Figure 2. A disassembled bead-maker showing all the component parts.
1) Top unit with side-arm to which a hand-held bulb-type air pump and gauge can be attached for pressure regulation as needed. Above the side-arm is a plastic adjustable valve that can aid in regulating air pressure, sealing the system from the pump, and allowing for backfilling of air or other gas when pump has been removed.
2) The upper three-point adjustable horseshoe clamp for holding units 1 and 3 together.
3) This unit serves as the reservoir for the fluid sodium alginate with mixed cellular material(s). The unit shown here has an approx. 50 ml solution capacity, but is intended to be used with approx. 30 ml samples. The height of this unit can be varied to accommodate larger volumes as needed. Note that top and bottom O-rings are shown in place.
4) An aluminium separation plate with pores for the flow of sodium alginate-specimen mixture. Through these pores, the droplets of the mixture fall into a CaCl2 solution below.
5) The lower three-point adjustable horseshoe clamp for holding units 4 and 6 together, and with the porous separation plate in-between, held by O-rings on each of the glass units.
6) The bottom unit serving as a receptacle for the alginate-specimen droplets that fall into a contained CaCl2 solution. The bottom part of the unit is bevelled outwards to provide a self-supporting stand for the assembled system. A solid glass bottom is above the expanded stand, and is also accessible from the inside for easy cleaning.


Supported by UNESCO / MIRCEN network