What is a Draw Plate?

by Judy Ellis, Wire-Sculpture.com

Tool of the Week for June 23, 2014

This week’s Featured Tool is the Draw Plate.

Today I thougth I’d feature a very basic but extremely use tool are a must-have tool for wire jewelry artists – The Draw Plate. I’ve featured two versions below that we carry on the Wire-Sculpture website in our Tools section – the Wooden Draw Plates, along with descriptions ofthem and a littel bit abou how you use them.

If you are not familiar with Draw Plates, then this might be a good introduction to them for you. If you are familiar with how they work, then this hopefully will be a great refresher. Let’s take a look at them.

What is a “Draw Plate”?

Wooden draw plates are a key tool in weaving chain, such as Viking Knit Chain, because the wood gently reduces the woven wire.

This handy drawplate is designed for reducing soft chain or woven chain like Viking Knit Chain.Made of hard boxwood with 12 smooth holes from 1.2mm to 6.5mm. Simply pull your chain through consecutively smaller holes in the draw plate, reducing the size of the chain. Note that on one side of the block, the holes are slightly chamfered, or beveled, to facilitate pulling the wire through. User may put the “tang” of the block into a vise, or hold it by hand. Measures 3 1/2 x 2/ 1/2 x 3/4 inches.

This handy tool is designed for reducing soft chain or woven chain. A larger 12-hole drawplate with an easy-to-use handleHoles range in size from 3mm to 14mm in diameter, increasing in 1mm increments. Beveled, or chamfered, holes make this great for Viking Knit Chain and other large chain. Measures 8 1/2 x 2 3/8 x 3/8 inches.

Metal draw plates are different. (We don’t currently carry Metal Draw Plates, but you can find them HERE on our sister site, JewelryTools.com) You can use a metal draw plate to take round wire and reduce its diameter, and even shape it into half round, triangle, or square wire, just like the wire mills do!

 

Jewelry draw plates will transform your wire working in creative, new ways!

If you would like to know more about Viking Knit Chain – take a look at our Coiling and Weaving DVD Series Part 3. It walks you step-by-step through several Viking Knit Chain projects.

If you are interested in learning more about Jewelry Making, CLICK HERE to sign up for our FREE JEWELRY MAKING PATTERNS.

 

Happy Wrapping!

 

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2 Comments

1. 

   Emma Guy

   June 23, 2014 at 12:25 pm

   A wooden draw plate can easily be made by drilling various size holes in a piece of hardwood flooring lumber…it works best if each hole is sloped slightly using a v-shaped burring tool
2. 

   Brenda Caudill

   June 23, 2014 at 5:43 pm

   I would like to see a video of this product in action. Any chance of that?