Abstract: A tool is provided for bending wire for use in earrings. The tool has a two handles; an anvil plate; two terraced floating bars; two forming links, each having a stanchion projecting therefrom and a forming link rod projecting from the first forming link; an upper and lower linkage arm; a translating pin; and a planetary gear having an eccentric forming rod projecting from its lower face. The anvil plate has a longitudinal slot and arcuate minor and major forming slots formed therethrough; a circumferential gear formed on one side of the anvil plate, adjacent and exterior to the major forming slot, spanning less than 360°; and a retaining wall and a forming anvil formed on the other side of the anvil plate. The handles are pivotally joined to the anvil plate such that the forming link rod and a stanchion engage a wire lying against the retaining wall.

Abstract: A support fixture is provided for holding chain to facilitate addition of pendants thereto. The fixture comprises a polymeric base and a pair of inter-nesting uprights pivotably mounted therein at opposed ends of the base. The uprights can be stably disposed in either an upright usage configuration or a nested horizontal configuration. The base has an upper surface with a generally planar periphery and a major centrally located recess formed therein. The upper extremity of each upright is provided with a retention pin and a padded clamp. Each clamp is formed from a “7” shaped portion and an inverted “L”-shaped arm pivotably joined thereto, with horizontal portions of the “L” shaped arm and the “7” shaped portion defining the jaws of the clamp. A resilient spring is disposed between a vertical leg of the “7” shaped portion and a vertical leg of the inverted “L” shaped arm.

Abstract: Wire used for beading is coiled on a rotably mounted reel in a dispenser having a reel brake bearing against the reel with the wire passing through a channel as extended to the exterior of the dispenser with the wire frictionally engaging both the walls of the channel and a resilient element pressing against the wire to modulate the force required to withdraw the wire from the dispenser to a value which is high enough to prevent spontaneous unwinding of the wire from around the reel but still allowing easy removal from the dispenser when desired.

Abstract: A portable workstation for beadcrafting operations is provided. The workstation includes a base including at least one receptacle for holding parts such as beads, preferably in a desired pattern. A cover interfittable with the base includes a seal portion that engages and surrounds the receptacle so as to maintain the parts in their desired position, despite movement of the workstation.

Abstract: A design board container enabling the arrangement and temporary positional securement of beading elements is provided. The container includes a base member and a lid member preferably in hinged relationship with one another. The base member and lid member include a design liner and lid liner, respectively, formed of a resiliently deformable and preferably compressible material. The liners are preferably substantially planar, i.e., a flat surface, so as to allow for free form designing unconstrained by preset channels. By closing the container, the lid surface engages the design surface and beading elements such that the beading elements deform the design liner and are positionally secured between the design liner and the lid liner. The surfaces of the lid liner and the design liner preferably comprise gripping members, such as filamentary or hair-like elements.