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

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  #1  
Old 2012-01-19, 3:42pm
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Default Looking for tiny tubing to stabilize beads

OK I know this was discussed here a long while back. I've been hunting for clear plastic tubing that is 3mm OD to stick inside my beads to stabilize them when I wire them up for jewelry. I found some on the internet ... 100ft for $13 but they wanted $19 shipping!

Does anyone know where I can find this stuff at a decent price with reasonable shipping?
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  #2  
Old 2012-01-19, 4:10pm
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I have never used tubing but I started using these Tierracast findings last year and they work well for keeping my beads stable when making jewelry.

Arrow Springs sells them by the 100 and I have also bought small quantities on Etsy.
http://www.arrowsprings.com/BeadAligners_Group.jpg

Good luck on the tubing search
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  #3  
Old 2012-01-19, 5:02pm
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I've been thinking about this, too. I like the idea of the bead aligners, too.
I've been using bugle beads with much better success than seedbeads, but I'm still on the lookout for more resilient plastic/rubber tubing.
Then again, I haven't been down to my local hardware shop for a while, either.
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  #4  
Old 2012-01-19, 5:58pm
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I just ordered some flexible plastic tubing that has an od of 3/32, which I'm hoping will fit nicely inside a bead made on a 3/32 mandrel. It is pretty inexpensive. If it works, I'll carry it in my shop - shouldn't be more than .50/foot.

As soon as I get it, I'll post and let you know when it's available.
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Last edited by BeadBlossoms; 2012-01-19 at 6:01pm.
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  #5  
Old 2012-01-19, 6:16pm
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my $0.02 on tubing. I ordered a couple of boxes of tiny surgical tubing from Amazon (I can provide specs later if anyone is interested) for the 3/32" and the 1/8" mandrel sizes.

the kind I ordered is very flexible and and on the one hand, if the bead release was thin (smaller diameter bead hole) it can be a PITA to get it inserted. On the other hand, if the bead release was thick (larger diameter bead hole) sometimes it just slips out, which can be dealt with by getting the wire wraps nice and tight. Also, I sometime have to cut it to fit after it gets stuck halfway into the hole, and then there is a little bit that sort of shows which bugs me, a lot.

I have many feet of this stuff (more than a lifetime supply, LOL), which I can bring to Arrow Springs on Saturday 01/21 for the ISGB event if anyone wants to look at it and snip some for tryouts.
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  #6  
Old 2012-01-19, 6:47pm
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I use the rubber tubing that they make for pony beads. You can find it in black and white (more like a frosted clear) at Michael's, Hobby Lobby etc. I can't remember the name but it works really well.
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Old 2012-01-19, 6:52pm
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Julie nordine carries it in her etsy shop. $0.50 shipping.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/68084155...nment-tubing-1
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Last edited by bryna75; 2012-01-19 at 6:53pm. Reason: Added shipping cost
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  #8  
Old 2012-01-19, 7:08pm
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Some years ago I needed something similar. My husband had some excess speaker wires stored in the basement (that's a man's mind for ya! LOL). Anyway, he stripped the wire and vuala....rubber tubing!
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  #9  
Old 2012-01-19, 7:28pm
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I get mine from Julie Nordine - Credit River Art Glass
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  #10  
Old 2012-01-19, 8:09pm
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Beadsmith makes it in black and clear. They use it for those Illusion necklaces. You can get it at any bead store. I like the option of using bead aligners or not.
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  #11  
Old 2012-01-19, 9:48pm
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Thanks everyone. I have used the bead aligners and they're great but I want to use beadcaps on some things and they won't work for that.

I may end up buying several hundred feet and putting the extra in my etsy shop. We'll see.
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  #12  
Old 2012-01-20, 6:41am
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This has been a good thread. I even bought coffee stirrers to insert. Too big. Bought tubing from Home Depot. Too thick.

