Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
September 20, 2011

Question:

Which wire temper should be used for making rings (in general), dead soft or half hard?

-Barbie in Girard, Ohio

Answer:

Hi Barbie, this is a tricky question! Most traditional wire rings are made using half hard wire, but as you will read below, soft is perfect for some designs.

The classic Pharaoh’s cabochon ring is generally made using half hard wire, however when using a fragile stone like an opal or malachite it is smart to mix the tempers, using soft wire where the wire crosses the top of the stone.

The traditional Prong Ring is best made using half hard wire because the wires the prongs are made of must be able to keep their “spring” to hold the stone in its setting. (No, in my opinion soft wire cannot be substituted for the creator’s “ease,” because it will not hold up!)

My personal designs, both the Anything Cocktail and Filigree Pearl rings are best made using half hard wire, again for construction stability in the artist-created filigree as well as for locking in the snapsets.

When working on ring designs such as the Crystal Wave ring, soft wire is necessary because the design process depends on the shape being “stretched” as the ring is created (which also hardens the project while it is being made).

Simple single or multiple bead rings created for children or as adult pinkie or toe rings can easily be made in soft wire, as well as button ring designs.

In my personal opinion, I guess the easiest way to determine which temper of wire should be chosen for a ring design is to think about the “reason” for the ring. Will the ring be worn on a regular basis? Is the design large and/or ornate? Is it to be worn by a man or a woman? I am sure that there are many wire artists who have their own preferences, however I have been making and selling wire rings for about 18 years and the above is based on my experience and many happy customers. Properly made and sized wire rings are very popular. Have fun with them, but make sure when you sell one that it is a “stable” product.

Answer contributed by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
September 19, 2011

Question:

I want to get your cuff bracelet video. It looks like flat wire is used in it. Where do I find flat wire?

-Annie in Huntsville, Alabama

Answer:

Hi Annie, the only wire used in my Cuff Bracelet design is square! Anything that looks “flattened” has been done by using a chasing hammer, during the construction process.

Dale Armstrong’s Cold Filigree Wide Cuff Bracelet

I hope you enjoy the DVD, because as usual I don’t just teach a project but I also talk about how to make variations, ways to price, how to use certain tools, etc. And while creating the bracelet, you will also learn how to make “cold filigree“! As a progressive instructor, the reason I made instructional DVDs is to teach how to execute certain techniques, with the hope that after a student learns them (while making the specific project) that you will take them into future designs of your own! You can find many of the supplies used in the instructional DVDs in our DVD Supply Lists section.

Answer contributed by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
September 7, 2011

Question:

I have an Italian hand-cut shell cameo with a curved back. How do I wire wrap a cameo with a curved back? I have been able to wire wrap the cameos in Dale’s DVDs, but they have a flat back. Thank you.

-Barbara in Byhalia, Mississippi

Answer:

Hello Barbara, I am pleased to hear that you enjoy my DVDs and have had success with the framed cabochon pendant! Yes, carved shell cameos can be scary, especially when you are new to the art and don’t want to damage such a lovely item, however you can frame it using the same process and formulas as you would a stone cab. Depending on how thin the cameo is, I would like to make a couple of construction suggestions for you to try.

First, mix your wire tempers! We know that we should never use less than 4 wires for a frame, so plan your frame bundle with a soft wire on each edge. When you make your frame, find a stone cabochon that is basically the same size and shape as the cameo and use it to form the actual frame, but make sure it has about 3mm of space at the top before the two sides meet. Tape the frame together and remove it from the cab. Wrap the bail with wire twice to show but don’t cut the wire, just like a cab pendant. Now, work “off the stone,” or cameo as we are speaking of, and make the needed wire pulls on what would be the “front” of the frame. Place the cameo inside and then make the pulls on the back, locking the shell into the frame. When forming the bail, rather than using the last two wires on the back, use the next two wires (which are half-hard).

There you go! You have made a traditional wire frame for a cameo pendant without risking scratches on the front or the back of the shell, it still has a solid frame because the half hard wire is in the middle of the frame and now protects the edges, and the bail is stable because you were still able to use half-hard wire to create it. Let us know how it turns out, Barbara!

Answer contributed by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
September 6, 2011

Question:

Hi Dale, I was making a prong ring today and as I was setting my stone, one of my prongs broke. Is it safe or even possible to set a stone with just 3 prongs or is this setting now scrap? Thanks so much! Love your tips!

-Cindy in Lake Station, Indiana

Answer:

Hello Cindy, you are not alone! Unfortunately no matter how careful we think we are, sometimes a prong gets snapped off anyhow. It is possible that the prong was bent too many times or there was a nick in the wire that you didn’t see, causing it to be weak and “snap”! off it goes. Bummer. This usually happens near the very finish of the project. Depending on the project, you “could” make it a new design by using the “middle” wire (hoping you used at least 5 wires in the original bundle) to cross over the stone in an attractive way that also acts as part of the main construction to hold the stone “in” the ring. If this execution is not possible, then into the scrap box it goes and you begin again.

True story: the 37ct amethyst ring that folks have seen me wear in class (and maybe on a few DVD lessons) only has 3 prongs! Not only is this a huge stone, but it has a very unusual cut with an odd pavilion. While trying to get one of the prongs to fit correctly, I overworked the wire and off the prong snapped! Frustrating? Yes! Give up? No! I manipulated one of the crossover wires to act as a prong replacement, and I have been wearing it for more than 12 years now. Good Luck!!

Answer contributed by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
September 5, 2011

Question:

I have 4mm Oval Lapis stones I wanted to make earrings out of. I am a beginner, so any answer will be for future plans. I initially thought the smaller, the stone the easier to wrap. Ha! What gauge wire, shape and temper would work best? My plan is to start your beginner course after playing around with wires, stones, and tools for a while. It’s hard for me to be a beginner as I see all the elaborate jewelry that can be made. But I’m having fun.

-Margaret in New Orleans, Louisiana

Answer:

Oh my goodness Margaret! I always begin my students with large stones and cabochons, so they can see what they are doing. Yes, please put those tiny cabs away for a while and begin with something at least as large as a 22x30mm cabochon.

May I ask, why would you want to "play around" with wire, stones and tools first? I am sure that our fellow wire artists, from beginner through advanced, will confirm that you should begin with something easy from the Beginner Series, like DVD #1, and learn good habits from the beginning! You will save not only money on supplies, but also possible stress on your hands and wrists by learning how to use "the right tool for the right job" as well as mental anguish that can come from frustration while you "try" to figure things out on your own.

You have already said that it’s hard for you to be a beginner – but starting out with my All Wire Bangle Bracelet will make you feel very "accomplished" when you put it on your arm, and you will have begun by learning the basic techniques that are within the construction of about 85% of Traditional Wire Jewelry designs!!

Answer contributed by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

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