Tools and Tips for Measuring

With some of my beading projects, I actually work over a ruler.  An example would be when I make an illusion-style necklace.  I like to start from the middle and work from side to side.  In order to keep my intervals between beads nice and even, I set the beads in place right over a regular plastic school ruler.

Here are a few ideas for keeping a measuring instrument at hand!

At the hardware store, you can purchase self-sticking measuring tape for around $2. Use a strip on your bead table, another on your bead tray, or even on your traveling bead case.

Keep a measuring tape in your traveling bead box. You don’t need a 6′ measuring tape, so you will be able to find one that is compact and fits easily with your gear.

Beadsmith came out with a little job called “The Ultimate Folding Ruler.” I ordered some and will be listing them in my eBay store. It is very clever - it folds out into the length of a regular ruler, with both inches and centimeters, but then it folds up into a little compact cube about the size of a Chunky candy bar! (actual measurements 1.5″x 1.5″x 1″.) It will retail for about $1.75 and is cute as a bug!

In a later post I will address the tools you can use to measure your beads.

 

Straightening Headpins and Wire

When you order headpins in bulk, they can arrive looking like a bird’s nest.  To straighten them out, you can roll them between two surfaces.  The Wire Whacker is a good tool for this, as it is made of a heavy plastic which will not mar the headpins.  Another great tool to straight headpins (or any wire for that matter) is the nylon-jawed pliers that I call “Mr. Smoothie.”  For light headpins, a nylon-jawed chain-nose plier would be fine.

Removing Chalky Bead Release from Lampworked Beads

Indian and Chinese lampworked beads can be an inexpensive and attractive alternative, but quite often you have to contend with that thick white stuff lining the holes of the beads. It’s called bead release, and it is what allowed the beadmaker to remove the bead from the steel rod (called a “mandrel.”)

You can remove bead release safely and easily with denture tablets. When I go to the dentist, I ask him for a package of samples. Just plop a tablet or 2 into a bowl of water along with your beads and allow the denture tablets to do their magic.

Removing AB Finish from Old Crystal Beads

I am a thrift store/yard sale/flea market fiend.  If you are like me, you know that you can often find old crystal jewelry for a pittance.  The problem is, often the clear crystal beads have an AB finish which is scratched and tatty-looking or faded.  You can remove it completely and use the clear crystal beads by rubbing the beads very gently with very fine steel wool (#000 & #0000)  This will also work well with tarnished metal vintage findings.  What do you have to lose?