Consistently sized beads

[bexrox]

I'm a newbie, but I play every day, and I'm ready to try to make a set or two. I've admired so many beautiful sets here, and I'm so curious as to how you all get your beads to be the same size and shape, when you can't look at them for reference. I even have trouble getting two spacers on the same mandrel to look similar, but I'm getting better at it. I can't imagine getting a set of say eight decorated beads to look similar when each goes straight into the fiber blanket and can't be examined again until room temp. Anyone have some tips to help me? :-?

Thanks,
Becky

[evolvingBeau]

It's just practice...repetition breeds consistency. You could use metal calipers and set them for a single measurement, like a glassblower sometimes does for goblets, but this won't quite help with consistency in design.
Glass is an intuitive media for the most part, you develop a style and eventually it comes naturally..
Sometimes secrets lie in techniques, but most of the time the answer lies with the devilish response of "practice practice practice.."

EDIT: at first you it may require making 10 of them to get 5-7 that match...something that you wouldn't know about a well matched set otherwise. It can be more fun and simple to just charge ahead and make a bunch of beads and not worry about the previous bead, just work on your technique and soon they will begin to take on a consistency naturally.

[lenora]

Here's what I do, especially for spacers. I cut the glass rod into equal sized pieces depending on how large you want the bead or spacer. Then I attach a thick stringer in the same color to the end of the piece of glass rod using a tweezers to hold the glass rod section. Use the stringer as a holder to add the glass piece to the mandrel. It works like a champ!!

[CelesteK]

I try to make one initial footprint wrap. Then I add one wrap top and bottom and then another in the middle. That usually works for me as long as the glass rods that I'm working with are the same size. My bead size used to be all over the place, but now I can sort of get it the same every time just by gauging the amount of wraps that I put on the mandrel. I haven't been making beads very long either.

Celeste

[evolvingBeau]

Nice you two, I'm glad someone had something a bit more immediately gratifying to say than PPP..

[alexm]

If I really want spacers to be identical, I make a few together on one mandrel, then I can compare and add glass and make them all the same size.

[bexrox]

Nice you two, I'm glad someone had something a bit more immediately gratifying to say than PPP..

Me too! :grin:

Neat advice. I'll give em a try!

[scoutycat]

For larger beads, I have notches cut into my torch mounted marver so I can quickly figure out how big I am working. It's marked like a ruler - biggest marks are inches, middle sized are half inches and then just little tick marks for the 1/4s & 1/8s. For smaller beads, I tend to use one as reference - either make it on the same mandrel, or use a bead I had made previously as a 'model'. Most 'set makers' make quite a few more than they think they need, or make several sets worth in the same colorway, and then pick the matchiest ones. Check out the perfect bead exchange in the patio for more thoughts & tips :)

[lenora]

Me too! :grin:

Neat advice. I'll give em a try!

Wow! Well I don't think he was giving anyone a compliment!! I guess that's what you get for trying to help someone...Anyway, good luck with it Becky. It's so nice to have a place you can ask questions!!!

[Tink]

Wow! Well I don't think he was giving anyone a compliment!! I guess that's what you get for trying to help someone...Anyway, good luck with it Becky. It's so nice to have a place you can ask questions!!!

???

[evolvingBeau]

Hmm, I wasn't being sarcastic or anything, was honestly glad that you guys had something more helpful to say. I didn't have any tricks to offer and was just happy that someone else did..
We all work in different ways, just like we all learn in different ways so if you have a method that works for you then by all means use it.

[bexrox]

Wow! Well I don't think he was giving anyone a compliment!! I guess that's what you get for trying to help someone...

Sorry, did I offend someone? I'm not sure if my response to Beau's comment was misinterpreted. I'm just an "instant gratification" kinda gal. I'm very grateful for everyone's help, certainly including the PPP. I'm just glad there are other methods to help me along.

Thanks to all.

[evolvingBeau]

LOL, I think I was the offender :grin: Just some kind of misunderstanding, hopefully we're all right as rain now. I'm a really a nice guy that likes growing roses and petting kitties, not here to be tough just talk glass.

[lenora]

I honestly read Beau's post differently than he intended. My bad.

Becky, I am totally an instant gratification girl myself!! :) I love being able to come here and ask questions! :)

[SunDoorBeads]

While helping my son with his science fair project we ran into the same problem of getting a consistent size bead (yes his project was about glass!!!!) We tried several things and finally used a sharpie pen to mark intervals on the rod itself. You go from the tip of the rod and burn off as near as possible to the line if you do get the glass with marker on it don't worry it burns off without leaving any residue. This not only gave us consistent size when you looked at it but also consistent in weight. I hope this helps
Michelle Veizaga
www.sundoorbeads.com

[bexrox]

I had thought about that also, after reading the post about cutting the rods to size. I have many new methods to try now. I'll probably still make a batch of 12 to get 6 alike, but that's okay. It will get better with time and practice.

[bexrox]

So glad we're all cleared on the communication front. I like the people I've "met" here, and I don't like conflict. I really like petting kitties too, but I can't grow roses worth a damn!

Lenora, you're right, this place is an amazing source of info from experts and newbies alike. I'm spending a lot (maybe too much...?) time on LWE!

[crystalflipz]

I heat up the tip of my rod and place a spot of glass there. This is my reference point and I count how many wraps I put on the mandrel. I found this was a huge help in getting my beads a consistant size. Where PPP comes in is keeping your turning speed and the pressure of the glass onto the mandrel consistant as that will also affect your beads.