INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THE USEFUL-TOOLS HAND BEADING TOOL

• Clamp beading tool in vice, making sure handle can be turned without fouling the vice or bench.

• Prepare pipe end to be swaged by squaring off and de-burring.

• If using aluminium alloy pipe, make sure material will form without cracking. It may be that you will have to anneal the pipe end before forming a bead.

• Release adjusting knob and slide tube end over the small spindle until it touches the tool body.

• Spin down the adjusting knob until the tube is lightly gripped between the rollers.

• Apply a drop of oil or light grease to the large roller.

• Holding the tube lightly against the tool body, turn handle until tube has rotated at least one turn. (Note: It may pay to wear a pair of industrial gloves to avoid chaffing the hand holding the pipe if lots of beads are to be formed.)

• Turn adjusting knob down slightly - say 1/8 turn or so.

• Still holding the tube lightly against the tool body, turn the handle until the tube has rotated at least one turn.

• Repeat until the bead has started to form. At this point, the tube should have formed enough of a 'track' to hold itself in position on the rollers.

• Carry on turning the main crank - turning the adjusting knob 1/8 to 1/4 turn per turn of the crank - until you have formed a satisfactory bead.

• Release adjusting knob to allow tube to be removed from the tool rollers.

• Note: If tube ends start to mark during the beading operation, apply a further drop of oil or grease to the outer roller.

• Clean oil/grease from the tube end and dress with wire wool or lap mop material to burnish end.

• Finally, check the appearance of the bead formed. If you see stress/crack marks, check with your material supplier on the specification of material they supplied.