hollow bead filling
 

Ok, another newbie dumb question.

I have an big BIG interest in learning to do the hollow beads and other items and filling them with things.

My question is after the hollow bead is made how do you fill it and then keep it from coming back out of the bead.

I saw somewhere where someone filled with sand and/or hair?
Can someone help or direct me to a place I can check it out.

I am so cuffed. I made my first blown vessels and my first few hollow beads; thanks of course the help and assistance of you guys here on LE.
Thank you all.
Cher

I can think of a few ways to do it. It all depends on how large your hollow bead is, and how wide the holes are. You can plug one hole with something--string one of those tiny corks on thread or wire and run that through the bead, or perhaps a dot of superglue with a small spacer to cover would do it if the hole isn't too big. I've seen pictures of large hollows filled up with seed beads for a gumball-machine effect, and once a large clear one filled with tiny snail shells. In both cases, small-holed spacers were used to block up the bottom hole. For hair or sand or other really tiny things, you'd need a glue seal. These were pendant beads, with the holes positioned vertically. For horizontally-oriented beads, like in a necklace or bracelet, large fillers could be blocked in by small-holed spacers as well, but sand-filled beads would have to be sealed. Also, use a glue that's got some flex to it. Anything that dries rigid will eventually snap off of the bead. Good luck!

How about using a custom bead cap to block to end? Or adding a flared tube core, to permanently seal it?

Thank you.

I have to wrap my head around doing them.

I think I get the idea..

I don't have a bead liner tool, so I have to find ways to do it with out having to use one of those, or find an alternative way of making the liners.

I will be able to mess with figuring them out this weekend I hope.
Thank you both again for your comments and suggestions, it is very helpful.

Cher

If you plan on coring your bead, make sure the core fits snuggly through the holes at the ends of the bead, then fill with something bigger than the space between the core and the hole. I use micro beads or very small seed beads with good success. I tried with tinsel glitter without much luck - the stuff continues to work it's way out the hole and under the bead cap.
Here are a couple of my filled beads
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...dlyWorries.jpg
Filled with microbeads

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...sscapsbead.jpg
Tinsel glitter - not great to use!

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...pz/shimmer.jpg
Done with size 18 or 20 vintage seed needs

These are so awesome Carol! Too bad about the tinsel glitter...'cuz I love both the color and the look!

Thanks De! I thought about sealing around the holes with glue, but don't think it would hold up when flaring the tubing.

What about a clear silicone caulk? Flare when still not set. Just apply a small amount under the bead cap on the inside and the edge where it will be faired?

^^^^

There are a couple of other options.

1. make it on the end of a blow tube so you only have one end to deal with. I found the tubing to be pretty unattractive inside of the hollow plus, it takes up quite a bit of your room so you don't have as much space to fill it with the fun stuff. Find a large enough bead cap and silicon or glue the head pin in and then silicon the bead cap to the bead.

2. make a hollow bead on a 3.2 mm mandrel so you have a smaller hole and proceed as above.

Hi Cher,

I've written a tutorial on these beads that might be helpfull :)

I am so tickled with myself.

I still want to find some hollow mandrels to make more puffy mandrels.

I tried the first ones a while back and umm, lets just say they proved to be interesting. lol, I got the comment that it looked like a butt and another said it looked like a chest.. LOL It was really funny looking. It was about 3/4 hollow.

Then I of course had to try making them without the puffy mandrel.. The good news is I managed to get it round that bad news it collapsed on one side.

The next ones were better, I did both kinds and I was happy that both were indeed hollow all the way around. Still not worth doing any thing with, but still neat.

Today, I finally got a chance to play. 5 hours to make some of the biggest messes you ever saw. Sort of got a bit frustrated, so decided to switch up to the hollows again. This time only puffy mandrel. I did two and I think they both looked ok.. round, good ends not huge. Then the last one of the day I got brave and got one of the bigger mandrels I have and made a monster bead. lol Almost was to big to go in the bead door. Now I have to wait and see if they are going to survive.. I had so much fun with these, I can't wait to get more mandrels so I can make more at a time. Then I have to figure out what to do with them.

Everyone that helped me and had suggestions, I thank you.
Oh, if they survive, will try and take some pictures for you guys.

Cher

I'm in the middle of this now, and have found that E6000 is definitely your friend, having done several with no problems at all.