I read on the forum once that someone used a vice grip for a bead maker so I thought I'd spend the 3 bucks on a cheap china one and give it a try. All be damned it works! This is how I made it.

Ground down all the chrome plating

welded a few beads on both jaws

welded a little "hump" on the lower jaw

ground the lower jaw to what I wanted my bead to look like

ground the upper jaw to fit the lower jaws "hump"



I still have a little finishing work to do to the tool but here is what she looks like in the rough state. The nice thing about this is it's very portable, cheep, and can do smaller tubing (the beader that I was going to buy would only do 3" or larger and was 30 times the cost!). So if your looking for something fun to do for a hour or so make a bead-o-matic

 

you're shittin' me, it came out like that from a pair of vice grips? Not bad, not bad at all. How long did it take?

 

NIIIICE!!!!! lol

 

I suppose i should read the whole post before I reply 1 hour from start to finish, cool

 

Make more tools and i'll buy one I don't feel like making the tool



C

 

Dude, all you need to do is make a mandrel bending tool and you are set

 

89 rag- I was sceptical at first also but I thought what the hell it's only 3 bucks The tool took about 45min to make and it takes about 15 min to bead a tube (that one is 2.5" diameter).



vosko- thanks



turborotor- you can make your own, only takes a few min to do. Plus then all your friends will think your're cool cause you made a bad *** bead roller Hmmmmm.... mandrel bender... I wonder if I can make one of those for 3 bucks also Any ideas?

 

Nice work--

 

Can you make me a tool? I'll send you some vise grips.

 

haha thats sweet