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giggles1_gw

Sparkler questions

giggles1
13 years ago

One man's trash...

I went to a church rummage sale last night and found what must be a 5-gallon plastic zip-loc bag nearly full of NEW bags of beads... I WAS IN HEAVEN!!!

No price on it. :(

When I went to check out, the girls said 20.

20 CENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These beads were older & the GOOD quality kind. Every shape, color & size.

NOW, wanting to make the sparklers, what size gauge has everyone found to work best???

Is there a "good" length per that gauge?

And, what has everyone been using between beads? I bought a pack of the fishing things mentioned in one of the previous posts, but they are kind of expensive. Same with the beading crimps. Can the wire itself just be crimped?

If the wire is just loaded with beads all the way, is it too heavy?

Between my new 20-cent "Bag-o-gold" (ISN'T IT SADdddd that we junkers feel this way about someone else's TRASH?!?!?), and what I already had at home, this will be a great money maker project to do all winter & sell in the spring!

I'M SOoooo EXCITED!!!

Comments (6)

  • chickiebabeblue
    13 years ago

    I am so jealous! Wish I could come across something like this. I'm just starting out. I use 16 gauge wire. I'm still experimenting with length, kind of depends how much bling you're using. I have found that if I coil the wire, the beads stay in place fairly well. When I try to "crimp" the wire, it bends the wire and I don't care for the crooked look. I like it to be smooth and arched. So far I have used crimp bead covers, but I'm still looking for a better solution. I will be watching this as you are asking some of my questions too. Good Luck!

  • amigirl
    13 years ago

    I use 125# fishing line and crimp beads. Don't fill the lines too much because they hang down too much.

    Sue

  • toomuchglass
    13 years ago

    20 cents ??????????? OMG ........... I'm so jealous ...


    16 gauge wire seems to fit through most plastic beads that I use. To get coiled wire straight -- cut off a length
    ( a couple feet or a couple yards - whatever ) Put one end tightly in a vise. Grab the other end tightly with a pliers and Pull,pull,pull !!!! Perfectly straight wire !!!

    Then ........ if you want to twist it for a different project .......Stretch 2 pieces of wire the same length .
    Put 2 ends in the vise right next to each other . Walk back and put the other 2 ends in a drill bit . ( You'll fumble a bit - but the more you do it - the easier it'll get .) Back up more and hold the wire taught -- and start the drill up . Slow at first , so you can see what's happening - then go as fast as you want - just keep it taught. There ya go - Perfect - straight twisted wire .

  • concretenprimroses
    13 years ago

    Great find, Giggles! Be sure to post what you make. Toomuch, thanks for the instructions.
    Kathy

  • Marlene Kindred
    13 years ago

    WOW! I'll bet you could hardly contain yourself.....great find! Can't believe you got all of that for 20 cents! Way to go!

  • dee54
    13 years ago

    Following someone elses advice I bought 17 ga. electric fence wire on a 350 ft. roll for about seven dollars. Start with whatever length of wire you want and put a loop at the top of it. Then I put one, three, or, five glass beads on the wire always making a loop below the last bead. Go down a varying length of wire and make another loop. Put another group of beads with a loop under the last one. Repeat until you fill the wire making sure you leave a length of wire at the bottom to put in the copper tube with all of the other compleated wires. After placing the number of wires you want for your sparkler into the copper tube pinch it to keep them in. Then you can shape your wires however you like. I also like to vary the length of the wires that I use.

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