Bead reamer

[Hanaleimom]

Hi,
Does anyone own this tool? http://www.firemountaingems.com/details.asp?PN=H201622BS

Is this battery-operated or manual twisting? It mentioned using eye protection and water lubricant so I am assuming it is battery operated.

Thank you in advance.

 

[knotty panda]

I don't believe this is battery operated. However, I do believe it's a waste of money. What are you reaming?

 

[Hanaleimom]

tools

tools

Hi Knottess,
I am planning to ream strictly pearls. What would you recommend?

 

[knotty panda]

I don't ream because I've had reamers break in the drill hole. I go down a size in the needle or thread or both. I do know there are many on the site who do ream. They are more talented than I. How much do you have to ream? Are you trying to increase the size of the end pearls to accommodate the extra thread or are you trying to enlarge the holes to accommodate a larger gauge of wire? If wire is the issue, use wire that fits the drill hole.

 

[Caitlin]

I have that reamer. It is not battery operated. It is not better than any other hand reamer I have, just cuter.

I can't ream, so if I can't get a match between the pearls and the size thread, I have taken to using two little silver rondelles. 2 rondelles back knotted after attaching the clasp work much better than reaming.

The picture below is shows two rondelles at one end and 2 rondelles and a fat bead to allow the toggle bar some room to fold agaist the bravelet for easier opening.

BTW These are abalone stick pearls according the the big Z. Don't believe it.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I have the reamer and I like it well enough for the little I use it. I've used it mostly to enlarge the holes of gemstone beads so my beading wire will pass-- but only for the occasional bead whose hole is smaller than that of the other beads. One has to be careful; I've had beads crack in half while being reamed. Recently I used it on a few pearls and found it very tedious and slow.

It's fine for occasional light use and minimally enlarging a hole. More often, or more serious enlarging, and this is just too tiresome.

EDIT:
Now that I think of it, one of the CFW pearls whose drill hole I enlarged was damaged when a bit of the nacre chipped off at the drill hole. Fortunately the pearl was of a lower quality and I had enough similar pearls to substitute another one for the damaged one.

It made me think twice about trying to enlarge the holes of better pearls, though.

 

[jerin]

Hi Cathy,

I too have a reamer,but I am too chicken to use it on pearls and as I have no experience with gemstone beads, it pretty much just lies around...

I think Caitlin?s idea is great though.

 

[Hanaleimom]

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Hi,

I am not having any issue with the pearls yet. I haven't even started. I thought if I get all my supplies bought, they'd all be there when I need them. I don't like having to run to the store in the middle of knotting to get supplies.

Thank you for all the replies.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Hanaleimom-- see my edited post.

 

[knotty panda]

Running up to the bead shop to find that last minute, right-sized finding is just a fact of life. Bead shopping is such a trade-off. Bead stores lack selection. On-line requires infinite imagination and sometimes, just downright luck. I eventually use all my supplies, but not necessarily the way they were originally intended. I think I'll invent virtual on-line shopping.

 

[boo]

I have a battery operated reamer that I use for pearls. Usually it has been on end pearls to accommodate the doubled thread, but I also used it on all of the pearls on the shell and pearl bracelet that I posted many moons ago (I needed each pearl to accommodate 4 strands of thread). I go slow and keep the pearls under water and havenʻt (knock wood) had a problem.

 

[jerin]

Hi Debbie,

that sounds reassuring!