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

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
May 31, 2011

Question:

What are some ways you hold together bundles of wire when you are working on them?

-Kirsten in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Answer:

Hi Kirsten, there are a variety of techniques that can be used to help hold your wire bundles together. Personally, I prefer to use a tape that does not leave a lot of sticky residue after it has been removed. White quilter’s tape is my favorite because it can be purchased in a quarter inch width. There is one negative issue that can occur with white quilter’s tape: if the tape is old or has been stored in high heat it will become extremely sticky and need to be thrown away. For this reason when I am purchasing it, I take the tape to the check-out register and open it in front of the salesperson. If it has gone bad, I do not purchase it. Please be aware that quilter’s tape also comes in a green color that I do not recommend, because it has a lot more adhesive on it.

In my classrooms, I see a wide variety of tapes. For example, I had a student who once brought me some acid-free tape that is designed for use in scrapbooks, and another student had a small roll of pinstripe tape (used when customizing motor vehicles) both tapes performed very well. However, those who have tried using a paper masking tape were disappointed, because it sticks so tightly to itself that it is difficult to remove from a wire bundle.

Blue Painters Tape

Large, wide bundles of heavy-gauge wire stay together nicely by using painter’s tape. The Blue style has less adhesive than the Lavender, so in areas with high humidity I recommend the latter. Painter’s tape comes in several widths. One of my students prefers the wider version, and uses a sharp, thin blade (like an X-acto knife) to cut strips down the width of the tape while it is on its roll, so she can easily tear off the perfect size as she needs it.

Helping Hand (left) and Clamp (right)

A Helping Hand (weighted metal stand with an alligator clip attached) can be a useful accessory when you need to hold something small together and up, off your workspace. However, it can also be difficult to control, because you have to work with and around the unit, where it stands. In the past, other pattern authors have suggested using coated telephone wire to temporarily wrap wire jewelry bundles together, but to me this seems redundant and a waste of precious time. I have had a few students who like to use little Clamps with rubber heads to hold their wire bundles together. They do so with success; however, to me, the additional weight of having things hanging from my bundles is very cumbersome, and can bend the bundle.

When I have forgotten my tape, I have used many different substitutes! For example, grip or electrical tape (not recommended unless in a pinch, because plastic tapes stretch) and once, in an area with extremely high humidity, my class and I used strips cut off fabric-style band-aids! Whatever works for some may not work well for others, Kirsten. Experiment to find the product and procedure that works best for you!

I’d like to ask my fellow wire artists, do you have a suggestion for Kirsten? Thanks so much for sharing!

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
October 22, 2009

Question:

I use craft wire and brass to learn on. When I wrap with it to hold wires together it won’t hold. I have to pinch it over and over to get it to hold. Any ideas of what I’m doing wrong? I usually us 20 gag.

Answer:

Without knowing what shape the wire is that you are using, I can only tell you that if you are using half-round it works best when the domed side is facing out and the flat side is against the wire you are wrapping together, and if you are using round wire to wrap round wires together into a flat bundle, like for a bracelet, that round wire rolls and square will hold much better with little effort.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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