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Post by texaswoodie on Aug 14, 2007 17:27:15 GMT -5
Where do you guys buy your wire? I'm trying to get my wife interested in wrapping. And what guage/hardness do I need to start with?
Curt
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Post by rocklicker on Aug 14, 2007 19:25:03 GMT -5
I believe many people buy from Rio Grand but I've never ordered from them. I get mine from altamont (altasilver.com) and have always been satisfied. Their prices are excelent but you have to do a little math to figure out what they are. Steve
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blarneystone
spending too much on rocks
Rocks in my head
Member since March 2010
Posts: 307
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Post by blarneystone on Aug 14, 2007 19:28:36 GMT -5
Curt, I'd be interested to find out where everyone gets their wire too. I get mine from Fire mountain Gem online. Wire is generally sold by gauge and comes in square, round and half round. It's also sold in diff. hardness as you already know, dead soft, half hard & full-hard. Most places sell gold filled, gold plated, sterling silver, & copper but you can also find rolled gold, argentium silver, brass, etc... Most basic wire wraps consist of three or four main wires, usually 18 or 20 gauge (sometimes smaller) and the wrapping wire (I call em binding wires sometimes) The wrapping wire is normally a half round smaller gauge wire, 21 or 22 gauge. For the most part it's best for a beginner to use cheap wire, copper. You can learn with sterling but it gets expensive. Also, I think that square main wire is best to use for a beginner because it easier to line up and wrap. I started out using the following for my wraps and still do except with the copper. main wires= 20g | square | dead soft wrapping wire= 22g | half-round | dead soft You'll need a good set of pliers too. I bought a set online and another at Hobby Lobby. The set from HL is nice and small, great for doing wire wrapping. I found it in the beading section. I'm sure I've left out some stuff but that's a good start.. this place is where I learned and am still learning. One more thing... There are several free online video and text tutiorials... here's some good ones: NancyF's web site: www.keystonejewelry.com/make_jewelry.htmPreston Reuther: (i'm not advocating the 'business package' here... just the videos) wire-sculpture.com/downloadvideos.phpThat should give you a good idea how it's done and then you'll have a better idea whether or not she'll be interested... hehe... can't help you with that part. Dan
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Post by texaswoodie on Aug 14, 2007 21:07:18 GMT -5
Thanks Dan! That sure should get me started. :-)
Curt
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Post by akansan on Aug 14, 2007 21:39:49 GMT -5
I'm not sure what Rio Grande charges for wire, but my most recent purchase was from monsterslayer.com. I have to say, they had the best prices of all the places I checked. I got 1 oz. of 22g square, 1/2 oz. of 24g square, and a 1/2 oz. of 22g half round for less than $40 including shipping. From the notations, I'm pretty sure it's argentium (?) wire as well (says AG STG, which I'd read to be argentium sterling...right?). Anyway, I really liked the wire last night.
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Post by rocklicker on Aug 15, 2007 18:28:26 GMT -5
Arkansan, was the argentium wire harder than it usually is for what hardness you got? I heard that it is sometimes which makes it difficult for softies like me. That price is as good as altamont's and they don't have argentium (that I know of). Steve
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Post by akansan on Aug 15, 2007 19:03:45 GMT -5
It was about the same hardness as the wire I've been getting from 208Gold. NOT as hard as the half-hard I've worked with, though.
Upon reviewing the site, I didn't order the argentium, but they do stock it. I'm also pretty sure I received argentium - it has that whiter finish to it...
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blarneystone
spending too much on rocks
Rocks in my head
Member since March 2010
Posts: 307
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Post by blarneystone on Aug 15, 2007 19:33:43 GMT -5
hmmm... It's like a crap shoot sometimes for me too. I just opened a package of gold filled half-round and I swear it's half-hard and not dead-soft. I haven't been happy with FMG's half-round wire anyway... seems flat.
Didn't Jeremy find a place that sold true dead-soft Argentium?
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Post by hermatite on Aug 16, 2007 10:53:18 GMT -5
Try rio grande. They know their stuff and their prices are pretty reasonable. I always order over the phone and their sales staff is really helpful.
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Post by BuiltonRock on Aug 16, 2007 14:28:31 GMT -5
This is helping me too! Jeremy (Jonge) has helped me understand this and he suggested I start with 22g dead soft round or square for the main wire and 22g half hard half round as the binding wire. I just received my first order from FMG and hope to give it a try this weekend. I did buy some craft wire and played around some but it was all too soft!
If your lucky Curt she will be a tumbling, collecting, trading, sawing, slabbing, cabbing, photo'ing, wrapping rockhound! lol john
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nancyf
has rocks in the head
Wired Cowgirl
Member since April 2007
Posts: 629
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Post by nancyf on Aug 17, 2007 8:21:42 GMT -5
I would get 21 gauge square soft, 21 gauge half-round half hard and 18 gauge half-round half hard. I use the 18 gauge to bind the wires at the top where the bail will be formed. Using the larger gauge and half-hard lets me use less binds at the bail and holds the wires more securely. Using 21g square wire will work for any size stone. I reccomend these sizes of wire for those starting out. I also reccomend a stone that is atleast 22 x 30 or larger for beginners. I also reccomend copper wire as practice wire. www.brandywinejewelrysupply.com/cybermerchant/Scripts/default.asp
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Post by texaswoodie on Aug 17, 2007 18:32:00 GMT -5
Wow, thanks everyone!
John One step at a time, my friend. :-)
Curt
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kjohn0102
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since April 2006
Posts: 774
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Post by kjohn0102 on Aug 19, 2007 8:23:27 GMT -5
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