How do you get the silver cores into beads then, eh?

Started by Mand, April 11, 2008, 04:53:58 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

astringofbeads

I'll add my 2 penneth here, having handcored somewhere in the region of 2000, yes that's 2000 beads in the last year  :o :D I have tried all methods and all the machines on the market and I think at the end of the day you can't beat doing it yourself. Once you've mastered it you can core any size hole and are not therefore limited by the dies you can buy for a machine or the size of rivets you  can buy. I can understand using a machine, and lets face it some of the big companies that sell these beads use them, as you should get less wastage and it may well be easier to do. But you've still got to cut the tube and annel it before, so it's not really saving that much in terms of time.At the end of the day it's whatever method that works for you, and also  if you are selling them then your customers will be the best judge, if they come back for more ;) :D

Vicki

the thing is if you use a machine can you say truely that it is handmade??  hey is there was a machine that lampworked the beads for us would we get one??? would we heck ;)

TheJanie

Quote from: Vicki on April 11, 2008, 08:25:20 PM
the thing is if you use a machine can you say truely that it is handmade??  hey is there was a machine that lampworked the beads for us would we get one??? would we heck ;)

Ooh now, there's a good talking point!  I agree that there's a level at which something becomes machine-made... but where is that level?

I used to hand-saw my jump rings - now I use a Koil Kutter attachment on my Dremel;  I used to drill holes in silver with a hand-drill - now I use a drill press.  And I polish my jewellery in a tumbler, never by hand anymore (been covered in jeweller's rouge once too often!)  However, I don't consider my jewellery to be any less handmade.  Besides, have you ever sat down and hand-cut hundreds of jump rings at a time?  I did - but only a couple of times before realising what a god-awful task it is!  Never, ever again!  ::)

IMHO I'd say using the bead press still qualifies a piece as being handmade because using the press still requires some amount of judgement on the part of the operator.  You have to get a feel for when you've pressed enough to make the silver core secure without breaking the bead.  I've a feeling, though, that I might be better sticking to dapping punches :)

I wonder if it's possible to use the machine to do start things off and then do the final finishing by hand to give it a more "rounded over" look?  Having never seen one of these machines or a finished piece made on it IRL, it's difficult to tell...

astringofbeads

That is an interesting point! We all use machines in some form to create our works of art, take the humble oxycon, that's a machine, or unless you have an assistant sat there puffing bellows all day   ;D then we have to accept that machines make up at least some part of our beads. But they are aides, that's all, and the coring machine is just that too. Yes you can start them off with a machine, and finish them by hand, but for me, I don't see the point. In terms of time I would say it would take longer per bead overall, so get those dappers out and have a go ;D ;)

TheJanie

Quote from: astringofbeads on April 11, 2008, 08:55:00 PM
Yes you can start them off with a machine, and finish them by hand, but for me, I don't see the point. In terms of time I would say it would take longer per bead overall, so get those dappers out and have a go ;D ;)

I will at some point - that's another thing I've been meaning to have a go at for a few months now.  I'm the Queen of Procrastination, me  ;D

Speaking purely personally, I might sometime consider the press as an "easier" way to start the cores off simply because I have to be so careful with my energy levels and the less tapping I have to do, the better... but that's for when I have nothing else to save my money for!  I do prefer to know how these things are done from scratch, so I'll be starting there :)

astringofbeads

Go for it :D
The only thing I would say against the machines is that they are precision instruments and there is pretty much no room for error on the shape and even-ness of your bead, so any irregularity in the shape will kill your bead. Hand dapping is a bit more forgiving in this respect ;)

Redhotsal

From what I've seen of the machines (though I've never used one) you still need a good level of skill. I don't think you drop a bead in one end and out pops a neatly made silver core bead from the other end. They're more "jigs" than machines - it lines up the tube and flares it for you - that's all. You still have to cut the tube, anneal it, clean it, finish it (most importantly) and so on.
Yes, of course it's handmade - just as handmade as a bead using a PRESS is - and I bet there's not many here who would argue that a bead made with a press is not still "handmade".
The Troll/Pandora/Love Links beads are all beads with the rivits glued in. You only have to look at them to see the difference in quality.

silverlemon

I'm working on a UK coring machine/tool at the moment, further to an idea that Dickie and I had on a boring drive up to IKea one day about a year ago .....watch this space.  ;)
Bionic Sarah xxx    Sarah Downton On Facebook  My Etsy Shop

♥♥Tan♥♥

Quote from: astringofbeads on April 11, 2008, 08:55:00 PM
That is an interesting point! We all use machines in some form to create our works of art, take the humble oxycon, that's a machine, or unless you have an assistant sat there puffing bellows all day   ;D

Funny you should say that, I refuse to use an oxycon in favour of a little man I get in to do my puffing for me :D

Mand

Oh my goodness, I started somehting here then ... what I really wanted to know was do you heat them in the torch flame to sort of melt them into the bead core? Or is there no torching involved at all? ???

♥♥Tan♥♥

You make the bead on a large hole mandrel then add the core, unless you are using pmc then you make the core, wedge it on the mandrel and make the bead on it

turnedlight

Quote from: Lush! on April 11, 2008, 07:48:53 PM

Do you use the glue-in variety then? 



Yes, I do, although I'm getting hold of some dapping punches, I'm interested to try it..
I haven't had a prob with the glue in sort.. it's just a different market!

Here is a pic of mine, and my bracelet..

kathryn

turnedlight

Quote from: Vicki on April 11, 2008, 08:25:20 PM
the thing is if you use a machine can you say truely that it is handmade??  hey is there was a machine that lampworked the beads for us would we get one??? would we heck ;)

That's like saying you can't buy a lobster clasp for your handmade necklace.. ! I do quite a bit of silver work, and make my own toggles, headpins etc, and when I use these I make sure to say.. but I sometimes use bought findings, and I view the cores I use that way. The art is in the bead, isn't it? And anyway, the machine is handcranked.. (the ones I've seen anyway) not automated.
kathryn

Mand


Mand

Hi Tanok

??? :-[What's "pmc"? (Am a bit of a thicko on acronyms ... only learned this week what DH and LOL mean, sad I know!" ;)