Any tips on wobbly beads?

[azhoms]

Hi All, :waving:

My husband is the lampworker. I create pendants using his lovely
beads. I have tried putting bugle beads and little seed beads
down the center around the head pins and sometimes the head pin is too thick for the "washers" (seed beads).
I suspect someone out there can give me some suggestions.

The mandrels he uses are 1/16. I am using 24 gauge head pins because they are easier to do wire wrapping. By the way, we are using ZippZ for
bead release. I like it very much since I am the "cleaner upper."

I enjoy this site and looking at all the beautiful beads you make.

Thanks for your help. MA

[GinnyHampton]

I do the same thing with my earrings (seed beads) to ensure a nice tight finished piece . . .. . I use 3/32 mandrels and 22ga headpins. You're using a thinner headpin than me, so maybe you need to look at larger seed beads to use as fillers. The seedbeads I use easily slide onto a 22ga headpin.

[Bubbyanne]

I read (I can't remember where) a tip that you can use earring rubber stoppers to keep beads from wobbling on head pins but I think they only work on beads with larger holes. I don't know if they'll fit into the beads made on 1/16th mandrels or not.

[azhoms]

Hi,

I just saw that idea in a bead mag. Looks like she has
very big holes for the earring stopper to work. It would
be a hole larger than my hubby makes. I think we will try
a larger mandrel and see how I like that.

Thanks very much for your reply. Mary Ann:waving:

[artwhim]

I have used this method for focals, but if you have a large number to do, it might drive you crazy because it isn't a speedy process, so I only do this if the seed beads don't fit right or I want absolutely no wobble.

-cut a small square of craft foam
-put hole in middle of square with pin
-then put headpin through the hole
-with fine nose scissors, cut all excess foam off so you have a small circle (my small thread scissors resting on the headpin while cutting leave just the right amount of foam) You only want the circle to be slightly larger than the hole you are filling. It is easier to cut the foam on the headpin because otherwise the small circle tends to rip as you are putting the headpin through the hole.
-Position the bead near the foam on the headpin so once the foam is in the bead's hole you don't have to reposition the bead much
-Use a straight pin (like the ones you get with a corsage) to gently push the foam into the hole until all the foam is inside
-Repeat the process for the other end of the bead

I took pictures of this process for a tutorial, but haven't turned it into one yet. Need to figure out which memory card they are on.

[CelesteK]

Try using delica beads. They have a larger hole in comparison to their size and the headpin should fit. I prefer to use 24 gauge headpins, and if I use a good quality seedbead they usually fit over 24 gauge.

Celeste