How to Make Metal Beads

While the practice of making homemade beads from clay is well established, until recent years there have been few options available for home bead crafters looking to make their own metal beads. Today, however, metal clays allow artisans to create custom silver, gold and bronze beads utilizing clay sculpting techniques. Make plain or textured beads of any shape and fire them into sturdy, permanent pieces.

Things You'll Need

• Metal clay
• Dish of water
• Craft knife
• Toothpick or large needle
• Lace or old notebook
• Kiln or firing brick and butane torch
• Stiff-wired brush
• Burnishing tool or polished agate
• Jewelry blacking
• Rag

Instructions

1. Soften the metal clay by working it in your hands. If the clay is tough, dry or crumbly, add some water to it by wetting your hands as you work. Do not submerge the clay in water, as this will make it too wet.

2. Shape the clay into a long, thin snake by rolling it between your flattened hands and a hard, smooth surface. Move your hands up and down the length of the snake as you roll it to ensure that its thickness is as consistent as possible.

3. Cut small pieces of the snake. Make each cross-section you cut of the same size to ensure beads of the same size.

4. Form the pieces into balls by rolling them between your palms.

5. Give the beads texture. Press a textured surface against the surface of each bead to make an impression of the texture. Good textured surfaces include coarsely woven fabric, baskets or macrame with tight weaves, the edges of notebook pages and lace.

6. Poke holes through the center of the beads with a large needle or toothpick.

7. Let the clay air dry for several hours or until it's hard and dry to the touch and has changed color to a lighter shade. If there are any rough spots you don't want, sand them down at this point.

8. Fire the clay according to the manufacturer's instructions. Let the fired metal cool for at least an hour before handling.

9. Brush the metal with a stiff-bristled brush to remove the burnt organic components, leaving only the metal.

10. Burnish the metal rubbing it firmly with the tip of a burnishing tool or a piece of polished agate or quartz. This will compress the metal particles and make the bead shiny and smooth.

Tips & Warnings

• If desired, you can add antique blacking. Spread the blacking liquid on the bead, working it into the cracks in the texture. Wipe away as much of the liquid as possible with a lint-free cloth. This will remove all but the liquid inside the cracks. Let the bead dry before stringing.