Questions All About Pandora and Troll Beads

ShellyJo1969 · #1 2010-07-19, 4:09am

I've been all over LE and been given links to here and to there and I am still confused! IS there one single thread that clearly (for all us newbies) the facts behind Pandora, Biagi, and Troll beads?
Also:
1*What size mandrels must you use to make each different type of bead (just plain bead with no coring)?
2*What size mandrel AND what size silver tubing do you need if you plan to silver core each bead for use on each type of bracelet?

It's all very confusing, help!

midniteburner · #2 2010-07-19, 5:51am

I don't know about all the larger hole beads but the Pandora style use a 3/16th mandrel if you plan on coring them. If you don't, then make them on a 5/32.

Sara

Lorraine Chandler · #3 2010-07-19, 8:51am

Nope. You just have to do what the rest of us did and wade through all of the posts, make notes and then make your purchases, make the beads, put it all together and then you will know what you need for the next go round.

I started with a Biagi bracelet, bought some beads already made for it and took measurements, then I decided which size of bead I preferred, got out my dial calipers and took more measurements. Bought some copper and brass in different sizes and thicknesses to play with before I spent money on the silver.

Bought all of the tools for doing the coring by hand, watched videos on you tube and went out to the garage, set up a little workbench area and got to it! I loved making them by hand...I found out which thicknesses I preferred and why and now I have the exact sizes I need and I know why.

Working with glass and silver the way artists do here on LE takes quite a bit of effort and experimentation and the three P's..practice practice and more practice. Lots of different recipes and opinions as you can see from all of the different posts so experimentation and practice and yes even failures are a huge part of the process.

I have spent literally days and days researching just one thing until I could get it all sorted out in my head by doing the exact things I described to you above. I still do this whenever I want to learn something new.

You will learn a lot more by just doing it, ( the whole process I mean )

J&M · #4 2010-07-19, 1:31pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShellyJo1969

I've been all over LE and been given links to here and to there and I am still confused! IS there one single thread that clearly (for all us newbies) the facts behind Pandora, Biagi, and Troll beads?
Also:
1*What size mandrels must you use to make each different type of bead (just plain bead with no coring)?
2*What size mandrel AND what size silver tubing do you need if you plan to silver core each bead for use on each type of bracelet?

It's all very confusing, help!

I sent you a PM.

Jack

Tabitha · #5 2010-07-19, 7:05pm

Impress beadliner and whatever mandrels Ginkodesign on etsy's sterling lining fits (sorry can't remember what size they are) works a treat for me.

J. Savina · #6 2010-07-19, 9:33pm

If I silver core a bead made on a 3/16" mandrel, it won't fit the Pandora bracelet. But, if I glue on the silver rivets instead, they fit and slide just fine on the pandora because the sterling silver rivets are very thin. I use my 1/4" mandrels for the beads that I core with silver tubing for the Pandora bracelet. And, if I silver core the beads made on 3/16" mandrels, they fit the narrower Troll bracelets just fine. This is just my experience. Hope it's helpful.

J.

Hayley · #7 2010-07-19, 10:15pm

Pandora chains are 4.2mm
Biagi chains are 4.1mm
Troll chains are less than 4mm

In order for the beads to fit all the European chains, the minimum hole size is 4.37mm.

Uncored beads made on 5/32" mandrels will fit because 5/32" is 0.15625" which is 3.96875mm provided that your bead release is 0.2mm thick (which it usually is).

If you core your beads and want to use 3/16" mandrels, you must get the special sterling silver tubings Debbi Hackeson/ginkodesigns worked with Indian Jewelry Supply to custom produce the ONLY 5.08mm tubings that will fit Pandora chains allowing you to use 3/16" mandrels. 27 gauge, 5.08mm OD, 4.37mm ID are the important specifications. The standard 3/16" tubings from Rio Grande and other suppliers will NOT work.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ginkodesigns

Even then, the mandrel is 3/16" which is 4.7625mm. The tubing is a smidge over 5mm. Thus if you have a thin coat of bead release, you do need to dremel the hole out a bit to fit. Get this very inexpensive ($1.97) 3/16" diamond coated bit from Widget Supply. Wish they made one that fit 3/32"!!!
http://www.widgetsupply.com/page/WS/...saw/SDD2-316CS
__________________

Hope this helps.

ShellyJo1969 · #8 2010-07-21, 10:45am

sara, jack,tabitha, janette, and hayley, thank you so much for your help! I've been trying to figure this all out and all of the different sizes is very confusing. I'll go see what I can do with all this now. Thank you for your help.

