Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
August 25, 2011

Question:

I am an artisan and would like to make economical wire earrings. What type of wire do you recommend? Sterling silver is a bit too expensive for some of my customers. I have seen craft wire spools, but do not know if they tarnish or change color quickly. Can you help me?

-Lillian in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Answer:

Hello Lillian, because you didn’t mention what your price point is, your question is a bit tricky. All kinds of jewelry wire are suitable for making earrings. Be sure to check out all of the cool earring designs on our Free Patterns page! Many of these designs can be made using the wide variety of colored craft wires available today, and several of them can be made into matching pendants. Yes, eventually some of the color may come off some of the wire, but that depends on the brand you purchase and where and how your customers wear and care for their jewelry. (Example: salt water beaches, chlorine pools, hot tubs, and saunas are not good for any jewelry!)

For the actual wires that go through a person’s ears, I would never recommend using a plated craft wire or any base metal other than stainless steel or niobium, because we have no idea what a customer may be allergic to. There are many places where you can order affordable stainless steel ear wires in bulk (that are hypoallergenic), or you can purchase sterling silver wire and make your own simple ear wires. In my opinion, if you make inexpensive products using low cost supplies, you have to remember that the customer gets what they pay for! I wish you all the best with filling your need.

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
April 21, 2011

Question:

I want to buy some half hard practice wire in a store, but can’t find where on the spools that says it is half hard or not. Is there a different word or number that is used for whether it is half hard or not?

-Betty in Binghamton, New York

Answer:

Betty, most craft wire purchased in stores does not state the temper or hardness, and about all of the wire in stores is dead soft. When you purchase jewelry making wire from a supplier, the temper might be labeled with a number. As shown in the table below, Half Hard is designated by the #2.

The most-used wire tempers in wire jewelry are dead soft, half hard, and spring hard.

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
February 16, 2011

Question:

Hello Dale, I have yet another question for your expertise. I use the permanent marker as you suggest on the back side of my wire, but how does it come off? Is there something I could use to remove it? I hate to show my jewelry with a black line. Thank you so much for your great videos.

-Mishi in Clinton, Connecticut

Answer:

Hi Mishi, I am so glad that you enjoy working with my videos – thanks! We have had several great discussions on how to remove all types of residue from your finished wire jewelry pieces. A lot of folks have added to my suggestion of using denatured alcohol on either a cotton swab or t-shirt piece, such as: "Skin-So-Soft", "Goof Off", nail polish remover, "Goo Gone", rubbing alcohol and "pure" alcohol (from a hardware store). To read all of these great comments, please see Removing Measurement Marks.

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
January 16, 2011

Question:

I have purchased your Beginner Series and am having a great time with the projects. My question is this: In your videos your twisted wire looks perfect from end to end. In other words, it’s not twisted more on the ends than it is in the middle. I use a drill and hold my wire with my pliers just as you show, but the wire twists much more on each end than in the middle. So by the time I get my wire the way I want it in the middle, it is way too tight on both ends. The orbit earrings using a 14" piece of wire is a good example of this. How do I get my wire to look as even as yours?

-Rebecca in Ft. Myers, Florida

Answer:

Oh yes Rebecca, twisting wire. It really is as easy as it looks, but due to the "nature of the beast"; my wire does not always twist consistently either! If you can, twist some wire veerry slooowly and watch it. You will see that the wire twists at both ends, each toward the center, meeting in the middle. This means that the middle does not twist as tightly as each end.

The only way to twist consistently is to plan for about 1/4-inch on each end to twist more tightly and then cut the ends off. For example, with the Orbit Earrings, cut your wire 15-1/4 inches long, and then cut in half. This will give you two 7-5/8 inch pieces. Your pliers and drill will each hold 1/8-inch, leaving the additional 1/4-inch on each end that can be cut off.

For lots more information about twisting wire, please see my article: Getting Twisted, and congratulations on your success, Rebecca!

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
December 15, 2010

Question:

Hi Dale, I work in a school that serves a very impoverished community. Some parents and their children have asked me to teach jewelry making to them. What is a good, affordable substitute for silver wire? Thanks from all of us.

By the way, a bracelet inspired by your book, Wirework, took Best of Class at the State Fair for me. Thanks so much. My daughter and I have both taken classes from you in the past.

-Denise in Scottsdale, Arizona

Answer:

Hi Denise, first, Congratulations on your award! And what a nice thing to do for your community, as both adults and children need an affordable creative outlet.

My advice is to use a wire product like Anti-Tarnish Silver Enameled Copper Wire. This wire fits all of your requirement concerns as it is very affordable, easy to work with and is silver in color.

As I know where you live, it wouldn’t hurt to ask one of the copper mines to donate to your cause. Hope to see you again in Tucson, at the JOGS Show in February 2011!

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

Have a Question? Click Here to Submit Your Question

Click to Receive Daily Tips by Email