Let’s Talk About Bead Spinners (and a DIY bead spinner tutorial)

One of the questions I am asked frequently is about Bead Spinners. Specifically, which ones are the best and what I recommend, so I figured I should just go ahead and do a full blog post on the subject.

If by chance you don’t know what a bead spinner is, then my friend you need to find one and get acquainted because they are amazing. Basically, a bead spinner (aka bead stringing tool or bead loader) is a tool used to help string beads onto thread or wire.

(Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase after clicking on my link I do get a small percentage of the sale with no extra cost to you. I am a conscientious affiliate linker. I will not ever include links to products I have not or do not use and love.)

Bead spinners generally come with two parts: a base, and a bowl. The bowl will have a spindle at the top and a hole in the bottom. The base will have a shaft of some type that is inserted into the hole in the base of the bowl.

1. Fill the bowl with your beads, 1/2 to 2/3 full is optimal.
2. Curl your wire into a hook. Make sure the end of your wire is flat, not with any awkward cuts, which will make it harder for the beads to get onto the wire.
​3.  Hold the hook over the beads with the tip just skimming the top of the beads (not touching the bottom of the bowl).
4. Spin your bowl using the spindle and the beads will jump right onto the wire. My wire tip is pointing right, so the bowl needs to be spun to the left. If you are left-handed you may need to do the opposite with your wire on the opposite side of the bowl.

​I’ve even gotten my spinner to work with just a curve shaped wire skimming the very top of the beads. Find a way that works best for you.

Over the last year I have been collecting and testing bead spinners from several different brands and makers so I could compare them, and also because they are fascinating little tools and I have hoarder tendencies. 

So, let’s take a look at my arsenal of spinners and let’s talk about what works, what doesn’t work, and the pros and cons for each type. I am not sure of the availability of some of these models outside of the USA. And there may be other models available overseas that are not available in the US. ​

First up is the Micro Spin-and-String (by Beadsmith). I found mine on Amazon, though I’m sure it could be found elsewhere. It is plastic and really cheap, so I figured I might as well give it a whirl. I can’t find many pros for this one unfortunately.​
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​Lots of cons though, so it doesn’t get a solid recommendation from me. Firstly, the “nub” in the base that holds the spinner on is really short, and if you don’t spin slowly and carefully the bowl wobbles and stops. I feel like the whole design would be better if only the nub were longer (and the hole in the middle of the bowl shaft longer to fit the longer shaft, of course). The opening of the bowl is small too, so it’s harder to get wire into the bowl without bumping into the edges and slowing it down even further. It also doesn’t hold many beads, because it is tiny, but if you’re just working on a small project that probably doesn’t matter much. It does work, though, if you’re careful… It’s not the greatest spinner, but it will do in a pinch. I kept it mostly as a novelty. ​

Now for the cons, it uses batteries… which cost money. Get some rechargeable ones. Also, because it has a motor, it is not quiet. There is a constant churning/grinding mechanical noise. I have a hard time with constant noises and I sometimes bead while “watching” tv,  so the noise was an annoyance.  It’s also a little bit slower than I like to spin my manual spinners.

Bottom line, I don’t use mine anymore due to the noise and speed. However, most people who have one love it, so I do consider it to be a good option.

You can find it on Amazon, in craft stores, and many other places. I’m not sure if this one is available in all countries.

Mini spinners are smaller than the standard sized bead spinner (which is discussed below) and therefore holds less beads. But that’s not a real problem. Because bead spinners work best when they are more full, a small sized spinner is ideal if you work with small sized beads or small amounts of beads.

There are two brands that offer these mini spinners, Beadsmith’s Mini Spin-and-String and Beadalon Spin-n-Bead Jr.  However, I’m about 90% convinced that it is the same spinner that they buy from the same manufacturer and slap their own name on it. The one I purchased was sold under the Beadalon name. Unlike the itty bitty micro spinner, these are made of wood. Some pictures show them with a round base, and some show them with a hex-shaped base. You may, like I did, buy a listing that shows a round base and get one that has a hex base, just so you know. I think the round base was the older design and they changed the spinners without changing the picture on the box. Or something. Bottom line is, I love my mini spinner. The only thing that irritates me about it is that the central “shaft” in the center of the base keeps slipping down to protrude out of the bottom, so I have to keep pushing it up. Not a deal breaker.

This little one is a very good option if you only want to buy one bead spinner. You can use it with a small amount of beads, or just refill if you’re using more. Plus… Beadalon recently came out with a new product called Spin-N-Bead Quick Change Trays. These are thin plastic trays that fit perfectly over their Jr sized spinners. They come in a pack of 2 or 4, depending on where you get them. It’s a great way to switch out bead colors without having to dump your beads every time. It came in handy while I was working on my recent Moth Orchid with small amounts of 8 shades of blue seed beads.

My trays came a little crinkled, though, due to poor packaging. It doesn’t affect the way they function, just aesthetics. There is also a little bit of static cling that makes some beads stick to the sides, but you just swipe them off while you’re removing your beads and it’s not a big deal. Over time, the static disappears completely. Depending on how full your trays are, you can even stack more than one at a time on the spinner.

The most commonly found bead spinners are these larger sized wooden bowls, and I love them.

There are two basic styles: ones with a knob at the top of the spindle, and ones without a knob at the top. What I found in my search and testing, is that the brand doesn’t really matter. Just make sure to test the one you do buy to make sure it isn’t a dud. Spinners should spin for a while before slowing down and stopping, but sometimes, as you often find in many mass-produced goods, you get one that doesn’t spin nicely, grinds, or only spins for a few seconds before stopping. I have gotten a dud from both Beadalon and Beadsmith brands. But I own multiple spinners from each brand, and most are perfect. Just note that a little wobble isn’t a deal breaker. As far as I can tell, that’s fairly normal. It’s only problematic if it’s so bad that the bowl grinds to a halt. So, buy from a reputable dealer who allows returns, just in case.

