How can I make a single bead?

[Bay Area Dave]

On the face of a 1 1/4" board I want ONE bead. The closest I can come is to use the TS to cut 2 ea. 1/8" dados and then relieve the edges CAREFULLY with a round nose bit. Then some sanding... It's very difficult to get the traditional rounded profile of the bead. I looked into getting a molding bit for my Sears molding cutter, but the bead bit makes 3 beads. This isn't something I need to do often, so I don't want to invest in another brand of molding cutter, even if they have a single bead bit. Suggestions?

dave

[Tom Watson]

Dave:

Make a scratchstock.

Regards, Tom Thomas J. Watson-Cabinetmaker Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania

[bs]

Dave,

Get the Sears cutter bead cutter set ($11) and grind down the outer edges leaving a single bead. Be sure to take the edges off fairly evenly so things aren't to far out of balance. I had a set that I ground down after making beaded door panels for my SIL (remember that thread?).

I found it to be the most economical and efficient method for me - but I was making 40+ panels too.

Bob S.

[Bay Area Dave]

Tom, thanks for that idea. I searched Google for instructions and found only links to video instructions. Could you enlighten me further? I presume I could use a putty knife? Do I cut the two kerfs on my TS first, and then drag the profiled knife down the center, over and over to get it to conform to the round bead shape? Do I grind a bevel on the tool?

Cluelessly, Dave

Tom Wats> >

[Bay Area Dave]

that's a good idea, that crossed my mind last night at Sears. The immediate problem is they didn't have any in stock. I think if I can get Tom's idea implemented I'll give the scratch stock a try, otherwise I'll order the Sears cutter. Thanks!

dave

bs wrote:

[Secret Squirrel]

"bs" wrote in news:UUylb.18058$% [e-mail]:

Even easier is to use the three bead profile and bury two of the three inside a sacrifical fence. Only allow the portion you need outside of the fence wih no need to modify the cutters

[bs]

Dave,

They do have a single bead cutters as shown on-line.

Sears item #00923218000 ($10.99) Craftsman Beaded Ceiling Cutter

item #00903208000 ($9.99) Craftsman 1/4in Bead Cutter Bit S.

[Bay Area Dave]

[Bay Area Dave]

thanks, Bob! I'm gonna check with a different Sears store in my area to see if they stock these puppies...

dave

bs wrote:

[Swingman]

Scratch stock is the surest way to get it authentic.

The quickest might be to use a steep 'V" bit in a router and route two shallow "v"'s , side by side, the correct distance apart, then round the intervening edges with sand paper or a scraper.

I've also used a Dremel tool and one of Dremel's little bits to do the same thing on more than one occasion.

A kludge, but It looks like a bead when you're done ... at least it satisfied SWMBO the last time I did it (.. route a bead that is.)

Another method for a raised bead is some 1/8" stock with one edge rounded over, then sandwiched between two wider boards. Once the glue is dry, rip the piece to width.

[John McCoy]

Bay Area Dave wrote in news:m_xlb.2709$1K1.1651 @newssvr14.news.prodigy.com:

Lie-Nielsen #66 hand beader. It's made for just that task.

Or, like Tom suggests, make a scratch stock.

You'll be surprised how fast & easy it is to cut a bead by hand. I did a mess of them for some T & G panels for the back of a cabinet a while back, and only spent about 15 minutes on it.

John

[Charles Erskine]

There is some scratch stock info here. Practice on scraps of the same species of wood first.

[Scott Brownell]

The 2nd one is the one I mentioned using in an earlier post. Either would work very well.

Scott

[Bay Area Dave]

Bob, thank you, thank you, thank you!! I went across town to Sears and got the single and 3 bead molding bits. I just installed the single and ran a piece of wood through it. It's PERFECT! Exactly the profile I wanted and a great quality of cut! Thanks SO much for your help!

And thanks to the lady at Sears who didn't give up searching the aisles for a tool that she had a hard time finding. In fact when I got there, she had stepped out for a few minutes so I roamed the aisles to find the section with the various molding bits, and gave up. Right after I paid for the one that she put aside, she showed up and showed me where she found them. So here is a gal, not completely familiar with what she was looking for, who found them (it's a BIG tool dept), and I couldn't.

dave

bs wrote:

[Bay Area Dave]

Thanks for your ideas. Yesterday, in one store that had many more Dremel bits than HD, I thought about getting one of those little roundovers, but I don't want to use my Revolution instead of my router table. By any chance, is there an 1/8 to 1/4 adapter to put into a 1/4 PC7518 collet?

dave

Sw> Scratch stock is the surest way to get it authentic.

[Bay Area Dave]

thanks, Charles.

I took a look at that link and saved it. That appears to be a serviceable, albeit "last resort" method, huh? I had envisioned a much simpler tool just dragging along the stock...

I just picked up the single bead bit that I couldn't spot in the Sears catalog. Bob S. found the part number for me (bless his soul) and I just got back from Sears with it and ran a piece of stock through it with PERFECTO results.

dave

Charles Ersk> There is some scratch stock info here. Practice on scraps of the same

[Bay Area Dave]

part number 3208 is what I got for one bead. works great!

dave

Scott Brownell wrote:

[bs]

yer welcome....

Bob S.

[Andy Dingley]

Buy a single bead router cutter

Buy an antique moulding plane

Buy a #66 and make a cutter. Old Stanleys are fairly common and can be quite cheap, if they're not pristine or have lost cutters / fences. They should have two fences; one straight, one curved, and it's worth having both. Cutters are consumables - L-N sell plain stock for making more, if you can't find your own source.

Make a scratch stock. I think the Garrett Hack plane book has good instructions. This works, but personally I prefer the #66 - it's easier to keep the cutter aligned vertically.

To make a single bead cutter, start by drilling one or three round holes, then cutting the edge back to expose them. It's easier than trying to grind a semi-circle into the edge.

-- Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods

[Wood Butcher]

I haven't followed this thread from the start so ignore this if it has already been said.

Cut a dado in the face of the board and glue in a dowel.

Art