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How-To / Project #68-002-39: Resin bead projects & ideas from Rings & Things

Resin Bead Projects and Ideas — Project Sheet #68-002-39

    Tools, Supplies & General Instructions for all Drilled Beads
    • A Dremel or Foredom, or any drill with an attachment for tiny drill bits
    • A .027" drill bit  
      (In our #69-046-part "Set of Replacement Drill Bits", this is the 2nd to smallest drill bit in the set)
    These beads are very easy to drill.  Almost no pressure is needed with any power drill.  They can even be drilled with a manual hand drill, but it is time-consuming.  After one bead, it wouldn't be fun any more. This glue dries quite quickly.  Be sure your head pin is the right length before applying glue.  After applying glue, promptly put the pin in the bead.  Be sure to use enough glue for a good bond, but not so much that it globs up (much) on the bead's surface after inserting the head pin.  If you have excess glue on the surface, use
    • Fine-Grain Sand paper
    Fine-grain sand paper easily removes dried glue from the surface of these beads.  The surface of these resin beads is already matte; just try to sand in the same direction as the existing surface grain.
    • Wire Cutters
    Be sure that all head pins are trimmed so that they go almost to the bead's center hole, but not all the way into it.  If they poke/abrade your stringing cord, they will shorten the life of any necklace using that bead.

Seed Bead Embellished Resin "Eye" Bead

Parts:

    Seed-bead embellished resin eye bead (image courtesy of Rings & Things)
  •     1    27-001-282    15x13mm Resin Bead, Amethyst
  •     12    37-097-B        Ball Head Pins, .027" diameter, Brass
  •     4    23-844-525    E Beads, Size 6, Cobalt Ghost
  •     12    20-224-525    Seed Beads, Size 10, Cobalt Ghost
  •     12    20-228-282    Japanese Seed Beads, Size 11, Amethyst

Instructions:

    Seed-bead embellished resin eye bead instructions (image courtesy of Rings & Things)
  • Drill 4 holes, centered and evenly spaced around the diameter of the bead, to the center of the bead.
  • Drill 4 pairs of holes (8 total) evenly spaced between the original holes, all to the center of the bead.
  • Add Beads:
    • Put an amethyst seed bead, cobalt seed bead, and an ‘E' bead on a head pin. Trim head pin to approx. 12mm total length (so it fits almost to the bead's center hole). Test to make sure it is the right length before applying glue to head pin. Apply a small amount of glue. Insert this head pin in one of the first 4 holes you drilled.
    • Repeat 3 times.  If necessary wait for glue to dry, and sand off excess glue.
      Adjust amount of glue if necessary when you continue to the next step.
    • Put an amethyst seed bead and a cobalt ghost seed bead on the 8 remaining head pins. Trim each head pin to approx. 10mm. Test each before gluing.
      Glue these into the remaining 8 holes.
    • Wait a few minutes, then test all the head pins to make sure they are securely glued in.  If any come out... glue them in again!
Crystal-Embellished Resin Bead - Embellished Resin Oval - Heat-Treating (Faux Amber) Resin Beads - Rubber-stamped Resin Beads

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