Online RulerMeasure a Bead’s Width
Measure the gap between two parallel flat faces that just touch the bead on opposite sides. For a bead you plan to string, hold it as it will sit on the strand. Measure across the hole’s axis for width. Use light contact so the bead stays in position while you read.
- Parallel faces touch the widest points across the chosen direction.
- A rounded bead may look narrower where it meets a flat ruler.
- A bead’s outside width and its hole size are separate measurements.
- Set the bead on a flat surface. For a width across the strand, turn the bead so the hole points along the direction the strand will run.
- Place two flat-sided blocks on opposite sides. Keep their inside faces parallel and use faces tall enough to reach the widest part of the bead.
- Slide the blocks inward until both just touch. Watch the bead so it does not roll or turn as the blocks close.
- Set a ruler across the gap at right angles to the faces. Align zero with the first inside face and read at the other inside face.
- If the bead has an uneven shape, repeat in the orientations it may take in use. Record the direction of each reading if the widths differ.
Read Past the Curve
The bottom of a round bead touches the table near its center. Its widest points sit farther up the sides. If you line up the bottom contact area with a ruler, you can miss part of the width. The flat faces bring both outer positions down to the same plane as the scale. Read from above so that a tilted view does not shift where the faces appear to meet the tick marks. If a block rocks or tilts, reset it before reading.
Keep the Hole in View
A flattened bead may be wide across its face and short from one hole opening to the other. For space along a strand, turn the setup so the faces touch the ends in the direction of the hole. For clearance beside the strand, measure across it. On an oval or faceted bead, write down which way the broad face was turned. That detail helps when a later reading differs because the bead is sitting on another face.
Use Calipers if You Have Them
Close the outside jaws gently over the bead in the direction you want to measure. Keep the bead between the flat parts of the jaws so it does not slip toward a tip. Watch for rocking on a rounded or sloped face, then read once both jaws are in contact. If you are checking whether a bead fits into a setting, measure it in the position it will occupy there. Check any raised rim or facet that could touch the setting.
Can I lay the bead beside a ruler?
You can get a rough width from directly above. Use flat faces against the sides when you need to locate the curved edges more clearly.
Where do I measure a faceted bead?
Measure across the outer points in the direction that matters for the piece. Rotate the bead and check again if it can turn in use.
Does bead width tell me which cord fits?
Check the hole separately. If you have the cord on hand, try passing it through the bead in the same way you will string it.