julieooly
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2018
Posts: 721 
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Post by julieooly on Nov 30, 2019 8:54:59 GMT -5
Ok peeps, I'm collecting some beads to go with my cabs and I'd like some advice before I buy the wrong things. I'm going to start wrapping with copper wire and so many of the designs I like have cabs + beads. First, I'm assuming if I get copper beads they should be shiny like the wire, uncoated and seamless, is this right? I do plan to also patina my projects eventually. I only see a few on the Rio website, so where to get them.
Next, I found a great websiete Fire Mountain Gems & Beads, are they good? They certainly have the selection here. I really like the lampwork beads I see so many awesome ideas!
I'm (hopefully) going to a Bellpoint Gem show in a few weeks and remember seeing long strands of beads last year when I went (I had NO idea what I was doing and totally overwhelmed at the experience). So what to buy or better yet, what to avoid?
I suppose beads are made with their holes in varying directions, so that's something to consider also. So much to learn!! I think I'm going to start by making some chains before I move on to wrapping a cab, just to get the feel for how the wire bends and moves. I'm looking at some filagree ideas where you make a number of the same shaped pieces then join them jump rings. I was gong to start with this then move on.
Help!!
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Post by rockjunquie on Nov 30, 2019 9:17:24 GMT -5
Beads...... where to begin. There are soooooo many very, very bad ones. A lot of gem beads are dyed. The quality of beads will vary drastically even on the same strand. Don't count on being able to use them all. I have soooooo many beads. I was enamored by them at one point. And used to make a lot of necklaces and beaded pieces. Now, I just have bins and bins and baggies full of beads. The best thing I did when I was starting was to buy mixed lots of strands on eBay. I got a lot of good ones that way. For lampwork, I suggest etsy. Fire Mountain gems is really good, though I never bought beads there. Always found better prices. For copper, you can get shiny or patina. Also seamed beads aren't so bad and they are cheaper. I actually got most of my copper (genuine) from Michael's. They used to carry a lot. I don't know if they still do. But, you can get them all over the place. For patina work, I suggest gel Liver of Sulfur. Be VERY picky when looking at bead at a gem show. Take your time and don't be afraid to where your optivisors or whatever. Always haggle, too.
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julieooly
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2018
Posts: 721
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Post by julieooly on Nov 30, 2019 9:21:57 GMT -5
Beads...... where to begin. There are soooooo many very, very bad ones. A lot of gem beads are dyed. The quality of beads will vary drastically even on the same strand. Don't count on being able to use them all. I have soooooo many beads. I was enamored by them at one point. And used to make a lot of necklaces and beaded pieces. Now, I just have bins and bins and baggies full of beads. The best thing I did when I was starting was to buy mixed lots of strands on eBay. I got a lot of good ones that way. For lampwork, I suggest etsy. Fire Mountain gems is really good, though I never bought beads there. Always found better prices. For copper, you can get shiny or patina. Also seamed beads aren't so bad and they are cheaper. I actually got most of my copper (genuine) from Michael's. They used to carry a lot. I don't know if they still do. But, you can get them all over the place. For patina work, I suggest gel Liver of Sulfur. Be VERY picky when looking at bead at a gem show. Take your time and don't be afraid to where your optivisors or whatever. Always haggle, too. Awesome, I was looking at the mixed beads by the 1/4 pound at FMG, like this: www.firemountaingems.com/itemdetails/h201041asthoughts? |
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Post by rockjunquie on Nov 30, 2019 9:24:15 GMT -5
Beads...... where to begin. There are soooooo many very, very bad ones. A lot of gem beads are dyed. The quality of beads will vary drastically even on the same strand. Don't count on being able to use them all. I have soooooo many beads. I was enamored by them at one point. And used to make a lot of necklaces and beaded pieces. Now, I just have bins and bins and baggies full of beads. The best thing I did when I was starting was to buy mixed lots of strands on eBay. I got a lot of good ones that way. For lampwork, I suggest etsy. Fire Mountain gems is really good, though I never bought beads there. Always found better prices. For copper, you can get shiny or patina. Also seamed beads aren't so bad and they are cheaper. I actually got most of my copper (genuine) from Michael's. They used to carry a lot. I don't know if they still do. But, you can get them all over the place. For patina work, I suggest gel Liver of Sulfur. Be VERY picky when looking at bead at a gem show. Take your time and don't be afraid to where your optivisors or whatever. Always haggle, too. Awesome, I was looking at the mixed beads by the 1/4 pound at FMG, like this: www.firemountaingems.com/itemdetails/h201041asthoughts? Depends on what you are looking for really. Cheap glass beads shouldn't be much and are not always very good. |
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Post by rockjunquie on Nov 30, 2019 9:25:58 GMT -5
One thing to consider-- when you are working with beads, you usually want several matching beads. These mixes aren't big on matches.
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Post by fernwood on Nov 30, 2019 10:37:55 GMT -5
I have purchased from Fire Mountain. Quality is hit or miss.
Another place that has beads is Thunderbird Supply. To me their quality is better.
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Post by Pat on Nov 30, 2019 10:51:33 GMT -5
Be careful with Fire Mountain Gems. Sometimes they grade the beads, avoid the lower/cheaper quality. They have a big selection of seed beads. Some of their beads are just junk.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2019 12:22:56 GMT -5
Good points. Be VERY picky when looking at bead at a gem show. Take your time and don't be afraid to where your optivisors or whatever. Exactly. You can find good beads at gem shows, and they have the advantage that you can examine before buying. I personally prefer a jeweler's loupe. I thought I'd also mention that, aside from looking for things like glue and fillers, examine the HOLES. Holes that don't go straight through, have bends, have sharp edges, or have chips are all bad signs. These shorten the lifespan of your jewel, whether strung on cheap cotton, nylon, or metal, as well as being a sign of bad craftsmanship and possible bad materials. For stone beads, you are certain to come across some nasty fillers, dyes, and outright fakes. Somehow, the bead market seems to be particularly saturated with such, so having a grasp on what to look for is very useful. There are some nice online guides that give you hints on how to spot some of the more common pitfalls ( Barbara Smigel or Your Gemologist). There are online bead makers who do top-quality work that you can trust, but these folks have customer lists that look more like a catalog of top jewelers with prices to match. I've bought from Holey Stones in the past and have seen them at rock shows (usually scooping up the top rough before I can get to it). Perhaps there are some people here who do quality bead milling and drilling, too? For metal beads, there's also the option of doing your own with PMC and similar metal clays. Should be lots of videos with instructions online. |
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