Silver Tubing Size for 4mm mandrels...
 

Hi!

I have read a lot (that's putting it lightly!) about silver tubing, and I'm sure I've either missed it or just didn't "see" what I was looking for, but here is my question:

I have 4mm mandrels to make Pandora Beads-WHAT SIZE SILVER TUBING DO I USE FOR THIS SIZE MANDREL?

Where to buy with Item number would be an answer to prayers, too! [-o<

I know that the info is out there in LE Land somewhere, but with life being CRAZY for me right now (and going through a complete Artistic SLUMP right now that's making me depressed!!!), I was just hoping someone would have this info for me since I don't have a lot of time to read all the posts!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for ANY and ALL help!
~Lynn

that size mandrel is not big enough for silver cored beads. 3.969 mm is 5/32 and that is the size you use for UN-cored pandora beads. If you add coring to that size hole, it will not fit over a pandora chain.

3/16 is the minimum size to use to core your beads and still have them fit on a pandora chain.

Wow, thank you so much! Guess I should have kept reading....#-o

I appreciate the info!

Its ok Lynn, I was driving myself nuts just afew days ago trying to research all that in this forum. Way too many posts on the subject with differing information.

Hi Lynn, I hope this chart will help you. It is in LE somewhere!! I copied it and taped it to my computer. All part numbers are from Rio Grande.

3/32 100-955 OD .114" ID .082"
5/32 100-905 OD .188 ID .156

1/4 100-907/14 OD .250 ID .218
1/2 100-907/12 OD .500 ID .468

3/16 100-905 OD .188 ID .156 (same as 5/32)

Hope this helps, Pat

This tubing:

Sterling Silver Tubing fits Pandora Chain.
Size 5.08mm OD/ 4.37mm ID 27 ga.
Manufacture pre-cut in 1 foot lengths

is a PERFECT fit for 3/16" mandrels and is made by:

Indian Jewelers Supply, Inc.
Part number STTB27x5mm
1-800-545-6540



This thread shows this tubing cored and on a pandora chain so you can see how it fits over the end:

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...&postcount=132

Lynn - the normal 3/16" tubings from places like Rio Grande have thicker wall and do NOT fit Pandora chain! If you purchase from anywhere other than Indian Jewelers Supply Inc., you will need the 1/4" tubings for Pandora.

Hope this helps.

WOW! You are all SO WONDERFUL!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I really mean it, you are all so kind!!! Thank you very much! This makes my life SO much easier!!!

Blessings!!!!
~Lynn

Thanks Karen Beth! I'm glad to know that it wasn't just ME!!! Thank you!!!:love:

~Lynn

I was having trouble keeping it straight too. Thanks for the concise info!
Cheers,
Patricia

Wow, that's alot of numbers! lol

I'm not coring my beads, will a 4.5mm hole fit over the pandora?

I don't have any 5/32 mandrels, I've been using the 3/16 and double dipping them.

Jamie - beads made with 3/16 mandrels will work even with one dipping of bead release.
Holes that are 4.3mm or more will work. 3/16 is 4.76mm.

Pandora - 4.2mm
Biagi - 4.1mm

Ah, wonderful!!! I saw all those ID OD numbers and my mind wandered off to its happy place!! It gets confused easily lol

I'm taping this post it to my computer screen, my wall and my work bench.

Thank you!

Just bought some tubing from Rio to fit 3/16th mandrel holes PN 100905 and wanted to let you know that this will not slide through a Biagi bracelet. So since the Biagi is smaller than the Pandora it will not fit that one either. Does anyone know what size the Troll and Chamilia are?

Patsy

I think a lot of people get mixed up because they forget that you have to allow for the thickness of the silver, so even though a pandora bracelet is 4.2 the the tubing i use is 5.07OD x 4.37ID, so your mandrels have to be at least 5mm which is bigger than 3/16 (4.76mm)

i found if i used 3/16 mandrels its a really tight fit if i dont double thickly dip them, 5/32 are even smaller - if i'm working out my imperial correctly (i'm a metric kid)

i cored these in brass which is a teeny bit smaller than the silver and they just fit

oh and troll is smaller - 3.2mm from memory

but that acutually works out better cos you can easily fit the beads over it - also it has a different catch system so the end is the same size as the chain - pandoras the catch is slightly bigger than the chain

ETA: when you use the impress bead corer be carefull because as you flare the tubing the inside dimention of the tube can get smaller if you've left too much excess on the ends - ask me how i know ;)

Thanks Deb for the info. I have the 1/4 inch mandrels and tubing, but wanted to incorporate more work into the pandora beads, so I thought I 'd try the 3/16ths mandrels and tubing. Well now I know that's not going to work lol. Do you happen to know the size of the Chamilia too?

Patsy

i've used the 1/4 in as well, that works

only trouble is that its really hard to get 1/4" rod here - i had to buy some from a hobby shop and it cost me a bomb! and i had to cut it up myself

the 3/16th works you just have to dip them really thickly

dont know the chamilia size - i thougth they were much the same as pandora

Nice brass coring Deb! Suh-weet! I really like the look of that and it is neatly done. :)

Rachel the firekat

Researched more on the forum and found out that Pandora, Biagi and Chamilia are just about the the same size. A 1mm difference between Pandora and Biagi. The Troll as stated above by Deb, is smaller.

Patsy

why thank you Rachel :smile:

in real life they look like 14k gold, you just have to polish them

i want to try copper but i cant get tubing thin enough over here:rolleyes:

So I purchased 5 pieces of this SS tubing from Indian Jewelers Supply and it fits inside my beads made on 3/16 mandrels but the tubing does not fit over the end of my Pandora chain! :( When I measure the ID of the tubing with my digital calipers, it's only reading 4.27mm ID.

Has anyone had a problem with this tubing being inconsistent? Gotta go see if I can return it now...

This might sound silly but try screwing on your bracelet just like a real Pandora bead. I had that happen once with the tubing - mine normally slides right over but I must have squished it a bit and made the hole smaller. Fortunately I was able to screw it over the threads just like the beads that you buy from Pandora! Saved my day :)

Lill

Ok, I feel silly for asking, but are you supposed to order the tubing in hard or soft??? I assume soft would be easier, but I don't want to waste expen$ive silver!

The IJS STTB27x5MM is now listed on their site as having a .014 wall. It is my understanding that in the past, the wall was at .010. Did ask IJA and they indicated that .010 was an incorrect wall size and that has been corrected.

However, it would be nice to see .010 wall. The only way to make that happen is if many ask IJS to carry the thinner wall. (1-800-545-6540)

Anyone have the answer?

Hmmm I know how hard it is to work with the hard wire I can imagine that working with hard tubing would be next to impossible with some of the coring machines out there especially cuz you are not annealing or tempering the metal ahead of time by means of heat. I have played with silver and silversmithing as a hobby for years and it is my bet that you would be using the soft.
Also I am looking for more 3/16th mandrels who is carrying them these days?
I am sure I bought mine from Reenie but now they do not show on her site- I guess I will call her tomorrow!! :)

Michelle, I think I got my 3/16 mandrels from the bead box man on Etsy.

Also, thanks for the info, Michelle. I bet you could torch anneal the metal if necessary as well.

https://eclient.ijsinc.com/eshop/def...4&category_id=

Jack