wire wrapping

Hi,
was wondering if anyone could tell me where to buy wire for wrapping cabs? what kind of wire/gauge is best?
I am just getting started with this and would appreciate any advice.
thanks
kathy

Fire Mountain Gems (www.firemountaingems.com) has really good prices on quality silver wire which is what I wrap all of mine with. Their catalog is free to request and once on the list you get it every couple of months.

I choose the gauge I use based on how big the cab is and what I'm planning on doing to it specifically. Sometimes I use a variety especially if I'm doing an intricate wire design across the front of it.

Hope that helps you some :)

Julie

if you check out Lehigh Minerals website, and email Yolanda, she is well connected re resources and at least every second rock shop seems to have supplies for this end of the hobby..so it should be relatively easy


When it first came to North America, all the best quality wire was English sourced [but that may have changed now with the increased popularity of this mode of jewellery making]

Thank you for your help.
I tried my first piece of wire wrapping, its hard to keep the wires straight.
any tips on how to keep them all together?
bought wire from fire mountain gem. some cabs to. thanks again

Try www.kingslynorth.com for cabs. www.wiresculpture.com has stones and free patterns. Another good one is www.wirewraptemplates.com there is a free tutorial on wrapping cab or faceted stones for free there. The templates are great for forming the frames before you set the stone. (Why do it the hard way?)

When you ask about keeping the wires straight, if you mean before you bind them, lay them out like a ribbon, side by side, and use thin masking tape on each end. That will hold them until you put the 1/2 round bindings on them.

Happy wrapping

Kathy---the art to keeping your wires together...painters tape. Works wonders and it doesn't leave a residue on your wire. Take a small piece on each end of your wires before you start the banding. It will hold them tight. As to the question on what gauge wire to use. We use 22 guage square wire in dead soft for the frame. Then we use 21 or 22 guage half round dead soft or half hard (doesn't matter to us.) for the banding wires. We purchase this from Rio Grande. If you have any other questions I would be happy to help you in any way I can.
Kim McIntosh

www.cabsandslabs.com

I'd strongly suggest contacting a local rock shop or club and seeing if there's a course available. Won't cost much and I'd bet you'd learn a ton of little tricks that make all the difference.

I say just do it. The skill comes. Use a cheap craft wire to get your technique down. I found the best place and best price is
G & S www.gsgold.com The are right from the source, metals refiners. They also have Argentium silver. Which is the best. Half the price per foot of some other well known retailers.
I like 21 gauge for larger stones, and 24 gauge for more delicate stones.
Books are good too, but best advice is just do it.
Good Luck, Sherril

Kathy, check out www.metalworkers.org.
If nothing else it serves as inspiration.
I have a few friends on there, and they love to share usefull tips.