I haven't ever wire wrapped, but considering it.

[bgast1]

I have a cab machine on order. It will probably take me a while to learn to make a decent cab but when I do, I think that I want to learn to wire wrap. In fact I am going to go out on a limb and get the stuff necessary to start.

This is pretty brave on my part for someone who had trouble safety wiring a couple of bolts when I was in the Navy ;D ....I was 20, I'm a lot older now.

Would some one be kind enough to give me a shopping list of everything I will need (even the unnecessary, but nice to have stuff) and a round figure on the cost? If it is too expensive, I guess I will have to prolong the wrapping and just make cabs.

[rockmanken]

OK Bob, here goes.
Flat nosed pliers
Side cutter pliers
round nosed pliers
chain nosed pliers
jewelers cloth to clean wire
22 ga. square wire
22 ga. 1/2 round wire
(quilters tape helps hold the wires when you first start)
DON'T make the mistake and buy the tool kits. Get individual 4 1/2" pliers and close them and look to make sure the blades meet
Sterling silver and 14Kt 1/20 gold filled wire depends on the current price. You need approx. 24" of square wire and 12" of 1/2 round wrap wire per piece(depends on the amout of swirls you do)
Tools are from $5 to $20 EACH, depending on the quality you want.
I also use a deburring tool and a utility knife. (not necessary, but helps)
Hope this helps,
Ken

[bgast1]

It helps a lot Ken. Thanks all of you guys are great here. Would Home Depot be a good place to pick up those pliers? I don't really believe that any of them are special tools are they? Do I need a small anvil?

I am not sure what a deburring tool is. Utility knife, I suspect is an x-acto knife? Don't know what quilters tape is either but shouldn't be hard to find at a fabric store, Walmart fabric section, or Hobby Lobby. I saw some Jeweler's kits in Michaels today for about $16.00. (wrong color for a guy) Thanks for the tip on the pliers.

Is Galena, Mo the same Galena in Illinois?

[damammy]

Hobby lobby I think has them. Yes they are not normal, about 41/2 to 5 inches long and smooth on the inside as to not mark up your wire. Donna

[drocknut]

I've never seen the tools for wrapping at Home Depot. They are specialized for working with wire and making jewelry. Your best bet for good prices might be looking online. As Ken said, those tool kits aren't very good although they do work. I bought mine at a bead store. If you want to save some money you can use painter's tape like the blue stuff you can get at Wal-mart. It's less expensive than quilters tape and seems to work just as well in my opinion. Get the smallest width painter's tape and just rip smaller pieces to use in wrapping. I also use a piece of a small dowel rod to get the bail wires even and rounded.

[bgast1]

Thanks. Can anyone give me a rough overall cost for the amount of wire that I would need to purchase to get started for several wraps.

[Bikerrandy]

Check out the pliers at the very bottom of this page. These are the ones that I "currently" use. I've tried many, and these are the best by far, and at $7.50 each, you won't beat the price anywhere!! The parts numbers for the ones that I use are PL-HDP-NFNS and PL-HDP-RDNS, and you'll also need some side cutters (also available on this page) www.monsterslayer.com/Pages/PliersSherSnip/PlierShrNip.aspx Note that I only use the three to do my wraps.

[bgast1]

Thanks. After I make my first decent cabs, it looks like I will be set to try wire wrapping.

[drocknut]

Bob, cost would depend on how much whatever type of wire you are buying is selling for at the time you buy it. Prices vary. I'd go with Ken's estimate on the amount of wire per wrap and then factor in how many you might want to do to start.