I've used bead rollers for years to make panels stronger, add flanges for rivets, for even add some minor decorative elements to sheet metal. But I am just getting into the artistic side of these machines. It's very challenging, with lots of new stuff to learn, and lots of scrap in my future I think. You need to anticipate where the light will fall so as to make your edge on the correct side, and to choose the right bead, which is really all about profile. There are different beads for sharp edges, for gradual radii, for etching a valley, for stepped edges and of course for round and flat beads, etc. It's all a little overwhelming with hundreds of profiles and different roll materials for thinner and softer materials. I hope to get into making my own rolls at some point.
The really skilled guys (so, yeah...not me) get so good at this they mix rolls within a piece to have soft edges for some parts and sharp edges for other parts. Given where I am on the learning curve right now it's tough to imagine being anywhere close to that level ever. You have to anticipate what you want embossed vs. debossed. This is tougher than it sounds when you go to roll it.
The good news for me is that I like machines where there is both a technical component and a creative component to the learning process, so this fits the bill. It's going to keep me busy.
Contrary to what art snobs say about "The Scream," the real interpretation is that Edvard Munch is actually making a futuristic statement about me butchering his masterpiece on a bead roller during a global pandemic. That's why he was a genius: he foresaw the future and me in it, and this painting was his response.
The really skilled guys (so, yeah...not me) get so good at this they mix rolls within a piece to have soft edges for some parts and sharp edges for other parts. Given where I am on the learning curve right now it's tough to imagine being anywhere close to that level ever. You have to anticipate what you want embossed vs. debossed. This is tougher than it sounds when you go to roll it.
The good news for me is that I like machines where there is both a technical component and a creative component to the learning process, so this fits the bill. It's going to keep me busy.
Contrary to what art snobs say about "The Scream," the real interpretation is that Edvard Munch is actually making a futuristic statement about me butchering his masterpiece on a bead roller during a global pandemic. That's why he was a genius: he foresaw the future and me in it, and this painting was his response.
