what shape to start out with if you want a 'squeezed' bead

[cgbeads]

I'm too lazy to spend 3 hours looking for a tutorial that will tell me what shape to start out with if you want a 'squeezed' bead. Should it be a football or a barrel?

Thanks, Donna

[Kaye]

a chubby lemon drop for me, pretty much the same size I use for lentils and lozenge beads...just remember having a brass stump shaper with presses is almost a must...you can heat and touch a area just to even it out after you have pressedI'm too lazy to spend 3 hours looking for a tutorial that will tell me what shape to start out with if you want a 'squeezed' bead. Should it be a football or a barrel?

Thanks, Donna

[cgbeads]

Thanks, that helps a lot, I was starting with a barrel and mine turn out rectangular.

FYI, I use the top of the mold but a stump sound like a great idea too.

[Kaye]

FYI, I use the top of the mold but a stump sound like a great idea too.

I didn't have a brass stump shaper for over a year when I learned to make beads...after buying one, its one of my most used items on the table...from helping move clear encasing...to just moving glass to help a bead along.

using the mold is a good idea, but a brass stump shaper you can bring the mandrel up eye level and really see what your doing, its an awesome extra to use when using presses