Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
August 15, 2011

Question:

Hi, I’m new to wire working and I purchased the Jump Start series. I also purchased the G10-22 sliding pin vise. I watched your video on using a pin vise, and when I try to do it the wire twists very tightly on the ends and not so much it the middle. I also tried it with my husband’s drill and it did the same thing. What am I doing wrong? Thanks.

-Shirley in Lafayette, Louisiana

Answer:

Hi Shirley, and welcome to our "twisted" world! I am always happy to help folks of any skill level in any way I can. Twisting wire is not very difficult and you are doing it correctly; however, different wires do twist differently. Most precious metals like sterling, Argentium® and gold-filled, as well as some of the base metals, all twist pretty consistently, and there is no "trick" to doing it. If you take a few minutes to read either the article on our blog Getting Twisted or the directions that come with our automatic wire twister, you will find many ideas for twisting wire combinations as well as the answers to questions you may not have thought of yet.

No, wire does not always twist consistently. It is the nature of the product. While you twist a piece of square wire slowly, watch it: the wire twists at each end first, and then in the middle. Occasionally, with lots of practice, you can twist evenly using a drill or automatic twister, but it is a rare event. If you desire a consistent twist, you have to plan for it by adding a half-inch or so to the overall length of wire you are working with and cut the tightly twisted ends off. But remember this is handcrafted jewelry! It is not supposed to "look" like it is manufactured.

I am glad that you enjoy the Jump Start series and I hope it gives you enough information to convince you to go forward with your new wire jewelry hobby!

Answer contributed by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Have a Question? Click Here to Submit Your Question

Click to Receive Daily Tips by Email

Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
August 11, 2011

Question:

I have an almost cylindrical cut stone that looks like an emerald cut front and back. It almost looks like a crystal, but it is the same dimensions top to bottom. If I use prongs on it, should I add prongs to the underside as well? With regular prong settings that do not use snap sets, what keeps the stone from falling out from the back side?

-Kevin in St. Petersburg, Florida

Answer:

Hi Kevin, your stone sounds very pretty and easy to set! In my opinion, prongs should not be used on the back side of a stone because small, sharp prongs can easily get caught in fabric or knit, thus pulling away from the stone (resulting in a lost stone) or jutting out and irritating the skin. You describe the cut as being emerald-style; it would be easy enough to make a pendant using a prong frame setting, where the stone is held in at the top by prongs and regular pulls (like a framed cabochon) hold the stone in on the back side.

Regular pulls will work with an emerald cut; simply plan your wraps so that the pulls run alongside the facet on the back, being about invisible from the front. Because of the emerald facets, your stone could also be set in a regular frame (which would be my choice, if adding the set stone as the focal point on a bracelet).

Of course, the Orbit prong pendant design will fit about any size or shaped stone. The prongs are custom-designed by you, to fit over the crown and girdle of the stone and then slightly down part of the pavilion, after which the lock-in-wires form a stable frame just under the girdle, so no wire shows through the top of the stone at all. Whichever design you choose to use, have fun with your unique stone, Kevin!

Note: Before this Tip "went to Press," Kevin sent in a picture of his unique stone, as well as his finished design! We hope this gives you some ideas to try in your own jewelry-making:

Wire wrapped by Kevin Thornhill; images courtesy of Kevin Thornhill.

Answer contributed by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Have a Question? Click Here to Submit Your Question

Click to Receive Daily Tips by Email

Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
August 3, 2011

Question:

Dale, I have seen your reference several times in describing how to do certain wire performances as wire “to show,” but I have no idea what that means. Could you give an explanation? Thanks.

-DeLane in Bentonville, Arkansas

Answer:

Hi DeLane, the term "to show" refers to how many wraps to put on during the construction of a wire jewelry piece.

Let’s say you are using a half-round wire to wrap a bundle of square wires together and the directions say "4 wraps to show." This means that on the back of the bundle, where the wrap wire begins and ends, you can see 5 wrap wires (including both ends) and on the front you will see 4 wraps: these are the wraps that "show."

It is simply my way of cutting down on wordiness in a written pattern or while giving oral directions to a live class. Thanks for asking!

Answer contributed by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Have a Question? Click Here to Submit Your Question

Click to Receive Daily Tips by Email

Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
August 2, 2011

Question:

Regarding the Optivisor question, I have seen some that can also be used with your prescription glasses. Is this true? Will this make a big difference in the distance you’re holding your work? My neck is killing me!!

-Linda in Palatine, Illinois

Answer:

Hi Linda, as I mentioned in the original discussion (Optivisor Distance and Magnification), many of my students use the Optivisor 1.75 lens with their prescription glasses! The choice will really be yours as everyone has different requirements for their eyes. Personally, sometimes I just use 300 power "cheater" glasses from a department store (and yes I wear prescription glasses for anything that is 18 inches away or closer). My decision depends on what I am doing! If I am working a live show and the producer wants to "see" my eyes, I have to use these glasses, but when I am in my studio or teaching a class and I am working on seriously detailed items for hours at a time I really need my optivisors.

My best advice here would be to take the time to visit an store that sells all types of magnifying glasses and try them by wearing them alone or with your prescription glasses, looking for the detail in something like the prongs on a ring you are wearing. You may also wish to consult with your personal optometrist. (I take my Optivisors to my eye doctor each yearly appointment.) Just remember, you have to take care of your eyes! We are not starfish and cannot "regenerate" our parts.

Answer contributed by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Have a Question? Click Here to Submit Your Question

Click to Receive Daily Tips by Email

Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
July 28, 2011

Question:

I am trying to replicate a bracelet I saw at a show. It was a heavy-gauge wire or metal piece, bent in to a square shape (closed), and then a thin wire, threaded with beads, was wrapped around it. I’m trying to find out if I can buy the ready-made structures? Have you ever seen such a thing? I’ve been to dozens of sites, can’t find anything.

-Rebecca in Cincinnati, Ohio

Answer:

Rebecca, because most of the Wire Faculty and I make our own wire forms, I do not know if the manufactured shape you are looking for is available. I can tell you that is rather easy to make your own, though. Depending on the amount of beads, their weight and sizes, you can choose from either round or square wire in a gauge from 16 through 14 for the frame. To add the chosen beads, you can use about any round wire that will fit into the bead’s holes.

I did a nice DVD showing exactly how to create a cuff-style bracelet, this one includes handcrafting your own wire filigree and using a chasing hammer and a bench block for hardening and texturing the wire too. Here is a sample bracelet that can be made using Intermediate Series DVD 4.

Perhaps you would like to learn how to coil beads into a stunning bracelet? If so, then I recommend learning the Arabian Bracelet taught by Albina Manning on DVD 1 of her Coiling and Weaving Series (below).

No matter your decision Rebecca, remember that you can take the techniques taught in our DVD lessons, alter and or combine them, and create many new designs!

Answer contributed by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Have a Question? Click Here to Submit Your Question

Click to Receive Daily Tips by Email