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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips

View Poll Results: Do you ever sell beads or beadsets that don't have perfectly dimpled ends?
No, never, it isn't professional. 120 37.97%
Sometimes - and leave as is. 30 9.49%
Sometimes - use a dremel to smooth out the area. 139 43.99%
Yes - what the hey... 27 8.54%
Voters: 316. You may not vote on this poll

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  #1  
Old 2007-02-28, 3:53am
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Default Dimpled Ends Always?

I want to start a discussion/poll about selling beadsets that may not be perfectly dimpled....or sets where you have had to touch the holes lightly with a dremel tool (i.e., where silver has beaded near the hole, or frit has gotten too near the hole, etc.). Not sure if this has been covered before, but would love to hear what you all think on this topic.
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Old 2007-02-28, 4:34am
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I used to sell beads without dimples ALL the time! It was never an issue. I wanted ROUND beads and not doughnut beads, so the dimples were OUT. Burrs on the ends of beads isn’t good, but no dimples is okay, imo.



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  #3  
Old 2007-02-28, 4:44am
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Like Candy some beads especially spheres don't typically have dimpled ends the same goes for some of the pressed shapes. I always make sure my donut's, bicone's, barrel's etc have nice dimpled ends where applicable. if I do get pointy ends at all the beads rejected, I don't file the pointy bits down as I don't think it ever works well, they still seem sharpish to me so I chuck em, I wouldn't want them cutting some jewelry designers thread and ruining a piece.
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  #4  
Old 2007-02-28, 5:59am
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Default Can I edit the poll question?

Hi people...

I guess I wrote the poll question incorrectly. I understand about spheres and other beads not being dimpled, etc., but my intended focus was to poll about touching up bead holes with a dremel, i.e., silver points left from burn in, a random frit piece flipping to the mandrel and leaving a point, etc.

Am I able to edit the poll question - anybody know?
Thanks!
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Old 2007-02-28, 6:36am
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Gail - I guess I assumed that was what you meant. I have only sold beads with dimpled ends, and have never "touched up" a bead to sell it. But I guess I might if the bead was good enough to be worth the extra work, and the results would not be noticeable. I wouldn't want to buy a bead that looked like it had been "drilled out" on the ends.
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Old 2007-02-28, 7:24am
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IMHO, if a bead needs "dressing", a term some use for cleaning up the ends, then it's not suitable for professional jewelry.

The ultimate goal for lampwork beads is to be the major components of a jewelry piece. The ends must be balanced, flush, gentle, even and "soft"....a term I use that I can't really describe, but understand in terms of how the bead settles next to the other components of the piece.

I am very tough on myself when I cull my beads, they are either right or wrong, and there's no gray area in quality.
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  #7  
Old 2007-02-28, 7:39am
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I don't want my hand-wound beads to have a machine-made look.
Sometimes cleaning up the ends while cleaning out the bead release is part of making a hand-wound bead...a perfect bead hole shouldn't define the quality or suitability of a hand made art glass bead.
Just my opinion.
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Old 2007-02-28, 8:15am
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I have used the dremel to get rid of the sharp ends and it always leaves a mark. I find that if I etch the bead, the mark just blends in and if you didn't know it had been "fixed" you wouldn't be able to tell.
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  #9  
Old 2007-02-28, 8:19am
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I always aim for perfectly dimpled holes in my beads. Most the time I succeed, but the ones that aren't perfect I throw into the "reject" bowl. I don't feel right about selling beads that have bad holes. I DO believe a perfect bead hole defines quality. I also think jewelry designers prefer the smooth dimpled holes.
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  #10  
Old 2007-02-28, 8:45am
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I don't have any problem with making small touch ups to the holes, as long as the doctored part won't show once made into jewelry. I'll even do some major grinding IF I plan on making it into jewelry myself. And then I'll use a bead cap to hide the marks.
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Old 2007-02-28, 3:16pm
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As a buyer, not yet mass seller, I do look at the "quality" of the bead as to the dimpled end. It depends on the shape, of course. I listened to one beadmaker at a show who thought she was so good that she no longer needed to worry about the ends - that kicked at my interest in what she was talking about to the extent she seemed to forget about really well-made beads. Though she mostly made sculptured beads, she was referring to all of her work and not whether or not the bead could have nice dimpled ends. I believe there should be pride of quality and craftsmanship. It's interesting to see what you all do when considering the finished beads when selling.
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  #12  
Old 2007-02-28, 7:52pm
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I have also ground the ends with a diamond ball burr, reheated in the kiln, and then fire polished the ends in the flame. I have only done it if the piece was a real time hog. (1+ hours to make it.)
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Old 2007-02-28, 7:57pm
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I don't dimple the ends of my goddess beads.
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Old 2007-02-28, 7:59pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevan View Post
I don't dimple the ends of my goddess beads.
Well, the butt was dimpled and that is kind of an end.
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Old 2007-02-28, 9:22pm
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For me it depends on the shape. If it is something that needs a flat surface, like a button or pillow shape, sometimes a little dremel is in order. Also etching can help cover up dremel marks. My goal is to make great looking beads that won't harm any stringing media. If I think they won't look good when made up, I won't sell them.

