For many years now I have watched my students struggle with shaping their beads. After many visits to Venice, Italy where beadmakers primarily use metal tools/presses to shape each and every bead, I realized beadmakers in the U.S. could really benefit from a new series of shaping tools. I came home with many ideas, but did not want tools that were essentially molds, but tools that allowed the beadmaker more flexibility.  I went to my friend Craig Milliron of Arrow Springs, (the leading designer and manufacturer of tools for flameworking), he liked the ideas, made some improvements, and together we created the series.  Click here to place an order.

The Osibin Former Ô

The Osibin Former Ô Now available in two sizes, (Small/Medium and Large/extra large), this graphite shaping tool superbly assists the glass beadmaker in making any round/oval shaped bead. Each side of this two-sided shaping paddle has one half of an oval shape cut into it. The oval starts as a narrow and shallow curve, and as it widens out it gets deeper. The curve of the oval is different on each side. This tool is so flexible that it can make very small or very large shapes, all faster and better than using a traditional flat paddle. This tool has cut my beadmaking time in half!

There are several ways to use the tool. The idea is to allow you to shape any round/oval bead in a curved depression instead of on a flat paddle, which can be difficult to say the least. When you try to make a round/oval bead working on a flat paddle, you actually create infinitesimal tiny flat facets on the surface of the bead. If instead, you work within a curved depression you are working with the form you are trying to create.

1) The simplest way to use the tool is to marver your bead with the mandrel perpendicular to the depression. Find one spot that is close the length of the wrap of glass and roll, staying in just that one spot. This will create a bead with perfect tapered ends and a fatter belly. Working in this way you can make several different sized beads on each side of the tool. So, the original Osibin Former makes large to extra large beads, while the new smaller version makes small to medium sized beads. For multiple layered beads you can start by working at the narrower end of the depression, and move to the wider area as you add more glass, so the shape will be perfect at each stage of the bead.

2) Work within the depression, at various angles, in some cases one half of the bead at a time, with either the mandrel/tapered end towards the open end of the paddle, or at the opposite end, depending on size and desired shape. You will need to experiment with the paddle to get the hang of it. Using the tool in this manner you can make any size and shape round/oval bead.

3) By pressing the bead in the depression one half at a time after shaping you can create various tabular and amphora shaped beads. I use the tool in this manner to make my Aotearoa River Stone beads.

The Osibin Forming Series – The Osibin Former Ô is designed by Kim Osibin  and is manufactured by Craig Milliron - Arrow Springs.

The Kim Cone, Bi-cone and Vessel Shaper Ô

I love bi-cone beads! For many years now I have been making long bi-cone beads and cone shaped Vessel beads with wide tops and gracefully tapered bottoms. Anyone who has tried to make these shapes knows how very difficult it is to do. Now there is a tool to help perfect these very desirable shapes, and make it oh so easy! This tool has cut my beadmaking time in half!

The Kim Cone, Bi-cone and Vessel Shaper Ô is one of the most versatile graphite glass shaping tools available. Two long tapered V shaped grooves are arranged in reverse to each other on one side of the tool to facilitate easy shaping on both the left and right side of the bead. The other side is a flat surface so it can be used as a regular paddle. The tool can be used in several ways to create various shaped and sized beads.

1) To make a symmetrical bi-cone with straight sides and a 90º center angle hold the mandrel, with glass on it, perpendicular to the direction of the tapered V groove and rotate the mandrel. Work rolling in one spot, the over all size of the bi-cone is determined by the amount of glass originally put onto the mandrel and where you work in the V. Using the tool in this way you can easily make several different sized beads.

2) For longer bi-cones it is necessary to shape the bead one half at a time. Hold the mandrel, with glass on it, parallel to the direction of one of the two V grooves. Holding the bead at an angle, marver the bead with the tapered end at the widest point of the V, (work right at the end of the V to make nice blunt ends). Switch to the other V shaped area to make the other half of the bead. By holding the mandrel at different angles to the groove, you can make any length or angle cone, bi-cone or vessel shape with either a straight or curved profile. The over all size of the finished shape is not limited by the size of the V groove. Remember to shape the tapered end in the wider part of the cone.

3) Make a cone shaped bead by simply rolling within the length of one of the V shaped groove. If you change your angle a bit while you are marvering you can create many different shaped cones and even teardrops. In order to make the shape you must keep the bead turning or you will end up making more of a faceted bead, which leads me to the last possibility with this versatile tool.

4) So, last but not least, after you make your basic bead shape, working within the V, you can simply turn and press to get a faceted affect. Think of the endless possibilities...four sided cones and bi-cones. Try three sides, or create tapered facets simply by changing the angle of the bead. With The Kim Cone, Bi-cone and Vessel Shaper Ô the possibilities are endless.

The Osibin Forming Series - The Kim Cone, Bi-cone and Vessel Shaper Ô is designed by Kim Osibin and Craig Milliron and is manufactured by Arrow Springs.

 

The Osibin Lentil Shaper Ô

 

This graphite tool is really a bead mold. I love this form and have struggled for years trying to create tabular beads that were perfectly round. If you like this shape as much as I do with this tool you can’t go wrong. This tool has cut my beadmaking time in half!

 

The Osibin Lentil Shaper Ô is a graphite tool for making lentil bean shaped beads. It has four different sized depressions so that you can make different sized beads, or make a graduated strand of beads if you like. Better than pressing the glass between two curved shapes of a mashing tool because each of the tool’s four diameters has a different curve to them that, when worked over the glass, can give you near limitless diameters and profiles.

1)To use the tool wrap the glass on the mandrel to match the length of one of the depressions, a good starting shape is oval, (an oval bead will be round when pressed flat). Then heat the bead and press first one side, then heat and press the other. I like to press gently so that I don't squash or over press one side of the bead. It can take a little time to get used to how much glass is just right for each mold, but you will quickly get the feel of it. The final form takes shape surprisingly fast.

2)You can use this tool to create nice shallow buttons and cabochons by gathering a ball of glass on the end of a glass rod and then pressing the ball into one of the lentil shaped depressions.

The Osibin Forming Series - The Osibin Lentil Shaper Ô is designed by Kim Osibin and is manufactured by Craig Milliron - Arrow Springs.

The Osibin Disc and Donut Shaper Ô

 

Disc and donut beads can be difficult to shape. Especially when working with thin wall stainless steel tubing or the Emiko Big Hole Mandrels. This tool helps to create perfect sidewalls on those oblate disc and donuts with ease. This tool has cut my beadmaking time in half!

The Osibin Disc and Donut Shaper Ô is the latest in a series of tools designed by Kim Osibin and Craig Milliron of Arrow Springs. It is a graphite shaping tool with four different long tapered grooves carved into one side, the other side in flat and can be used in place of a regular paddle. The grooves are shallower at the tapered end getting progressively deeper to the open end. Each groove is a different width to create different bead sizes. The tool can be used in several ways.

To make a disc or donut bead hold a mandrel with glass on it perpendicular to one of the four grooves. Choose an area to rotate the bead depending on the thickness/bulk of glass on the mandrel and based on what size bead you want to make. As you build layers of glass you can work in the deeper carved areas as well as moving from one groove to another to make the bead thicker. Be sure to stay in one place once you find the right spot for the amount of glass you have. This creates perfectly even glass around the mandrel as well as perfect sidewalls.

The Osibin Forming Series – The Osibin Disc and Donut Shaper Ô is designed by Kim Osibin and is manufactured by Craig Milliron - Arrow Springs.

©Copyright 2002 - 2003 written by Kimberley R. Osibin