Wire and Sheet Gauge Measuring Tool

There are different types of wire gauge tools. The one you purchase depends upon where you live, how the wire and sheet metal being used is labeled and sold, and what materials are called for in patterns/tutorials you may be using.

The American Wire Gauge, abbreviated in most writings as AWG, is generally used in North America, and the British Standard Wire Gauge or SWG, sometimes called the Imperial Wire Gauge, is usually but not always used in Great Britain. Most other countries measure wire in millimeters. Canada uses both.

The American Wire Gauge measures wire a bit differently than the Standard Wire Gauge. The 14 gauge silver and gold wire I use to make stack rings measures 16 gauge on the SWG. This small difference is not usually a problem unless exact measurements are needed, such as with jump rings where Interior Diameter (ID) and Outer Diameter (OD) measurements can be critical in chain designs.

And just to confuse us, many industries have their own measurement systems, such as the Society of Automotive Engineering, which uses the SAE Wire Gauge in the automotive and boating industries. Steer clear of gauges not specifically made for and used in jewelry making and crafting.

Since the popularity of the SWG measuring system has fallen over the years, the best bet for the jewelry maker is probably the AWG. If you live in the U.S. you need to purchase the AWG. Sometimes they are labeled as American Standard Wire Gauge. For those of us in the U.S. that live on the northern border, we need to be careful when we visit Canada and purchase wire. Some Canadian wire manufacturers use the SWG measuring system, while others use the AWG system. All U.S. companies use the AWG system.

I am not promoting this particular brand. They are pretty much all the same if purchased from a reputable dealer. The photos of both sides of the packaging and the back side of the gauge are intended to supply you with visual information to help in your search for what will work best for you. My gauge is an AWG with fractions of an inch markings on the back.

Remember that the gauges are not perfect and that wire and sheet can differ slightly from one supplier to another. Gauges are meant to be used as a guide to help you. If precise and exact measurements are needed, use good digital callipers.

I straightened quite a few short bits of wire from my scrap box to make Paddled Fringe embellishments and used one of the least straight ones for these photos. I was pretty sure it was 22 gauge, but not positive.

Test for wire gauge with wire that is not super straight: Insert the wire in the 20 gauge hole. Pull the straightest section of the wire out the slot. If it removes easily, move down one gauge and repeat the process. When the wire gets stuck in the slot, as in the photo, that is the gauge of the wire. The other way to test the wire gauge is to do the same thing, but pressing the wire in from the outside of the tool.

Alternate method with straighter wire, thicker wire, or longer wire: Since the measurement slot is longer than the thickness of the gauge, with this method the wire needs to be as straight as possible to push into the slots to determine the gauge. Lay the tool on a flat surface and press the wire down into the slot. Starting in a wire gauge hole larger than you think the wire is, place the tip of the wire inside the hole and then bring the wire down into the slot. Move down one size at a time until the wire does not easily slide into the slot. The wire I used was labeled 18 gauge. When I got to the 17 gauge section, the wire went in the slot but popped back up as it had started to bend. When trying the wire in the 18 gauge slot, it was difficult to press in and also to remove. That meant that it really was 18 gauge.