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

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  #1  
Old 2011-01-14, 10:38pm
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Default Want to learn to core beads

I want to learn to put a metal core in my beads. I know absolutely nothing about this through. Can some one steer me in a direction? Also, can I use copper to do this? I cant afford silver.
Thanks everyone!
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  #2  
Old 2011-01-14, 11:04pm
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Copper, brass and silver all work well. Start off with some dapping punches as the low cost approach. There are a number of tools that can assist with bead corning. However, it sound like they may be out of your budget range.

There is an excellent video showing the entire process. Search LE and see if it is posted.

Last edited by Alaska; 2011-01-15 at 12:11am.
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  #3  
Old 2011-01-14, 11:26pm
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We have a lot of great info in my BHB exchange:

http://lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166167
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  #4  
Old 2011-01-15, 12:28am
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Yes, you can use copper as well as brass.

If you want to read which kind of tools I use to core beads, I wrote a blog entry about the essentials (with links to tubing and tools):

http://icarusbeads.blogspot.com/2010...ora-beads.html
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  #5  
Old 2011-01-15, 6:07am
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Here's another question for the experts! Out in my studio there is a press of some sort, I think it was used for loading bullets. Can that be rigged up like Jim Moore's press?
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Old 2011-01-15, 6:09am
Carmen Isaacs Carmen Isaacs is offline
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Wow Judith, your information is fantastic.
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  #7  
Old 2011-01-15, 7:46am
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Thanks Judith! The question I have is how much do you add onto the bead width to determine cutting size? 4mm, 4.3mm? I've seen differrent suggestions.
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  #8  
Old 2011-01-15, 9:29pm
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I'm adding 3.6 mm (as suggested by Dave, the maker of the Impress tool that I use).
That seems to work well to give a nice domed look.
You can add a tiny bit more, but if you add a lot more, the silver splits very easily while coring.
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  #9  
Old 2011-01-17, 12:35pm
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Thank you so much!!!
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  #10  
Old 2011-01-17, 3:45pm
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Hmmm.........ok, I've cracked two beads so far, lol. The tubing still seems big - here's a wierd question: I'm measuring the outside size of the bead and adding the extra. But if a bead is dimpled on each end, that part is actually smaller than the outside measurement. And there is no way to measure just the dimpled center of the bead. Does this make sense? Wondering how you actually measure the bead?
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  #11  
Old 2011-01-17, 4:54pm
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You measure from the highest point to the highest point - where you want the silver to start bending over. If I was a whizz on the diagram/computer front I'd draw you a picture!
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  #12  
Old 2011-01-17, 5:50pm
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Measure bead at widest point in mm, lock your digital calipers there, then slide bead out without moving your digital calipers, set your digital readout to zero without moving them, unlock them and measure out 3.6mm, lock you calibers again, this is how long your tube should be.
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Old 2011-01-17, 6:13pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ironmountainglass View Post
Measure bead at widest point in mm, lock your digital calipers there, then slide bead out without moving your digital calipers, set your digital readout to zero without moving them, unlock them and measure out 3.6mm, lock you calibers again, this is how long your tube should be.
This!
I did have to buy a digital caliper for this - measuring just with a ruler will not work (at least it didn't for me LOL).

And yes, I did crack one or two beads in the first week. It's a matter of practice before you really know how far you can go with tightening the core. Also please use only beds where the holes are nicely dimpled/straight. Else it's a crack-fest.
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  #14  
Old 2011-01-17, 6:25pm
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Can you use stainless steel to core too?
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  #15  
Old 2011-01-17, 9:06pm
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Stainless steel is much much tougher than sterling silver ... I've done coring by hand and with tools and would not attempt stainless steel - which means to say not that it can't be done, just that I wouldn't!

Give it a go and see if you can do it? I imagine if the steel was thin enough it might work (although could split)???
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  #16  
Old 2011-01-18, 8:22am
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Yep, I'm using a digital caliper - thanks for the easy way to add the 3.6mm, I've been adding it up on paper I'm trying to practise with copper, but the copper tubing is wider. Even after using a 3/16" drill the hole isn't big enough. And I'm not going to ruin another piece of sterling, lol.

It seems you have to use a lot of pressure to bend the tubing - I'm using the Impress tool. Hard to use a light hand, lol.
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  #17  
Old 2011-01-19, 1:25pm
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Judith,
Maybe this is a stupid question but I'm a beginner. About how many beads can you core with a foot of tubing? I know it depends on the width of each bead but just an approximate idea?
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