I would never sell a donut shaped bead that was lacking a nice dimple.
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Old 2007-03-01, 12:47am
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Quote:
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Well, the butt was dimpled and that is kind of an end.
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Old 2007-03-01, 1:28am
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As a beader, I don't want dimpled ends even though I put them in almost all the beads I make. I want smooth ends, but you frequently 'lose' adjacent beads in the dimples. There are ways to work around that, but I'm not sure they look all that professional. I always think the lampwork should be the 'star' and compensating for the dimples frequently makes the accents far too prominent. But, what the heck do I know - I wear my stuff.
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Old 2007-03-01, 6:35am
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I always dimple my ends on every bead. I also make sure the bead end is straight. If a bead will not stand up by itself, or is off on a slant, the bead will not see light of day. You can't put a bead cap on an uneven end with or without a dimple. I believe ends should be perfect on all beads. I have ruined a few beads trying to make a perfect end. It is too important, and not worth a ruined reputation.
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Old 2007-03-01, 8:54am
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I don't let nasty ends out. Sharp things around the hole should be an instant rejection. Sell what you want to sell, but I prefer to put my name on first quality work.
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Old 2007-03-01, 8:55am
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Oh and how do they make it to the kiln like that? Doesn't everybody inspect the ends before they go to anneal? or am I just anal? If a bead end can't be fixed in the flame, I water anneal it.
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Old 2007-03-01, 9:21am
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I agree that sometimes a dimpled end is more of a problem in a piece of jewelry than an asset. I don't want a sharp end but a smooth end (like a round pearl) that doesn't loose the next piece is sometimes preferred. I'm not sure who the guru was who said there had to be dimples/puckers.

But that doesn't answer touching them up with the Dremel. For me if my end needs that, there is usually more of a problem than just trying to zip off one spot.
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Old 2007-03-01, 10:09am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Smiley View Post
Oh and how do they make it to the kiln like that? Doesn't everybody inspect the ends before they go to anneal? or am I just anal? If a bead end can't be fixed in the flame, I water anneal it.
EXACTLY!!!
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Old 2007-03-01, 10:34am
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While I try to make a neat end, if the bead passes my æsthetic scrutiny
I don't have any problem "trimming" the end. I have a stunning bead by an important beadmaker that has totally ground ends and it is a work of art.
If the ends don't detract from the visual appearance, I don't worry about them.
Then again, I usually don't make beads for jewelry makers particularly, and I can see where a certain engineering is important for them.
The art's the thing for me!
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Old 2007-03-02, 8:31am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Just Nancy View Post
I agree that sometimes a dimpled end is more of a problem in a piece of jewelry than an asset. I don't want a sharp end but a smooth end (like a round pearl) that doesn't loose the next piece is sometimes preferred. I'm not sure who the guru was who said there had to be dimples/puckers.

But that doesn't answer touching them up with the Dremel. For me if my end needs that, there is usually more of a problem than just trying to zip off one spot.
When I make sphere beads I absolutely don't want a dimple.

I don't think anyone is talking about selling beads with sharp, jagged bead holes....who would do that? I don't think all art glass beads have to be dimpled or should be dimpled.

No bead should have sharp, jagged bead holes. What you do to achieve a nice smooth, clean bead hole doesn't have to revolve around the perfect dimple.
Just my strong opinion.

