| Wood is generally easy to find and work with so | | | | dedicated artists here in America and elsewhere |
| wherever wood is found you will find wooden | | | | who revel in making their own wooden beads. |
| beads. Regional carpenters and carvers use the | | | | These artists collect exotic woods from around |
| most readily available species of wood and | | | | the world and carve exquisite and unique types. |
| beadmaking itself was used as exercises for | | | | Making wooden beads yourself is not difficult |
| apprentices or as spare time work for | | | | however, the process is involved and tedious. |
| journeymen or masters. This wide variety of | | | | Modern tools are a big help and modern |
| woodworkers and woods makes for an | | | | manufacturing processes are efficient and |
| astonishing variety of forms, sizes, and types of | | | | inexpensive. Carving beads on a modern lathe |
| wood beads. | | | | goes fairly fast and once carved, they are |
| Unfortunately, because these wooden beads are | | | | sanded, painted, and allowed to dry. Many |
| so common they are taken for granted. The | | | | companies produce beads in just this manner. |
| amount of printed material on the subject of | | | | The original method is somewhat more involved. |
| wood beads is few and far between and the | | | | It starts by gathering twigs, which can be done |
| study of common wood beads is not considered | | | | as part of fall pruning. Most fruit trees will work |
| a proper subject for serious bead researchers. | | | | well for beads and their wood is fragrant (modern |
| Much of the background for this article was found | | | | manufacturers generally use fir or bass wood). To |
| on the World Wide Web as advertising banners. | | | | make your own beads you will need pruning |
| Other sources on the Web treat wood beads as | | | | shears, a pen knife, a small craft drill or pin drill, a |
| adjunct to information on prayer beads or | | | | file, paint or stain and acrylic sealant. |
| abacus', because they incorporate wooden beads | | | | After you prune your tree, choose twigs that are |
| into the finished product. | | | | less than half an inch in diameter, peel the bark |
| Types of Wood Used | | | | off the twigs and if the bark sticks scrape it |
| Many species of trees provide material for wood | | | | away with the pen knife. Once the bark is off, |
| beads. These include olive, sandalwood, bamboo, | | | | use the pruning shears to cut the twigs to the |
| bayong, ebony, ironwood, palm, apple, pear, and | | | | approximate size beads you want or perhaps a |
| rose, to name but a few. All of these types of | | | | little larger. This will give you an idea of how the |
| wood have been used for beads either because | | | | finished beads will look. |
| the grain of the wood is beautiful or because the | | | | The next step is to drill out the pulpy center of |
| wood is aromatic. | | | | the twig. Use the smallest drill bit you have and in |
| Olive trees have a natural red grain that is wavy | | | | this case the smaller the better. Hold the bead |
| and the heart wood darkens and hardens with | | | | steady and start drilling out the core slowly and |
| age to produce an elegant pattern. The heart | | | | carefully. This should not be done with power |
| wood comes from olive trees which are pruned | | | | tools, do it by hand. It is a tedious, slow process |
| each year after harvest and the pruned wood is | | | | and unless you're careful the bead will be ruined. |
| used for decorative carvings and beads. | | | | Now the wood has to dry thoroughly, which is |
| Sandalwood Beads | | | | another tedious step. Set the beads in a dry open |
| Sandalwood beads are light both in color and | | | | space for three to seven days depending on how |
| weight and they have a distinctive soothing | | | | much moisture the wood holds. Once they are |
| aroma. Among Hindus, sandalwood is believed to | | | | dried out they are ready to shape. Now that the |
| bring clear perception to the wearer. | | | | wood is dry, file off the sharp edges and use the |
| Rosewood Beads | | | | file to create the final shape. It's probably best to |
| Rosewood is great for making beads, it is dark | | | | go with round or oval for your first batch and as |
| and heavy and dense and its grain appears in | | | | you become more accustomed to shaping the |
| subtle lines of black and dark brown. Rosewood | | | | wood you can create more complex shapes. |
| beads are said to strengthen the aura and ward | | | | The last step is coloring your new beads. Thread |
| away negative energy. | | | | them on a temporary string, fishing line works |
| Wooden beads are cherished for a variety of | | | | well. In a small container thin some acrylic craft |
| reasons beside beauty and aroma. Some woods | | | | paint with water and dip the beads into this |
| are prized because they are considered sacred | | | | mixture, the wood will absorb the paint. After you |
| like that of the bodhi tree, where the Buddha | | | | remove the beads, wipe away any excess paint |
| found enlightenment. | | | | with a soft cloth then allow them to dry |
| Most exotic wood beads originate in the | | | | completely and seal them with the acrylic sealant |
| middle-east or southern Asia, but Europe is also a | | | | spray. Staining will bring out the grain in the wood |
| source of wood beads, the Czech Republic | | | | and the acrylic sealant will prevent the color from |
| produces inexpensive pine and bass wood beads | | | | coming off the beads. Remove the temporary |
| for children's toys or macramé crafters as | | | | string and your new wooden beads are ready to |
| well as inexpensive wood beads you'd find in bead | | | | use. |
| shops worldwide. | | | | Happy Bead Making! |
| As with all forms of beads there are a few | | | | |