Re: new wire questions - 7/25/2003

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from Marisa Cappetta :

]I can see why they use square. When the wires are wrapped, they aren't able ]to turn around and move because the flat faces are butted tightly against ]one another. I've wrapped round wire in a similar configuration to that in ]the project you want to do. The only way I could stop them from moving ]around was to solder them. I wouldn't definatively state that it can't be ]done with round but you may have to experiment to find a way to stabilise ]the wrapped wires.

more "back to the drawing board" stuff.

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

I think you could do a similar design with the round on this project but most of the time if it calls for wrapped square wire you need to use square for the strength of the wrap. Structure stability and strength are the main thing to consider. I also noticed that they had instructions for twisting square wire. You can't twist round wire and get a faceted look. If you want to twist round wire you must twist two wires together or you get nothing but round wire. I would use half round for wrap wires rather than round for the strength yet in keeping with the round look. I would also use a heavier HR for strength.

Susan W

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from "Steve & Susan Wright" :

okay - bear with me - i understand about not being able to twist round wire . . . but :

]if it calls for wrapped square wire you need to use square ]for the strength of the wrap. Structure stability and strength are the main ]thing to consider.

]I would use half round for wrap wires rather than ]round for the strength yet in keeping with the round look. I would also use ]a heavier HR for strength.

why does the wire being square have anything to do with it's strength?

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

Not so much the strength, but the stability, which in turn contributes to strength. Like someone said, the corners and flat surfaces bind together in such a way that things won't twist or slip.

Tina

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from "Christina Peterson" :

]Not so much the strength, but the stability, which in turn contributes to ]strength. Like someone said, the corners and flat surfaces bind together in ]such a way that things won't twist or slip.

okay! thanks, Tina - some of this is finally starting to make sense!

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

I wonder if Scotch magic tape would be enough to temporarily bind the wires? I use it to mask of areas in my paintings and it leaves no residue (and doesn't lift off paint).

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from Marisa Cappetta :

]I wonder if Scotch magic tape would be enough to temporarily bind the wires? ]I use it to mask of areas in my paintings and it leaves no residue (and ]doesn't lift off paint).

hmmm - it does leave a sticky residue on my threads.

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from snipped-for-privacy@aol.comnospam (Carol in SLC) :

]Half-round wire works beautifully for this!

yep - i definitely need MORE WIRE!!!!!

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

I think it is used because several wires lie beside each other without shifting the way round wires would. They kind of brace and stabilize each other.

But I feel similarly trapped by how many designs seem to insist on square, not round ... which is cheaper and much easier to come by.

Makes me wish I was equipped to draw my own, but I don't have what it would take to anneal it for that process, and am loathe to buy more equipment just now.

Deirdre

Ah, official confirmation of my theory. It is nice to see my instincts verified, but sad to see that the more expensive stuff is necessary for some designs.

Anyone know of a source of square copper wire that isn't exorbitantly priced?

Deirdre

I have looked for square copper and the only place I found it was Preston Reuthers page. You might ask where you usually buy wire and see if they do have it since sometimes they have items in stock but not in their catalog. I found that the copper square I got work hardened very quickly to a spring hard. I was teaching wrapping square with square.

Susan W

Is there any way to treat copper wire so that it retains the copper color? I love it, fresh off the coil, and coating it with nail polish or such doesn't stay if done before wrapping, and fills in the spaces between wires if done afterwards (and can mess up beads). I've tried the non-tarnishing copper colored craft wires-- color is mostly retained, but it is a bit too soft. Kaytee "Simplexities" on

acetone (nail polish remover), goo be gone, wd40 -- any of those remove the tape residue nicely.

It was Monsterslayer. I bought one pound spools of several weights of round wire. The fact that it work-hardens quickly is another argument for being able to anneal/draw my own.

Metalworkers, any suggestions for a person without a torch or a kiln when it comes to annealing copper without too much of an investment?

Deirdre

Dunno if these are bad prices or not since I have just gotten started playing with wire but you could try here:

Thanks. I'll check them out...

Deirdre

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from "EL" :

]acetone (nail polish remover), goo be gone, wd40 -- any of those remove the ]tape residue nicely.

thank you!

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from Deirdre S. :

]Anyone know of a source of square copper wire that isn't exorbitantly ]priced?

no, but the jeweler down the street from me has a "form" [i don't know what it's actually called] that he "pulls" wire through. someone here will know what i mean . . .

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from Deirdre S. :

]Makes me wish I was equipped to draw my own, but I don't have what it ]would take to anneal it for that process, and am loathe to buy more ]equipment just now.

i'd love to be able to do that, too.

maybe i'll go back to that jeweler and ask him if he can order one of those "draw plates" for me.

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)