Michele

ShellyJo1969 · #9 2010-07-21, 11:05am

It looks like silver lining the beads adds about an extra $1 or so to the cost of creating your beads.

If you are selling two identical beads and one is lined and one is not lined, how do they compare selling pricewise? I would imagine that adding just $1 extra per bead would bring a much better price or perhaps is just extra buying incentive for the customer?

GlassyEyedGirl · #10 2010-07-21, 11:57am

I was SO confused when I made my first order for tubing from Ginko on Etsy, but it all makes much more sense when you have the materials in front of you with some beads to core. Everyone has given you good advice, so just jump in and it gets better, I promise!! Good luck! Oh, and it seems to be addictive!

lenora · #11 2010-07-21, 1:05pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayley

Pandora chains are 4.2mm
Biagi chains are 4.1mm
Troll chains are less than 4mm

In order for the beads to fit all the European chains, the minimum hole size is 4.37mm.

Uncored beads made on 5/32" mandrels will fit because 5/32" is 0.15625" which is 3.96875mm provided that your bead release is 0.2mm thick (which it usually is).

If you core your beads and want to use 3/16" mandrels, you must get the special sterling silver tubings Debbi Hackeson/ginkodesigns worked with Indian Jewelry Supply to custom produce the ONLY 5.08mm tubings that will fit Pandora chains allowing you to use 3/16" mandrels. 27 gauge, 5.08mm OD, 4.37mm ID are the important specifications. The standard 3/16" tubings from Rio Grande and other suppliers will NOT work.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ginkodesigns

Even then, the mandrel is 3/16" which is 4.7625mm. The tubing is a smidge over 5mm. Thus if you have a thin coat of bead release, you do need to dremel the hole out a bit to fit. Get this very inexpensive ($1.97) 3/16" diamond coated bit from Widget Supply. Wish they made one that fit 3/32"!!!
http://www.widgetsupply.com/page/WS/...saw/SDD2-316CS
__________________

Hope this helps.

Excellent info Hayley!! And so sweet of you to share! Love ya!

merigypsy · #12 2010-07-21, 1:10pm

Michelle,
I went through long threads and tooks notes and finally figured it out. I still get confused! But I do what they suggested above. 3/16 mandrels *double dip*, Ginkos silver tubing. Jim Moore press. This combo works for me thanks to you all!

Good luck and have fun. PPP Patience on getting a good bead on these bigger mandrels!

I am also working with Ronnie Rene's bead cap Tut, fun!
Merilee

Hayley · #13 2010-07-21, 1:59pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by lenorasdesigns

Excellent info Hayley!! And so sweet of you to share! Love ya!

Love ya right back, Lenora!

Kalera · #14 2010-07-21, 2:27pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShellyJo1969

It looks like silver lining the beads adds about an extra $1 or so to the cost of creating your beads.

If you are selling two identical beads and one is lined and one is not lined, how do they compare selling pricewise? I would imagine that adding just $1 extra per bead would bring a much better price or perhaps is just extra buying incentive for the customer?

If you only charge materials cost for the coring, you are not compensating yourself for your time, for loss in the form of the occasional broken bead, or for your tool purchase. This of it like only charging materials cost for your beads! IMO the best way to calculate the additional cost for something like coring is to see how many beads you can reasonably core in one hour, including annealing and cutting the tubing, and the final polishing stage. Decide on an hourly rate that you think is fair for that work, and divide that dollar amount by however many beads you finished, then add a little extra to cover the occasional broken bead. Add that to the materials cost, and now you know how much to add to the price of the bead.

Alaska · #15 2010-07-21, 2:41pm

One good rule of thumb for silver coring is to multiply the cost of the materials by 3. If IJS 5 mm SS tube is $17 per foot and your bead takes about a 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) piece of tubing then up the cost of the bead by $2.13 for coring. ($17/24) x 3 Perhaps more for thicker beads and less for slimmer beads. But there will be an average that could be applied to all cored beads regardless of thickness to keep the math easy.

ShellyJo1969 · #16 2010-07-25, 7:54pm

Kalera, great idea, thanks for your input. Alaska, thank you also. Merilee and Beth, thank you also. Thanks to everyone for helpful advice! I am looking forward to helping someone here someday when I get more bead experience and hands on education!
Michele

Mustang Dawn · #17 2010-08-02, 5:10am

Great info!

selliott58@optusnet.com.a · #18 2011-03-28, 9:46am

After reading one particularly unhelpful answer to ShelleyJo's question, I was so pleased (and grateful) to see that other members actually had something to write that was informative and helped me a lot.
Thank you to all of you.