Complete Crimping Crisis

[lolabead]

Hello All,

Really need some help! Have spent nearly all day doing same crimp over and over again and still not right. I am making an asymmetrical necklace and one half is beads threaded onto 49 strand copper Beadsmith wire. The first crimp is fine as I have the room to crimp and then move the beads into place. The second crimp I can't get right. It doesn't matter how tight I pull the wire to make sure the bead is snug against the crimp tube, I hold it hanging down vertical when I'm doing it so that the weight of the beads weighs down on the wire and there is no slack left. I doesn't matter what I do there is ALWAYS a gap between the crimp tube and the next bead where the wire shows, It's only tiny but it's there. When I look at photos of other peoples work I cannot see this gap. I don't want to use crimp covers, and even if I did I'd get the same problem somewhere. I literally can't see how to get this gap closed...or am I being too too fussy?

:^o

[t1ggerk1ns]

Way too fussy.
As long as the crimp is neat and there are no nasty sharp edges then just leave it at that.
Also I am assuming that the pictures you are comparing with are finished articles. I would carry on and see what you have when you are finished.

[Stacey]

I feel your pain. :-) The fact is that your pliers are wider than your crimp and what you are probably seeing is that gap; which the pliers need to work. As the previous poster said, wait until finished before judging the result. (And crimp covers do help.)

[lolabead]

thankyou both so much, yes I have now let it lie for a bit before continuing. I really didn't think about the width of the pliers but I don't know why as it's obvious!!

[kymbi]

I know your dilemma all too well. It is worth noting that you normally need a little slack between bead and crimp when it's hung vertically so that the beads can sit properly when the necklace is actually put around the neck - if there is no slack, the beads push against each other and the necklace can be put under strain.