Now I know! Thanks Darleen for asking the question.
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  #13  
Old 2012-01-20, 9:30am
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I think a reasonable price to buy it is at about .50/ft - I've seen some on etsy selling 3 ft for $5, even saw someone selling some tubing for $15. So it pays to look around -
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  #14  
Old 2012-01-20, 9:54am
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Seems to me I saw Jacqueline of gemsinbloom selling some or at least talking about it a week or so ago. Might shoot her a pm to see if she has some, or what she recommends. Who else? Dang, I know some other LE peeps have it; you might ask this question in the customer kiosk to see if any local vendors pipe up.
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  #15  
Old 2012-01-20, 10:01am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by clan tabby View Post
Seems to me I saw Jacqueline of gemsinbloom selling some or at least talking about it a week or so ago. Might shoot her a pm to see if she has some, or what she recommends. Who else? Dang, I know some other LE peeps have it; you might ask this question in the customer kiosk to see if any local vendors pipe up.
I have tons but unfortunately it is packed up for moving. I love this stuff. Seed beads be gone!
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  #16  
Old 2012-01-20, 10:55am
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i just use tiny seed beads in glass or metal - they're cheap and work great.
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  #17  
Old 2012-01-20, 10:58am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ewdb View Post
i just use tiny seed beads in glass or metal - they're cheap and work great.
Ditto and I have TONS of them. The Japanese seed beads were the best as the are smoother and tube shaped. I use bugles a lot.
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  #18  
Old 2012-01-20, 1:05pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rudy View Post
Some years ago I needed something similar. My husband had some excess speaker wires stored in the basement (that's a man's mind for ya! LOL). Anyway, he stripped the wire and vuala....rubber tubing!
I've used the casing off speaker wire also. Worked just fine.
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  #19  
Old 2012-01-20, 1:45pm
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Seed beads work but the tubing gives you an even more stable product. Once I tried it , I knew I would never go back to seed beads. And also, it is much quicker to put the jewelry together compared to messing with seed beads.

I actually rewired many of my pieces.
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Old 2012-01-20, 6:30pm
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I often use rubber earring nuts,,,the tapered ones shaped like a cone with a rim..If holenis to small just clip off the larger end,,( the rim). they work great and fit under your beadcap!
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  #21  
Old 2012-01-21, 1:02am
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There are a bunch of sizes here http://www.jehmco.com/html/tubing.html
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Old 2012-01-21, 8:40am
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If you make beads on a 3/32" mandrel, bugle beads fit perfect in them.
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  #23  
Old 2012-01-21, 4:32pm
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Yeah Cynthia that's what I've been doing but the tubing works WAY better plus you can cut to fit the length of the bead.
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  #24  
Old 2012-01-21, 8:07pm
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Yes... and seed beads, especially bugle beads can be hard on your beading wire. I just like the feel of the rubber tubing...it softer.
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  #25  
Old 2012-01-22, 6:37am
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Has anyone found tubing to fit a hole size smaller than 3/32? I use 5/64 mandrels and have been looking for tubing to fit this size, but about the closest I can find is 3/32. Unless of course I want to buy a metric crap ton of it for over $200. Then I can find the 2 mm stuff.
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  #26  
Old 2012-01-22, 1:45pm
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DH & SS brought back some electrical shrink tubing from a trip to Jaycar yesterday.
It fits into my 'middle' size bead holes ok, but I'm looking for the smaller stuff, too.
Then I got an idea....
Why not shrink the tubing directly onto the headpin?
I just tried it on a length of wire. It works!!!!
I can get beads made on 1.6mm mandrels to fit nice an snugly on the wire.
I've also just tried it on a proper headpin with beadcap already on it. Was a bit tricky using a creme brulee butane torch with the headpin and cap, and not to discolour it.
But it worked really well.

Yes, a lot of fluffing around, but with some test runs of how you want a pendant/earring/whatever to look,then cutting to size once the cap/s you want to use are threaded, a very quick waft of heat,and the tubing is stuck, and clean.

Yay me!
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Old 2012-01-22, 4:44pm
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Update... I've also tried shrinking on piece to a pin, then for bigger holes, managed to sleeve a new piece over the pre-shrunk bit, and shrunk that too. Works like a charm. And just a ciggie lighter does the job. No need for mucking around with the brulee torch.
And it's lovely and flexible - doesn't set hard, and bends with your wire.

I reckon it would make a great end protector for crimped loops, too.

God, I love it when something works
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  #28  
Old 2012-01-22, 6:14pm
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Thanks Rudy for the tip about speaker wire casing. We had some extra wire accumulating dust and I tried it using it this afternoon. Works really well ... and didn't cost anything.

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  #29  
Old 2012-02-08, 10:29pm
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Well I thought I'd do an update.

I did buy some from another lampworker but it barely accommodates 18g wire let alone 20g. So I bit the bullet and ordered a BUNCH from a supplier. I'll be putting it in my etsy store when it gets here. If you're interested keep an eye out. It may be another 3 or 4 days before it gets here.
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Old 2012-02-10, 11:02am
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Speaker wire............. I have a TON of. cost me nothing except the time to strip it apart.

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