Wire wrapping -Q & A or helpful hints and information

[#1]

I'm starting this thread so members can post questions and get answers. Or if you have a helpful hint, just post it here.

I'll start with a helpful hint.

Do your pliers leave marks on your wire? If so, an inexpensive solution is to get a fine Emory board from your beauty supply and gently file the edges of your pliers until they no longer feel sharp. This will keep your pliers still precise but reduce those icky marks and burrs.

[Former_Member]

Craft stores offer both brass and silver tone wires that are 2.99 a spool. Easy to learn with until you can afford the aregitinum wire (spelling) and gold filled.

Also, I like using copper wire from the hard ware store too....16 to 18 gauge.

[Former_Member]

Finally a thread where I can put my 2 cents in... ;) And may I say you guys have some awesome stuff in your shops.. I am still kinda new to the wire wrapping. I have been only doing it for about 2 1/2 - 3 years, So I am really thankful for the tips and tricks.. I was wondering if one of you knows a good website where I can get good quality wire that is not too pricy?

[Elementalsjw]

@Janice - Thank you so much for the briolette tip - it's perfect!!!

@ crudeco - Love and share your thought that working with stones just brings you peace. Sometimes just touching a stone makes me feel I'm connected to the earth. :)

[Former_Member]

Working with rocks saved my life. After a bad divorce and a fall off the wagon (drugs) I slipped into a depression that seemed to consume me.

My Mother sent me my Father rock collection from when he worked on the Union Pacific railroad. Then in the same week some ask me to fix a necklace that broke. The doors of a new world open up for me.

I met people who were also into rock. An older gentleman invited me to join the rock club. I met an insurance salesman who had a vintage rock specimen collection that he was willing to trade for house work. It all blossomed in the summer of 1996.

There's something so pure and healing about working with natural stones. I still get a wee bit giddy when I wash out a batch of new tumbled stones, run my hands through the batch of fresh wet shiny jaspers, agates and petrified wood chunks.

[Untwistedsister]

Wire wrap Helpful Hint for March.....

Q. How do I figure out how much wire I need to wrap a stone pendant using a border wrap?

A. This is a general "rule of thumb" answer:
Put a narrow strip of (1/4" wide) painters tape around the circumference of the stone (the outside edge). Take that piece of tape off and measure it. Add 4 inches for the bail and embellishments. Multiply by the number of wires it will take to cover the bevel of the stone plus 2 wire widths.
eg. My stone is 4 inches in circumference and the bevel is 2 wires of 22 gauge square wire wide. I will need 4 wires, each 8 inches long or 32 inches total.

[Former_Member]

Great info Terri.

[Untwistedsister]

Sometimes I think I enjoy teaching as much as making.

[Former_Member]

I teach four to five class at the college here in Twin. Prepping down for a wire-wrapping jewelry class for the summer. Probably a four session class.
I don't supply the tools but polished rock and tumble.

They make for nice bit of extra cash. And I enjoy it.

[Former_Member]

Hi Terri, thanks a lot for putting this info up. it is very nice of you.

Maybe i could rob some of this and put you a special blog on the team website?
I would of course give you 100% credit and very generous links and banners on the blog. :-) if you want, if not no problem. :-)

[Former_Member]

One my of jewelry professors taught us to wrap the ends of our pliers in masking tape to keep from leaving marks. I still do it and it works great.

I only recently started to dabble in wire wrapping, it's fun!

[Untwistedsister]

Jerry, I'd be honored.

[Former_Member]

Thanks you for the tip . I am still learning the tricks . I do love working with the stones and wire :)

[Former_Member]

thanks for the masking tape trick! do nylon jaw pliers work I wonder?
really good tip to know: wear safety glasses! at the very least make sure you are protecting your eyes when making cuts

[AvesDesign]

Thank you Terri for the advice on the measuring - plus all of the above advice. This is a great thread.

[Former_Member]

I have always been interested in wire wrapping. This thread has been most helpful. Armed with the tips here, I think I will get brave and try it out.

[AnjasArts]

I'm still a novice with wrapping. While my rings are great, I've found that I'm a bit scared to branch out. I am now trying to however work on my skills.
I have a very hard time making bails in wire wrapped pendants. I'm never satisfied with them they seem loose and sloppy to me.
I recently made my first cuff and it turned out pretty well for my first shot at it.

[Former_Member]

As others have said, this thread has some awesome information so thank you all for sharing! I'm really interested in getting into wire wrapping but really don't know where to start or more importantly, what kind of wire to buy.

I'm a total newcomer to wire wrapping but definitely want to try. Do any of you have tips as to a good place/project for a beginner to start? Also, what kind of wire do you guys use on your jewelry, especially for ornate/scroll work?

I am anxious to try to introduce some new flare to my pieces in the future and wire wrapping really seems like somethin' I'd enjoy. Any advice/hints/links for a beginner would be awesome! Thank you!

[AnjasArts]

I started out using the craft wire from walmart. They have 2 sizes and it's under $2 for a spool, when you switch to dead soft wire though in sterling or gold fill it is a lot softer. Copper is also great to practice on. I use 24 ga and 20 ga

[Former_Member]

Haley, there excellent tutorials on youtube.
Just type in:
"traditional wire-wrap technique"

My wrap isn't traditional lapidary technique. I was a home body after my divorce and hadn't yet joined a rock & gem club. So, I didn't know there was a professional "technique" to use.

I pretty mush cried a lot ans taught myself how to free form wrap. Its secure and I use very little wire. Mine is like playing pool, there are angles and degree's of each stone, I follow those.

BUT you'll find great resources online.
Good Luck girl, and swing back by here if you have more questions, untwisted is amazing at her wrap art.

[Former_Member]

Anja, there is a lot of difference in the feel for craftwire and metals like copper. Just keep practicing and if something doesn't work out...ask a friend whom you trust for their honest opinion. Sometimes we can just be perfectionists, but others like the "organic" look!

If you still feel it's not to your standard, cut if off, set it aside for recycling and start over. Copper is still cheap enough to scrap if you're unhappy.

[AnjasArts]

Yay: I've advance to gold fill and argentium now.

[Untwistedsister]

@ Haley... I do alot of traditional method wrap and also teach it. I use alot of square wire because it bundles better and using half round wire to bind those wires together. For beginners I always start with dead soft square wire but half hard for the binding wire. I have tried some of the free form woven styles but I'm not great at it. I'm working on improving my silversmithing skills.

[GenesisGems]

Haley,

I use 22 + 24 gauge half hard square and 22 gauge half hard-half round.

Terri,

Are these considered traditional wire wrapping?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/121366417/rare-covellite-gold-wire-wrapped-pendant?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/121568016/african-pietersite-gold-wire-wrap?

[Untwistedsister]

@Paul... Yes. Bundled square wires for a pendant harness with wires pulled to hold the stone. Nice job. I like the style on the Covelite especially.

[Former_Member]

closed