Hi,
Newbie problem.... I've tried using a bead roller but not got one usable bead. I always loose the dimple from at least one end or both. The beads are also always still uneven and the bead release comes away . Sorry for being thick...but what am I doing wrong?
Thanks
Sheena
Make sure you use the right amount of glass, losing the dimple sounds like you don't have enough glass in the first place. Count your wraps as you lay them onto your mandrel so you always know the exact amount needed to fill the cavity. Losing bead release is because you are pushing too hard. Slowly and gently does it.
I'm not the best one to advise as I often struggle to get the 'dimples' right too, usually on one side of the bead!
But make sure the initial footprint is slightly narrower than the cavity you are using
Have you seen the videos on the CGbeadroller website, they are quite useful.
http://www.cgbeads.com/beads_videos.html (http://www.cgbeads.com/beads_videos.html)
Thanks for the reply's. I've never seen one used... Uploading the video now.
Sheena
The advice I got when I bought my first roller was to press and turn a quarter turn till you've gone all the way round rather than roll.
Someone showed me to hold the roller vertically rather than flat, I find it much more succesful that way
I don't mean to be blunt about this ( ::) ) but are you experienced in making standard donut and round beads? Because you really need to be able to make well shaped beads freehand to understand how the glass flows and sets in order to then go on to use a roller successfully in order to get consistently sized beads. If you can't do this, then a roller is not the answer.
Kazx
I'd agree with Kaz, wrongly I thought my roller would give me perfect round beads and would shape wonky beads miraculously into even round beads (not I know that was very niaive). After lots of practice, if I don't get the base bead right I really struggle with the roller, but if it's a good base bead the final one comes out great. My advice, even though I was impatient to just use it is make sure the basics are there first. I do find that the tip about quarter turns rather than rolling works better for me.
Good advice as always.
I,m too impatient. Want to run before I can walk. Will take it all on board and practice more.
Sheena