of course, that you have an old-fashioned, grubby Ace that still caters to people who fix everything rather than an Ace that deals mostly with the yuppie trade.