What’s great about these spinners is that you can control the speed. If you like to go slow, you can go slow. If you like to go faster, you can do that too. Just don’t go too fast or beads will fly everywhere. You can spin either direction. These spinners fit around 2-3 hanks of size 11/0 seed beads (70-120 grams) in the bowl. I have several spinners in this size.

First let’s look at the spinners with knobs at the top. I’ve found this exact same spinner under many names – Beadsmith Spin and String, Speedy Spinner (from Fire Mountain Gems), and even Euro Tool. (though it’s possible this last seller just didn’t send me the right spinner…). All three of these are shown below. Just like the Mini Spinners, I’m pretty sure that they are all actually the same spinner… just with different names slapped on the box, and sometimes a different colored wood, but that just tends to happen with wood I think. What I like about the ones with the knobs at the top is that they are easier to grip and spin than spinners without the knobs.

The spinners without knobs are sold under the Beadalon name. The only difference is the absence of the knob. I personally have a harder time gripping these, but I still like them because you can fit the Beadalon Quick-Change trays over the shaft. The bowls of the trays are smaller, but it still works.

I also have a few bead spinners that were handmade by real actual people. These ones are my favorites. They don’t work better, but there’s a nicer feeling to them simply because of the time put into them by other people like us who like to make things with their hands (or tools).

First up is a mini sized spinner made by wood turner Jerry Ritter. I purchased mine from Amazon, though he also has a Facebook page. This little sucker spins like a dream. It’s as smooth as butter. And he uses different, more exotic looking wood. I also love the heavier and wider base. He even signed the base of the bowl. His spinners are a bit pricey though, which is why I only have one, and it was a gift. His spinners are smaller than the Beadalon mini spinners, so perhaps it should be considered a micro?

Another wood turner in Russia, named Nerovny Dimitry, makes bead spinners as well (he also makes kumihimo tools). He offers both a large and mini size, and I have both. They are both wonderful. His larger sized bowl has a wider base than the factory-made bowls of the same size, which I love. He even handmade the little knobs at the top of the spindles. His mini sized spinner is similar in size to Jerry Ritter’s mini. And his current prices put them in the same expense category as the larger sized wooden bowls. You can find his spinners in his Etsy Shop.

This next spinner is my absolute favorite of all my spinners – because my daddy made it just for me. He designed it with his fancy engineer computer software and carved it out of aluminum with his lathe. Mine is the only one in the whole world. It kind of feels like a trophy – probably because it’s so shiny. With a bowl measuring 6 inches wide, it fits around 400-500 grams of beads. And while it is heavier, it spins more smoothly than any other spinner I have, even when fully laden with a freaking half kilo of beads. No wobble, no noise whatsoever. It’s also too wide and heavy to tip over. You can see it below beside a standard wooden spinner for scale. ​I have named it “Beast”. I might see if he would be willing to make me a matching mini or standard sized one without a spindle (since I spin it from the side anyways).

I almost feel bad displaying this one here, since it’s not available to purchase anywhere. But I felt it deserved a mention just because it’s special and cool.

While bead spinners are very useful, they are still an expense. If you’d rather save your money for beads, you can make your own. It’s not even hard.
Here’s what you need:
– Small plastic bowl
– Empty bead tube (or other tube-shaped object to act as a spindle)
– flat-backed marble (some are weirdly shaped, so pick one that is nicely round)
– Plastic lid (not pictured, but something similar to a Pringles can lid)
– Hot glue gun

1. Glue the bead tube to the center of the bowl. Make sure it’s nicely centered.

2. Glue the marble to the underside of the bowl, again nicely centered. The flat side of the marble should be against the bottom of the bowl. (This marble is optional, it does work without the marble, but not as easily.)

3. Turn the lid upside down and set the spinner on top. This lid just helps keep the spinner contained in one spot so it doesn’t spin around the table. You may not need it if you aren’t using a marble.

 

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Ta-da! Bead spinner!

I might spray paint mine, just for kicks. While it’s not the best bead spinner, and it take a little more practice to get the hang of it, it does work. Definitely better than the Micro spin-n-bead or stringing by hand. 🙂 ​

In other news… I was going to record a video this week. I have all my pieces made, my PDF companion guide made… and I was getting myself pumped up to do a video. But then my husband finally told me that my in-laws are visiting from California this week. So now we are going up the mountain to their cabin so our kids can play with their cousins. I can’t exactly record video with 6 kids running around.

So I’ll be working on pieces for the other pattern that I’m doing this month. This one won’t have a video, just a PDF, and it will be available in my shop at the end of the month. I have a lot of patterns that I’m trying to get through, and the list keeps growing. But I whittled my list down to two flowers that I wanted to make, and then let my Facebook and Instagram followers vote. The fancy gigantic Split-Tip Dahlia was the winner, so that’s the pattern I will be working on! I will be formatting it similar to my recent Moth Orchid pattern. This shading is very tricky, and I don’t want to overwhelm any newer french beaders (or those who don’t like doing lots of shading) who want to give the design a try, so I will be making an easier coloring pattern of the petals for the main part of the pattern. Then I will have close-up pictures in the back of sample petals, along with the bead colors I used from this dahlia for those who do want the advanced shading option.

I will be publishing the rose pattern in September, though it won’t look exactly like this one. I want to make some adjustments, additions, and test out another idea to add to it, which is why this one made it into my final two.