Measuring and Rollilng a Bicone Bead

The following measuring method is recommended for adults only as a sharp clay blade is used. This method works very well to measure clay for rolling beads in Poly-Tools, Inc. bead rollers. The example herein is clay measuring, bead rolling and color swirling using our bicone bead roller.

The equipment you will need, a ruler with raised 1/16th inch increments, a clay blade, and the bead roller.

To begin the measuring process, roll a log of clay, using well conditioned clay.

Press the log of clay into the roller top the size you wish to roll.

Trim excess clay off the top of the roller top, running the blade parallel with the roller, keeping fingers safely out of the path of the blade!

Locate a ruler with raised increment markings.

Press the 1/16th inch increments into to clay inside the roller top.

Lift the clay out of the roller top, lay it on your work surface.

Cut the clay, using the marks, to the length recommended in the instructions for the size bead you are making.

Cut the lengths squarely across the marked clay.

Roughly hand form the clay into a ball, place it in the base of the roller, then place the roller top over it.

Move the roller top back and forth over the clay in the base. A new bicone shaped bead will result!! Repeat the process with the rest of the measured amounts of clay.
Having successfully rolled a bicone shape, some color will be added and swirled.

Roll thin little logs of clay. Cut them the length that the distance is from point to point on the bicone bead.

Place the bead at one end of the base.

Place the roller top over the bead.

Roll the bead to the far end of the base, and remove the roller top.

You will notice the strings of color are beginning to "wrap" around the bead. Pick the bead up, place it back at the other end of the base again, being careful not to turn the bead around. Re-roll, keeping the bead going in only one direction.

The result of the effort!