Lining BHB Help please

[Enchanted Cobwebs]

Just trying to line some of my BHB using the retro tool. I didnt have any instructions as it was a second hand bargain. So, I just watched the demo and thought I'd give it a whirl but I'm probably doing something wrong as I'm getting 'trumpet shaped tube inside the bead.

I'm adding 2mm max in total to the length of the bead and tried .5mm wall brass which might have been a bit thick and hard though I did anneal. I have also tried .3mm silver and the results are pretty much the same and I ended up hammeting the metal down on to the glass (carefully!)

Reason I'm not just experimenting trying a longer piece of tube is I also realise my beads have a tendancy to vary in thickness by about 0.5mm from one side to the other and I dont think they are suitable for coring. I do have a few regular shaped ones (wish I knew how I did them!) so using them till I make more even sizes and dont want to waste them

I also see lots of beauties with beadcaps, do they help even out the minor differences or would I just be wasting them till I get the beads the right shape first?

I'm just too impatient I think but any tips will be very gratefully received
Thanks
Helen

[MangoBeads]

I had the retro as my first press and it is a fab press ...... but used on its own it does give a trumpet effect i used to hammer mine too as you are doing to get a flatter finish therefore only using the retro to flare the tube initially.
Not much help but all i can say is that i think the problems you are having with regard to the trumpet shape are fairly typical of the press you have
A bead cap will alter the effect as the tube will be lying against the cap if that makes sense .

Our press that we are in the process of making uses the principle of the retro combined with dies to flatten the silver it is a two stage press as I have always done my lining in two steps ....

Hope that helps you xxx

[Enchanted Cobwebs]

Now that sounds interesting....

will your second dies be something I can get to finish the job off on mine?

If not maybe I will just sell it and go for something like your new one, can you tell me when it might be available?

[MangoBeads]

The finishing dies are part of the press ... there are some pictures on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mangobeads/sets/72157626634416455/

We are just waiting for the presses to arrive and them we have to modify them so we are looking at 4- 6 weeks approx to have them ready for sale . The Arbor press has been held up in the Far East ( we have 10 on order ) . There is a FH thread somewhere off to see if i can find it for you ...

http://www.frit-happens.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=29572.0

As a little bit of advise try leaving your tube slightly longer we do 2.8mm either side ...
Hope that helps xx

[Enchanted Cobwebs]

Thank you, I will try leaving the tube longer and see what I get. Up to now I have been using calipers and adding 1mm either side but the hole is generally recessed so I will have been adding more than I think though sometimes the holes are more sunken than others...I hadnt actually considered that

Thanks
Helen

[Enchanted Cobwebs]

I have tried leaving the tube longer and it makes it easier in that I have more metal when I commence the hammering, unfortunately I still get the trumpet shape

So, I had another thought - what do you experienced people think -

If I double dip my mandrel I will have a bigger hole, I just wondered if this might help because when Im riveting with the corer it feels like I cant go any further because the metal is right up against the glass on the inside of the bead. If I do this the tube will not touch the inside of the bead but I might just be able to squash the edges onto the glass. Does this sound daft?

[hollergrafik]

Have you tried reaming the beads a bit more? That way the silver won't be tight inside the bead. Double dipping may be too big.

[Enchanted Cobwebs]

Have you tried reaming the beads a bit more? That way the silver won't be tight inside the bead. Double dipping may be too big.

Will give it a go thanks. Beginning to think I will sell the corer and just use the glue in jobs. I have ruined that many beads now!

[MangoBeads]

Dont give up it's worth persevering with.

[MangoBeads]

You definately want you tube loose in the hole

[hollergrafik]

Definately don't give up, do you have anyone locally that has experience with one?

[chipperpottery]

Don't give up, look I made a stupid misstake with my Impress, but the after reading the instructions, it is fine.

[Enchanted Cobwebs]

You definately want you tube loose in the hole

What isnt working is  -
bead 5.6 ID after reaming
tube OD 5.5
So, the tube just fits then I'm effectively forcing the tool bit inside so the metal really has no where to go hence the trumpet. I tried a smaller fitting but that just cracked the bead so I figured a bigger hele but what sort of difference should I have between the ID of the bead and OD of the tube? I bought the copper from Ginko on etsy, also got 5.5mm OD silver but thats staying in the wrapper till I get it right

Definately don't give up, do you have anyone locally that has experience with one?

I will keep trying, I'm self taught so used to failure on a grand scale! Upsetting is that the beads are now starting to look good enough to line and I'm breaking them! Maybe I should just make a plain batch to practice on then I wont be so upset when they dont work. My earlier ones are too uneaven at the hole end so I cant even practice on those!

Don't give up, look I made a stupid misstake with my Impress, but the after reading the instructions, it is fine.

I got mine secomd hand so no instructions not that I'd have read them anyway... Maybe I should try to get some though!

[chipperpottery]

There is a video on UTube for the Retro....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_WMJz37-n0



Rita x

[Enchanted Cobwebs]

There is a video on UTube for the Retro....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_WMJz37-n0



Rita x

Thank you, wish it worked like that for me! must be something subtle about the measurements I'm not getting right. Will keep at it though