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Daily Wire Tip Feb. 22: Where to Place Wraps on Free-Form Pieces

By on February 22, 2010
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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
February 22, 2010

Question:

When wire-wrapping, how do you decide where to put the wraps, especially on a free-form piece?

Answer:

In my opinion, the easiest way to decide where to place the needed wraps on a freeform cab frame is to first draw around the shape on paper, then wrap the circumference of the cab with a piece of quilters’ or painters’ tape. Decide what will be the top and then look at the shape of the stone. Where will it need to be supported in the frame the most and what features do you want ‘not’ to be covered? Experiment with your drawing; if you place your wraps in a certain area and make a pull with the top wire, where will the wire go on the stone? Use a marker and mark the tape where you want the wraps to be, then transfer the marks to your wire bundle (keeping in mind the right and left sides). Frame the cab and then make the appropriate pulls that you had planned with the tape.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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3 Comments

  1. avatar

    nancy beegle

    February 22, 2010 at 2:06 pm

    I think that’s a wonderful way to explain the process, in that we always need to be mindful of support, keeping our precious stones from eventually falling out of their settings or being nicked or scratched around the edges, and we also have to consider which parts of our stones we want to enhance or show off, and which parts are okay to cover up. I think the drawing and wrapping with the tape and marking it in those places where it’s best to wrap the stone is the best way to get it done in a manner which we can enjoy, and not have any regrets, even possibly wanting to undo part or all of it and start over. Thanks again for awesome instructions, Dale. :)

  2. avatar

    Pete M

    February 22, 2010 at 8:04 pm

    I find many of your daily tips worth keeping but it sure uses quite a bit of (expensive) ink printing out things that aren’t related to the tip. Is there some way you could add a printer friendly feature to your tip page. Hope there is! Many thanks for this (tip) service, it’s really a good thing.