Silver Core Beads

[Nikki]

Has anyone on here ever tried these silver cores that you put on the mandrel and work straight onto?

http://dragonjools.blogspot.com/2009/06/fine-silver-bead-core-holy-cp-it-works.html

Just wondered if this was an easier way.

Nikki

[dinah46]

We did that on the redhotminx course using some pmc cores that Leigh had pre-made for us. It worked ok but I must admit that I haven't been tempted to repeat it   I much prefer to core using my Impress liner after the bead has been made and annealed..

[*rowanberry*]

I have. I liked them. Easy is not the right word though, you need very good heat control - enough heat to apply the glass but not so hot that it destorts the silver. It was quite tricky getting the glass even, I did a lot of marvering as I couldnt use my usual heat and gravity techniques. You also have to polish the cores again after as the flame will dull them.

Sounds like I am putting them down, I'm not. I'll certainly be doing some more as I just dont have the space for the coring equipment in my little house.

You can buy pre-made cores from Palmers metals now - but i bought mine from the lovely Becci/Fired Silver.

These are the beads that I made with my first go at the ready made silver cores:

[Nikki]

Thanks Claire

Your beads are beautiful, I'm not sure I would have the heat control to use them but I might give them a go to see.

Thanks for the info
Nikki

[Hels4444]

Thats dead interesting, I might give them a go too

thanks guys

[Donna@Rockin' Beads]

I'm thoroughly intrigued now and am going to get some from Palmer Metals at Perth 

[turnedlight]

I bought one from Becci, no chance to try it yet, but I wanted to do it with clear glass as this would be the advantage of these cores, if you could see a lovely shiney silver middle.. only thing is I don't know if that's what you get, or if they are only really any good with opaque glass..

[Donna@Rockin' Beads]

OK, I took the plunge and bought some from Palmer Metals but the 4.5mm internal diameter won't fit on my 5mm coated mandrels - funny that 
I guess I'll need to get myself sone 4mm mandrels...

[*rowanberry*]

My first lot were done on double-dipped 3.2mm mandrels. But I ended getting some 4mm from etsy in the end.
I tried another one of these but fudged the bead up, not the cores fault, just user error :-( But the down side is that once its done it's done and a core wasted.

As for the does the silver stay shiny, it didnt when I had a go, the flame "matts" the silver when I tried yesterday.