Showing posts with label tools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tools. Show all posts

Friday, 6 June 2014

Coring Chatelle Beads

Chatelle beads (if you don't know) are my big hole charm beads (5mm dia). Most people have heard of Pandora beads these are glass charm beads which thread straight onto the bracelet and they have a silver core to the hole.   I have named my charm beads 'Chatelles'. Can you see a connection to my ChatElaine Glass Art name?? 80))  Well I liked it!!


So I have been making Chatelles for sometime but unlike Pandora beads I don't silver core the holes. I have used grommets or rivets which you can glue into each end of the hole, these work ok but it depends on the hole width so can leave a gap in the middle of the hole core, not so good!!

However, I would like to core the beads properly but don't really have the right tools to do it. I decided last year to get some dapping punches as this was the cheaper option to achieve the coring because most of the coring tools/machines come from the USA. So getting them here is quite expensive with shipping of heavy equipment and the added customs charges probably on top as well, hence dapping punches!

Well now then, have I used them punches ...... N. O.  No!!

Couple of weeks ago a lampworking friend had a Meet-up at her place and guess what, she has a number of different coring machines and they were all out for us to try!!!  Yippeeeee!!!


She showed us how to use each one, what we needed to do and we were off 'out the blocks'   as quick as you like!!  Cutting the tubing to length, annealing the metal and into the machine to get it to lay down each side of the hole.

Here is my first bead cored in copper

 
Confritti  Heart in Pink with a little flower on the shoulder


I now have some copper tubing on its way and my dapping punches will get dusted off and taken out of the box!!  Very soon.

Been busy making beads lately so hope to have more to show you, hopefully, just so long as the kiln fairies are being kind.

Till next time

E x




Tuesday, 15 April 2014

Top Tip Tuesday ~~ Tutorial ~~ How to make Wrapped Loops

How to make:  Wrapped Loops



You will need:

Wire cutters
Round nose pliers
Flat nose pliers
Chain nose pliers

Head pin
Beads


1.  Onto a headpin place on desired bead(s), do not trim headpin as you did in the turned loop.





2.  Grasp the headpin with round nose pliers, approx. 4mm above the bead





3. Start to pull the wire around the blade of the round nose pliers, using your fingers or chain/flat nose pliers, to form the loop.





4. The wires should cross over





bend back the upright wire to centralise the loop (as in the turned loop)             

    




Tip: At this point you need to attach to the chain and/or earwire, if do not want to use a jump ring to attach the bead component.



5. Now take the chain nose pliers and hold the loop,




Grasp the loose end with a second pair of pliers (I use flat nose pliers but you can use whatever you have), pull this wire around the upright wire; ensuring this wire is perpendicular to the upright wire.



Tip:  If the wire is not perpendicular you will get sloping or diagonal wraps and they may not be neat and tidy. Using the flat nose pliers, straighten this wire so it sits perpendicular.



  
6.  Continue to wrap the wire around the upright until you get to the bead, the usual amount of wraps is 3 but it can be any number you want it to be, you are only limited by the length of wire left on the headpin.





Tip: While winding take the wire to the top (still holding the loop with the chain nose pliers), let go with the flat nosed pliers and reposition your hand by grasping the wire from the back and carry on by pulling the wire round and towards you 







and up 



let go again and reposition as before to pull upwards to the top once again






Don’t try and complete a wrap all in one go!





7.  Take the cutters and trim off the wire end as close to the base wire as possible.




Tip: You may need to straighten the loop after the wraps are complete as it can sometimes tip over slightly. Put the round nose pliers back into the loop to do this, as if re-turning it again.


 
Also the base wire can bend over slightly, just use your flat-nose pliers to straighten the loop so it becomes upright again.  

    

8.  Take the chain and/or flat nose pliers and tuck the end in by squeezing it down









slowly moving round the wire so no more wire is sticking out, until it is neat.










A Wrapped Loop





The wrapped loop is a little difficult to get right but with practice will become easier.


I hope you find this tutorial helpful and if you have any difficulties or any questions please contact me, I am happy to help.


Once you have mastered the wrapped loop, it is a very useful skill to have and can be used in many different ways within different types of jewellery making, earrings are a very common use but can also be used in bracelets, pendants/necklaces for linking or connecting components together, maybe in brooches and even in other types of accessories.




 
Bangle on a wire, connection to chains.



 
Beaded Finial on the clasp of a bangle
 
 




 
Necklace - Beads on a wire, connection to chain





 
Bookmark -  Connections between beads





Next time I will cover Coiling (I do not use a Gizmo) all done by hand.


Until then lots of practising required.  80))


E x






Tuesday, 31 December 2013

Out with the OLD! Goodbye 2013!

