How many beads to a rod?

[SuzyQ]

When it comes to pressed beads I only do one. I have never actually tried two but I'm not sure I see the benefit. Now for decorated spacers or matching rounds I to do two so they will be the same size. Just plain little spacers I will do 3.
Just curious what you do and why. Do tell :)

[Kaye]

I only do one pressed bead on a rod....and thats mostly what I make...
if I do make tiny spacers I can make four to six depending on my mood.

Dan makes three normally/encased twisty style.
if he twist the twisties before encasing he does two on a rod.
Dan started doing this to get his beads more uniform in size...so they matched better for pairs and so forth....it does help when making donut style beads.

pressed beads there is no way I could do two on a rod/I do to much decorating and would loose one of the beads.
and size wise you have to have the mass of glass down anyway...and they will match cuz they are pressed somewhat.

[dogmaw]

One. Cause I usually make honkin beads and there aint room for more. :)

[Mustang Dawn]

When it comes to pressed beads I only do one. I have never actually tried two but I'm not sure I see the benefit. Now for decorated spacers or matching rounds I to do two so they will be the same size. Just plain little spacers I will do 3.
Just curious what you do and why. Do tell :)


Focals/Pressed beads only one per rod.

Matched pairs decorated 2 at a time.

Spacers depending on size 3 to 6 per rod.

TTFN, Dawn

[Three Muses Glass]

At first I didn't know what you were talking about. Whenever I see 'rod' I think glass. :grin: Got it now, I only do one whatever kind of bead it is per mandrel.

[IF-Designs]

soft glass spacers simple beads 2-4 to a rod, focals 1
Boro ill do 7-8 on a rod of simple bids
focals 3-5

[Jacinthe]

I do 1 pressed per mandrel
and 2 spacers per mandrel

[ChaseDesigns]

I usually only do one per mandrel. I do mostly pressed beads and focals, so I'm with Kaye, can only do one. I rarely do doumuts but can do two at a time with those. I let Greg do the spacers. He can do usually six to a mandrel and is alot better at them than me. I hate doing spacers!

[boheme']

I only make one pressed bead per mandrel.

Spacers I usually make 4 to 6.

[Kaye]

well they are tig rods...at least Dan got ours from the same place the mill gets theirs for welding. So its a rod first/we make it into a mandrel by using it for beadmaking, so I guess I call it how my husband does since he brings em home for meAt first I didn't know what you were talking about. Whenever I see 'rod' I think glass. :grin: Got it now, I only do one whatever kind of bead it is per mandrel.

[SuzyQ]

Yup, I think of them as welding rods. Sorry, I knew what they were before I knew about lampwork.

[gwacie]

It depends. Sometimes when I start work I forget to wait until the kiln is ramped up and then I'm stuck with a finished bead and a kiln that is only at like 500 degrees so regardless of what is on the mandrel I put on more stuff to keep me from getting bored.

How weird is that?

Usually one pressed bead or focal per rod

side by side for pairs

up to 10 on a rod for plain rounds depending upon my mood (it's a game). I make spacers when I'm 'burning off' the gas for the night and the game keeps it interesting.

[CorriDawn]

I do 6-8 spacers per mandrel. Normally ust one bead if it is anything else though, sometimes 2

[Lisi]

Ack, how embarrassing to admit that I make little beads but I'm too chicken to make more than one on a mandrel! I still make spacers one at a time! :oops:

But with boro I plan to make 3-4 per mandrel because I really won't have to worry so much about the thermal shock issue. From what I remember about Doug Remschneider's Boro Bead Magic DVD, he makes 3 on a mandrel.

[Shawn T]

I bead per rod unless they are spacers if they are I can get 6-8.

[PyroChixRock]

I'm used to working big, so even when I work small I work big. I do about 6-8 beads per mandrel of beads about this big.

http://photos.imageevent.com/pyrochixrock/glass/jewelry/websize/jewlery%20045.jpg


Saves me a lot of time/mandrels but you have to have a lot of heat of course to keep them all warm. ;)

Here's one in my hand so you can see size reference.

http://photos.imageevent.com/pyrochixrock/glass/jewelry/websize/jewlery%20056.jpg

[sadiesmom]

Well so Lisa doesn't feel singled out... I also only do one bead per mandrel... even spacers. But I haven't been at it more than a year either. I did try three spacers on a mandrel the other day, but they were all going different directions and I couldn't get them all round for anything... plus one of them cracked. :(

Do y'all round out each bead before you add the glass for the next bead?