Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
September 12, 2011

Question:

Can you tell me how to use the automatic wire twister? Thanks.

-Gale in Rockville, Maryland

Answer:

Hi Gale, I would like to direct you to Getting Twisted, an article all about wire twisters and how to use them. (This article is also reprinted in the written directions that come with our Automatic Wire Twister).

When describing how to use tools, sometimes it is easier to show rather than tell. Wire-Sculpture Faculty member Sherrie Lingerfelt did a video tip showing how to twist wire, which you can find here: Extremely Easy Ways to Twist Jewelry Wire. We have another video just on the automatic wire twister here. I hope this all helps!

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
May 6, 2011

Question:

Could you tell me how to use an automatic wire twister? Can you twist round wire?

-Kathy in New York, New York

Answer:

Great question, Kathy, we put together this little video to demonstrate how to use it! This is a special tool we have made just for us, and it really makes twisting wire simple and straightforward.

 
Rose Demonstrating the Automatic Wire Twister

 

You can twist wire easily and reliably with an Automatic Wire Twister!

Here are some things to remember about twisting wire:

• Twisting square wire will give you a nice diamond-cut effect.
• Twisting round wire won’t change it – it stays round! Twisting 2 round wires together looks great, though.
• You can mix it up! Try twisting some round and square wire together for an intricate look!
• If you’re twisting several wires to be used in the same project, it’s easy to give them all the same amount of twist. Just count the seconds that you twist, and they’ll be identical.
• Don’t worry about twisting the entire length: you can only twist between your pliers and the twister. Just cut off the wire that was in the twister and the pliers for a totally twisted length!

There are also several other tools you can use to twist wire; see Getting Twisted for Dale’s review of several methods and tools!

Answer contributed by the WS Staff

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
February 27, 2010

Question:

What is the difference between an automatic wire twister and a pin vise, is one better than the other?

Answer:

I guess the main difference between using an automatic wire twister and a pin vise would be how many wires do you wish to twist at the same time (together), what gauge you want to twist, or how long is the wire you are twisting. Personally I use a pin vise if I am twisting a single wire (16g and smaller) that is about 4 inches or less in length. If I am twisting anything larger, longer, or a group of wires together, then I use an automatic wire twister. We have a great article all about twisting wire here: http://wire-sculpture.com/jewelry-making-blog/1388/getting-twisted/

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

Have a question? Submit your question here

Review by Rose Marion

Jewelry Making Tool Review: 4.8V Automatic Wire Twister

One of my friends in high school played the harp, and you wouldn’t expect it (I sure didn’t when she challenged me to a thumb wrestle), but playing the harp gives you very strong fingers! Harpists have to practice plucking a myriad of strings precisely and just hard enough to get the right volume and tone. Well, me not being a harpist, I have weak little fingers, and they just don’t like twisting wire. I lost the thumb wrestling contest, but lucky for me, I found this large automatic wire twister in the office today, so I thought I’d share my thoughts on it with you!

I’m really excited to share my review of our Automatic Wire Twister, one of the many jewelry making tools we carry. We have both the small (3.6V) and large (4.8V) versions in our office. The small version spins easily at 200rpm, but the large version can reach up to 400rpm. Both wire twisters come with rechargeable batteries, and have an average recharge time of 4-6 hours. Although the small one works great, I have to say I think I like the bigger one better!

The small wire twister fits easily in my hand, is fairly light for a machine that’s equivalent to my husband’s power drill, and can even twist itself in half, allowing you to operate it two ways (see below).

However, I prefer the grip of the larger power drill for my jewelry making. It fits snugly in my hand and has good grip-holding texture. Here’s a picture of the larger drill:

This drill has a larger battery pack for longer battery life and more power (twice as much revolutionary power as the 3.6V), so the drill itself has a more traditional “power drill” silhouette. The larger battery barrel at the bottom lets me rest the drill on the desk when I stop working, and it stays put—the smaller wire twister has a nifty rotating handle, but it will roll to one side when you put it on the desk. This way, if I’m working on a delicate piece with my fingers, I know exactly where my twister is when I need it again—I don’t even have to take my eyes off my work. You can even let the twister stay put on the table if you keep your hand steady on it, and feed the wire straight into the bit.

The large 4.8V drill operates by squeezing the on/off switch with your forefinger, regardless of which hand is your dominant hand. This is easier for me than the smaller drill, which operates by pressing the switch with your thumb (or, if you’re left-handed, it might be with your forefinger). I think the drill is pretty easy to use, and I really like the way it feels in my hand!

One last feature of the large 4.8V wire twister I noticed when I picked it up to use it for the first time: like my husband’s power tool, the wire twister has a key to change the drill bit. This key is stored in a snap-in compartment in the base of the battery pack, so it’s always handy and you’ll never lose it! This is helpful if you’ve accumulated several wire twister heads and you like to switch between them, or if you have other jewelry making drill bits that you use for drilling holes in metal sheets, reaming beads, and even unscrewing screws around the house! In contrast, the smaller twister self-locks, so it doesn’t even need a key.

Both wire twisters operate in forward and reverse, so you can twist your wire whichever way you like. Both wire twisters are completely battery operated, so you don’t have to worry about tripping over cords while working on your jewelry, or wasting time searching for a free outlet. Both wire twisters also come with A/C chargers, so when you’re through with your twister, just let it charge overnight, and it’ll be ready to go in the morning.

One of my favorite things to do with a wire twister is take a piece of square wire and wrap it with a ring or bracelet. Simple as it sounds, I love the effect just one piece of twisted wire can add. I also like to make rosettes with twisted round wire and add beads to make elegant necklaces. What are some of your favorite wire twisting projects?

Well, that’s all the scoop I’ve got on our automatic power twisters. As far as our other jewelry making tools, I’ve got my eyes on a new tool kit we’re putting together to review next—I’ve heard it’s got a nice case, a whole set of good pliers, and a ruler. I love being able to measure my pieces as I go, so I love that a ruler might come with the set. As soon as we finalize the set, I’ll let you know all about it!

Summary

3.6V Small Automatic Wire Twister

Twists at 200rpm

• Rotating handle for increased control
• Thumb operates drill (left-handers may use forefinger instead)
• Chuck is self-locking

4.8V Large Automatic Wire Twister

• Twists at 400rpm
• Flat base to rest on table
• Forefinger-operated
• Key operates chuck