I can't believe where this year has gone, I have to admit I can't wait to see the back of it to be honest!

Why? Because its has been one hell of a year for me and my family.
There have been highs and lows but mainly stressful lows I am sorry to say!


So seeing in the New Year 2014 will be very well received with great expectation!
I made many plans at the beginning of this year and I achieved very few of them, I will not be putting myself under anymore pressure that way, 2014 will just happen how it happens!!! I have stepped back and taken a look at my life throughout my 50th year and thought I just want to do what's right for my family and me!

So my daughter achieved great results in her GCSE exams back in the summer but it was a hard slog for her and it felt like I was doing them with her!  Her A-levels have also been hardwork too so far, as it has been a big jump from the GCSE's but she has now started to get to grips with them and slowly she is finding her feet and beginning to plan her time better and with a little help from a Maths tutor she is finding its getting better ~~ little steps!
 
Hubbie has serious back problems which is general wear and tear of his job but he struggles on, often has physio on it but there isn't much they can do really!  I think it will deteriorate more and more so its time for me to get out there and find a proper job, well more hours anyway.

So for me the new year will find me job hunting, what sort of job will be the main problem!!! This will mean less jewellery making for me, I do still intend to be beadmaking which can be fitted around a job but I just can't cope with both.

Jewellery making I will still do things just nowhere near what I used to do, saying that I hardly did any this year but that was due to other circumstances! I will make for myself and friends but I probably won't sell as much as I have in the past. I have been adding tutorials to my blog and I still intend to carry on with that.....  even though I haven't been very good over the last month or so... eek! 

I started it in the Blogtoberfest during October and I will try my best to post on Tuesday's my Top Tips day! I feel my blog is important to me and I would really like to build a following to help other jewellery makers out there. I have been starting with the basics and will build up to the more detailed things as I go along.

I have taken a little break from my magazine work but I do hope to get back to it next year as I have a couple of items I've promised to do, they are still in the planning stages but I must finish those as soon as I can get going again. 80))


I think that's about it  ~ Oh Ummmm....



I would just like to say I hope everyone out there in blogland had a great Christmas ~~

I enjoyed it ~~

I got some new tools which I can't wait to have a little go with ASAP


and some new books with some new techniques I want to try out


 
both from Amazon


The Torched Fired Enamel book I can have a go right away ~ so I will let you see what I do when I have had a play, very eager to get going on that one! I am also awaiting one that's only just been released and I am hoping that it will arrive on my Birthday which will be really cool!



so all there is left to say is ~~~~ here's to a


VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR
2014
 
to
Everyone
 




CHEERS!! <3


E x


Monday, 21 October 2013

Blogtoberfest DAY 21

Oh dear dear me!! 

I have failed to keep up on my Blogtoberfest every day posting!!    Slappy Handy!!

Days just seem to be whizzing by and I haven't been around to organise what I wanted to post about!

I really am going to have to play catch up now but not necessarily in the order of my original schedule!  I am not good a time keeping so why I thought I could keep to a schedule I really don't know!!!  Ha ha!!


So Saturday Snippets

I headed off to the Big Bead Show at Sandown Park in Esher, Bead Magazine's Bead Show and their British Bead Awards, the winners where announced and Best in Show voting by the Bead Show attendees, I placed my vote but I didn't win any giveaway prizes though!

I did, however, get a bit carried away and my 'flexible friend' suffered a bit!

Tools were on the list amongst other things ~~ wire mainly but I did need that for my workshop which I might add is looming up fast on the 2nd November.  I have some students booked on it so its a Goer, YAY!   Need to make sure I have the necessary wire for that.

Well back to the TOOLS!

Top of my list was Letter Stamps for metal. TICK got those!  You might see my endeavours in the future.

New pair of wire cutters.  TICK got those with orange handles no less!

Pin vice, TICK.  Another pair of Nylon coated pliers, TICK got those!  Digital Calipers, TICK. And a Center Punch, TICK to them all! 

I did get a few beady things which included some solder paste and some st. silver beads and bead caps from Palmer Metals.  Gosh won't I be a busy beader!!! Whoahoo!!!!


I didn't get the wire as the supplier wasn't at the show so will need to order that on line, but I think I did quite well!  80))

And it was also my Wedding Anniversary so a lovely Chinese Takeaway for Tea!! Yum yum!



Next ~ The Sunday Gathering


I have got a few new beads to show you along with some new headpins which I have listed in my Etsy store


 
 

 
 

 
Jumbo Chatelle Beads


 
Leaves Headpins on copper wire
 
 



 
Sea Urchin Buttons and beads 

Just as few new things.


I do need to do some forum bits and bobs but will pop back to do that when I have sorted it out.



That's about it for now


E x