size of silver tubing for cores?

[bubblefizz]

Wheyyy... i bought some 5mm mandrels to make some silver cores, can someone tell me exactly what size tubing i will need to fit the 5mm, ive been looking on palmer metals but not sure what size

[bubblefizz]

ok i dont think i explained very well  the tube comes in OD and ID thats whats confusing me, is it the OD that im looking at?

[Josephine]

I use Rashbels 5mm tubing (OD) and 4mm mandrels. with 5mm mandrells I would guess 6mm tubing. I use Rashbel as Manda recommended it. I seem to remember one site, not sure if it was Cooksons or Palmers, had a thicker wall which wouldn't be very helpful!

[bubblefizz]

Thanks Josephine 
how much do you buy? what would you suggest for a beginner?

[Josephine]

I think I bought 50cm. A lot has been wasted but I have 4 beads complete and about half of the tube left.

[bubblefizz]

cool, i will order some, but im gonna dread cutting it LOL 

[bubblefizz]

i ordered 6mm tube off cookson gold, and it doesnt fit should i try the 5mm ?
i can see me ending up with LOTS of different size tubing

[Pam]

Hi Angie, can I ask how you are getting on and what OD tubing you have decided on with the 5mm mandrels? Just trying to get my head around this before I take the plunge.

[Lush!]

I have a 5mm mandrel and some of the rivets from Palmers, which I've just measured and they are 5mm OD. 

I would have expected that to be the case cos you need to take the bead release into account - at least thats what I thought a minute ago but now I can't get my head round it!

[Jolene]

I too have 5mm mandrels and no idea what tube to buy!! Looks like you and me are in the same boat Angie

[BeadyBugs]

You roughly add on about 1mm to the size of the mandrels to allow for the thickness of your bead release.  So a 5mm mandrel will make a bead needing 6mm OD silver tubing and a 4mm mandrel will use 5mm silver tube.  You will probably still need to bore slightly (dremel and diamond reamer) out the bead hole a little to make it fit.  And you want the silver to just barely pass through the hole, any waggle and you can end up with a wonky core as the silver will shift as you hammer it.  So using 5mm silver after using a 5mm mandrel will probably be too loose?  Not sure if this matters with the glue-in ones so much as long as you get them central, I'm guessing as I've never used them.

Have fun coring. 

HP x

[Jolene]

Thanks Helen, that all makes perfect sense

[Redhotsal]

OD means outer diameter and ID means innner diameter.

So if you have a tube with 5mm OD and 4mm ID you will have a tube which measures 5mm across the diameter on the outside and the wall thickess will actually be 0.5mm, because there are two walls in one diameter! Tricky but not too bad if you think it out.

This will give you a final bead hole size of 4mm, so in fact the ID measurement is almost more important than the OD measurement if you are trying to decide which bracelet "system" you are picking.

Hmmm.......have I got that right??  

[June]

I have used Palmers rivets with a bead made on a 5mm mandrel and they fitted fine.  Not tried the 'proper' way as yet, though I would love to one day.. 

[Pam]

Thanks Ladies, I have it clear in my head. Now its time to do the deed!!!