I'm a meek and mild individual. Really. I'm small, not particularly strong and positively shrink from any violence near my person. However, even I have a rambunctious streak, as when I'm slagging silver and crushing the life out of innocent beads. Here's how:

First you must use seamless beads, such as those manufactured by General Findings. This technique is for round (spherical) beads. Use stonesetting (parallel jaw) pliers. I use chainnose, but flats would probably be better. I generally use fairly small beads, 3–6mm.

I make three shapes—disks, straight square-sided rondells, and squares. Disks are easy: position the holes of the bead so they face the jaws (that is, the axis of the bead is perpendicular to the flats of the jaws) and squeeze. Viola. If you use corrugated beads, you now have for about 1/3 the price one of those fancy corrugated disks. I usually make these using 3 or 4mm base beads.

Rondells tend to come about when using the larger spheres. I like to use the diamond faceted and “disco ball” rounds for a fancy rondell–these specialty rounds have nice big holes that make make it a little easier. Again, position the holes against the flats of the jaws and squeeze till the rondell is the desired length (remember, the length of bead is measured along its axis, that is, hole to hole). You will need to pay attention for your rondells to be consistant.

Squares are fun. Start as for rondells, but only squeeze a bit. Then rotate the bead 90 degrees, so that the bead's axis is now crossing the jaws. You could also position the axis parallel to the jaws, but I find it's a little easier to grasp the bead with my fingers by the holes to position it. Rotate the bead about its axis to add the second pair of sides.

Now, wasn't that fun?

Unless otherwise noted, text, image and objects depicted therein copyright 1996--present sylvus tarn.