Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
March 30, 2011

Question:

I have some cabs that are relatively thin and I would like to know how to drill a hole in them to allow some different types of wire wrapping techniques. Can this be done at home with a standard drill?

-Melonie in Raleigh, North Carolina

Answer:

Depending on the materials and how thin they really are, Melonie, sometimes just a diamond bead reamer will work. For more details please read: Enlarging Holes in Gemstones and watch this helpful video tip: Bead Reaming Made Easy.

My direct answer to your question is no, a regular home drill will not work well, unless you use diamond drill bits and work under water (depending on the model, they can also be very heavy to hold, and a bit cumbersome). Please see this discussion for detailed directions: Drilling Holes in Gemstones. Yes, you can also use a variable speed Dremel, also outfitted with diamond bits (I use a small drill press). Good luck with your new designs!

Answer contributed by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
May 03, 2010

Question:

I have been making a few Pharoh rings and am wondering if there is some place where I can get an idea of a different configuration for the middle wires on each side.

Answer:

If you are making the Pharaoh’s ring design for a lady, here are several ideas for the side wires that you can experiment with: criss-cross the center 2 or 4 before locking over the top; add a freshwater pearl to one, going over the other before they each lock over (we have some great, large holed pearls here, that will fit on up to a 20g square wire Large Hole Pearls); thread metal rice or bugle beads on a couple of the wires before locking them over the top.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
March 12, 2010

Question:

How can I tell the size of the hole in the bead?  I am working with 18 gauge wire.  Most beads don’t fit.

Answer:

When you are purchasing beads via a catalogue or a website, often the vendor will list the size of the hole in mm. To reference the hole size against the wire size, see the Conversion Table at the bottom of this page, where 18g wire is listed as having a diameter of 1.02mm (or .0508 inch) http://wire-sculpture.com/pages/wire_footage_charts.html When shopping for beads in person, carry a 2-inch piece of each wire you use on a regular basis, in your wallet.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

Have a question? Submit your question here