In examining various background treatments for scrollwork, I have seen what appears to be a beading punch used to make a very uniform background. Only being able to see it in photographs of overall design I miss the mechanics of making this pattern. I made what I surmised was the appropriate tool from #30 drill rod for experimentation. After re-hardening and playing around with different wall thicknesses surrounding the center depression (the "bead" in negative), I have displaced material that makes getting "beads" closer together and uniform in appearance. I am sure that this tool is available commercially, and there is very simple answer to my question. If in fact this is done with a punch, how do you get the beads so close together that there does not seem to be a separation between them? where does the wall thickness of the punch go? Am I missing the mark? or does it just appear like they are that close and under magnification there is a separation. After making 4 or 5 different tools with differing bead depths and shapes, and experimenting with hammer blows of differing strengths I am still scratching my head. Thanks for any help you can give a newcommer.