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Old 2007-03-02, 10:30pm
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Ya,
Water for the bead with bad anything that can't be fixed.
G.
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  #26  
Old 2007-03-02, 10:50pm
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I have done minor touch up work with a Dremel when I felt the edge was too abrupt to be gentle on stringing material. I don't sell beads with uneven, jagged holes, whether or not it can be "fixed" with a Dremel.

I have used a flat lap to grind and polish beads that had an irrecoverable problem at the ends, though I don't think I've actually sold the result... just given them away. It looks great, good enough to do it to beads that are perfect to begin with.

I would have to be pretty pissed to water anneal a bead! I save everything... I have been amazed by what my friends (and kids) will do with the ugly pieces of crap I throw away! From fishbowl decor to mosaics to game pieces to plant ornaments, and there's a little bit of joy in having little brightly-colored bits of glass around. I like to take my rejects to the beach and throw them in the water, too; I got the idea from a glassblower on the Coast who does something similar, but much more grand, each year.
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Old 2007-03-03, 12:11pm
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When I make spherical beads my holes are not dimpled at all, but the holes are straight and even. I dremel very lightly to smooth these holes to protect the stringing material they will be used on.

I have this dremel bit from Inspiration Toolworks, and I'm so sad to say that he can't get these in stock anymore!

Does anyone know what I can use as a alternative?? I prefer something with very fine diamonds so the dremeled area is nice and smooth. I love this flange on this bit. Damn...

http://www.inspirationtoolworks.com/lampworking/0014/
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  #28  
Old 2007-03-14, 7:21am
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I've only ever taken one class; the instructor talked very badly of people who sell inferior beads - she spoke of beads with ends touched up as really rather inferior. I've never sold a bead with a bad end - whether it was intended to be dimpled or flat. I've never used my dremel to fix an end to sell a bead.

I have however fixed beads that I am not adverse to throwing in as extras to a set. For example, I recently made some cow beads with sculptural elements and a strawberry milkshake was a sweet bead except for the nub by the hole. While I couldn't repair the end and sell it as part of a set I was not adverse to grinding the nub down and adding it to the set as an "extra" before it went in the mail. The bead was never advertised in the set and if the client could use it I was fine with it, if she couldn't she could toss it - who cares I couldn't sell it anyway. I do the same things with beads that are slightly too big for the set, and even sometimes with coordinating or "test" beads as long as they could integrate with the other beads. I never mention them as part of the set, I'd never sell them, but my clients just love the "extras" even if it wasn't a bead they'd buy they love them for free.
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Old 2007-03-23, 2:55am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Just Nancy View Post
I agree that sometimes a dimpled end is more of a problem in a piece of jewelry than an asset. I don't want a sharp end but a smooth end (like a round pearl) that doesn't loose the next piece is sometimes preferred. I'm not sure who the guru was who said there had to be dimples/puckers.

But that doesn't answer touching them up with the Dremel. For me if my end needs that, there is usually more of a problem than just trying to zip off one spot.
I find this to be very true. I don't make much jewelry but when I have made bracelets with my semi-round/dount shaped beads, the bicone crystals get partially "lost" in the dimples unless I put a 3-4mm round silver bead there.

I've tried making "really round" beads with puckers, and they always end up very slightly barrel shaped. Have to marver them to get the ends to poof inward. It's a matter of heat and gravity that rounds the beads, but sometimes you have to manipulate with tools. PITA, if you ask me, so I rather let the heat and glass do the work.

I like the straight holes, like in pearl beads too, and long as the interior edge isn't sharp on the stringing material. This is where a little "zip" for a split second with the Dremel makes things all good. IMHO, just as professional as any other. Neat and clean is...neat and clean.
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Old 2007-03-23, 4:52am
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I don't sell my beads Most of them are given away or kept in various jars. I'm all about the bead jar.

But if I did, no sharp ends for me! I might dremel a minor imperfection away for something I plan to give away rather than sell.

Here's a question for you though: I didn't feel like breaking out the dremel to clean some beads so I used my old wood-handled tungsten carbide bead reamer.... and I noticed it leaves tiny little chips around the opening on soft glass beads... no matter how gentle you are. Is that "unprofessional" or "acceptable", provided the bead was properly dimpled?
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