Silver cored beads using the Impress bead liner - updated!

[julieHB]

I am torn now between the Art in the round one and the one above.
After reading about the one above, it looks like you get all the differnt size pegs and they look very easy to change using magnets. Also it looks like you don't have to change the bead over then press, then turn it again.

Would the Swiss one escape customs I wonder?

I don't know if you pay customs for goods from Switzerland, but it was the simplicity of the design that I found attractive. I don't think you have to turn it over, but you obviously have to switch to the "flattening bits" at the end, I suppose. Another forte is that you don't have to change bits if you want to core a long bead, and it takes wide beads as well. I had a dichroic pendant that I couldn't core because it was to wide for the Impress (unless you make a whooping wide bead this won't be a problem with the impress, though).

Good luck on your decision making! Also, let's not forget about Maria Louise's bead liner, which is the absolute best I have seen:

http://www.beadpress.nl/stempelwinkel/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=47&products_id=575

Unfortunately, the pound to the Euro exchange rate is not the best at the moment...

[Pam]

Julie / Ilona how are you getting on with the bead lining tool from Switzerland? Would be interested to hear you you got on with it and your thoughts.

[Trudi]

I'm wondering too!

[julieHB]

Hiya,

I have just received the Swiss bead liner, and have cored a few beads with it. With the £20 fee the bank charges for international transfer it comes to about £110 in total, which is comparable to the Impress bead liner with most pegs and risers included.

So, how do they compare. Obviously I have cored more beads with the Impress, and found a good rhythm with that one, but for what it is worth here's a few personal observations:

Impress:
Pros: Very good control on the turning flare, solid mechanism.
Cons: Need to change over pegs to accommodate different tube diameters, and also to fit the risers if you want to core a long bead. There's a limit on how wide the bead can be (normally not a problem with beads, but I had a fused pendant that was too wide to fit).

La Casita Bolita:
Pros: Very easy to change dies to accommodate different tube diameters. The corer allows you to core a bead up to about 25mm long. There's no limitation on the width of the pendant/bead.
Cons: The turning mechanism is "courser", with less leverage. With the Impress you can core a bead without annealing, but I wouldn't recommend that with the LCB beadliner.

I thought there was a limit on how small the tube diameter could be with the Impress, but I just saw that Dave has made pegs that can core 3/32 tubes. With the Impress you can create slightly different profiles of the cored edge (flat or rounded), but with the LCB you only get the flat profile.

I think that about sums up my experience so far - now I just need to decide which one to keep and which to sell on... 

[theflyingbedstead]

Thanks for that Julie - a VERY useful comparison!  Perhaps this could be added to the wiki?

It would be fantastic if others who have different tools could do similar comparisons...I wonder if it would be possible to check them all out at the Flame Off? 

[Pandanimal]

i got my impress back before christmas and am very disapointed with it. i get split tube every time i use it. and have given up trying. i have annealed the tube and done every thing in the walk through on the impress site but it still splits. can anyone think what i might be doing wrong?

[theflyingbedstead]

Not sure why this is happening. It could be that you have heated up your tube beyond the annealing 'cherry red' point. This can easily make your silver brittle. Are you annealing the tube after you have cut it, and is your tube cutter still sharp?

[Galloway Beads]

If I remember rightly Julie (Lush) had a similar problem and it
was as Charlotte said - over annealing the silver.

[Lush!]

If I remember rightly Julie (Lush) had a similar problem and it
was as Charlotte said - over annealing the silver.

Yep 

[julieHB]

I over annealed the tube in the beginning as well, and had a few split. What I do now is to turn off all the lights, it's then very easy to keep the tube just at the "cherry red" state. Hope you get it sorted, Julia!!

[Pandanimal]

What kind of tube cutter do you all use? I don't like mine as its too big and clunky. Where do you get the little ones from?

[MangoBeads]

I sit in a cupboard on the floor !

[julieHB]

I sit in a cupboard on the floor !

[MangoBeads]

What kind of tube cutter do you all use? I don't like mine as its too big and clunky. Where do you get the little ones from?

Mines tall, handsome and not at all clunky !

[Pandanimal]

Thanks so much for all your help. I have the heart to have another go now. I had completely given up and was feeling very upset at how much it had all cost. And annoyed with myself that I couldn't do it. and so on and so forth. What am I like?!