I have only recently your newsletter and I am finding it very useful. These are extremely fine wires, with diameters that measure from 0.013-.006 inches or 0.32-.16 millimeters. Youre a real help to beginners like me. Are all the wire you mentioned, dead soft, half hard or what? But i also love them all because i found i can make dream catchers and even wind chimes frames with higher gauges and wrapped with smaller gauges. ring wire adjustable rose taw wrap rings wirebliss wrapped jewelry step Good brand names are Swanstrom, Lindstrom, and Wubbers. Thank you so much for visiting and for your kind words. Please More Info.!! I Look Forward To The Tips Every Day. Im Learning So Much More On This Site With You. I have tried using 20ga round copper for handmade ear wires. So I have some gemstone rondelles that I want to use to make a connector bar to attach to a chain.. I just started to buy wires and tools,so Thanks for all of the info. Hi everyone! Today were going to cover which gauges of wire are generally used for which kinds of jewelry making projects. I am so excited that I found this site and wire-sculpture. Information is always helpful! I am one that has to read everything I can find, from getting a pet to making jewelry projects, before I dive in. It can be used in all of the same projects listed for 22-gauge, but in a heavier fashion, meaning anything made with 21-gauge wire is suitable for men. 21 and 22 gauge wire can be shaped by hand and with the use of regular jewelry making tools. Im also going to try some different chain maille patterns for making bracelets and necklaces. I am going to read and reread it all. wire wrapping (wrapped loops) small beads and briolettes My pleasure! Wire Wrapping for Beginners: COMPLETE VIDEO COURSE! Love how useful this is for beginners and more experienced! Hi, Thanks for your tips. There is a lot to learn here but with your help, people like me can figure it out. frames / structure wire Do you have a direct link to that article, or can you republish? Wire Hardness: Wire comes in three different forms of hardness: **dead soft**, **half-hard**, and when not specified, standard **full-hard wire**: Learn the fundamentals of selecting and working with wire with our instructional videos. bravo , continuez, je suis debutante et cela maide beaucoup. http://fb.com/wiresculpture.com I have been trying on my own through trial and error, and needless to say, throwing a lot of good material away by my own errors. 24 gauge wire is not recommended for open link chains in most cases. First, remember that the smaller the number, the larger the wire. It wont make a difference; 21-gauge round dead soft wire is going to be pretty much the same whether you order it in bronze, copper, silver, gold-filled, or argentium. I usually use 20-22 wire gauge since I do make my own wire findings as well as clasps and rings, but not earrings. Thank you again for all the help! Thanks! bails for light stones. earwires small jump rings Copper is, by nature, softer than sterling silver, but you can definitely keep ordering the same gauge and shape across the metals.

frames / structure wire. i found a super clearance of boxes upon boxes of 26 multicolored wire for .25!!!!!! thick jump rings I am just a beginner in wire wrapping. I recently came into some heavy-duty scrap wire, and thanks to your post, I know the gauge and have some ideas of what to do with it. open link chains Going back to read your article on temper. Thank you for putting this information out there for people like me, just starting to figure things out. All About Jewelry Wire Part 6: What is Work Hardening? 20-gauge Looking forward to using gold filled and silver filled along with argentum (spelling??). http://www.jewelrytools.com/eurotool/jewelry-making-pliers.html Main reason: my spool of wire are for my other trinket findings I can design. I might use 22 ga round half-hard for earwires, but Im just as likely to use 20 ga. Other than that I rarely use anything smaller than 20 ga, and I prefer 16 and 18 ga for most of my work. Looking forward to many happy days learning how to creat lovely goodies and no doubt, stuff-ups. But before you visit these fixes, please give yourself a little more time to see if adjusting how you use the tools, and just getting more familiar with them, will help. The square 20-gauge wire is most often used to make heavier jewelry such as bracelets and rings for men, as well as to create neck collars for women. super useful thanks my bullion dealer sells wire by mm so its really handy to have your conversion too. frames 24 gauge wire is a very versatile wire and is one I buy and use in great quantities. It can be used to make neck wires, freeform rings, bracelets and bracelet bases. Dont feel bad! 14 gauge I only use to make clasps and closures with. The wire I used for the question mark is 14 gauge round wire that I formed into shape and then hammered to give it that look. I have found a strong passion for doing just what you do. Rose. Hi, great informative article, thank you for a while now I\ve been wire-wrapping rings and pendants and for this I use 20gauge for the base and then wrap with usually 24guage.. for more intricate designs I use 26gauge. Most often used in a dead soft temper, 14-gauge wire is perfect for making neckpieces, arm cuffs and bracelet frames. Thank you for all the helpful tips and great info. I make my own crystal bracelets, necklaces and earrings, sometimes adding a gemstone or two, nothing special.

What are your favorite gauges to work in? Larry. Hope to see your pictures on our Facebook page soon!

I do know how disappointing it is to put your heart into a design for it to bend and break, and thats really a big reason I wanted to put all this info together. I would say you could use 20, 18, or even 16 gauge.

I think everyone starts out that way. I prefer to purchse the already prepped ones. 26-gauge It can require heavy duty jewelry making tools for shaping and cutting. I like what I see so i am just following help danyiel. Now, aside from that, I myself have a pair of flat nose pliers that love to chew up wire. Great information for a beginner, I have been wrapping about year now. When thinking about using these wires, compare them to sewing thread. Hope so! Some types of wire are just less forgiving as you work them with your tools. In a round shape, one of its most popular uses is to coil it around a larger-gauge wire. 24 gauge wire can be used for: coiling neck collars I am a beginner in this. wirewrapped links what type of wire do use to hammer flat.

In a round shape, 20-gauge wire is good for clasps, double wrapped hooks, head pins, ear wires and many other handcrafted components. //-->. function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp((?

So I just dont use them for making spirals theyre on strict jump ring/bundle wrapping duty. How very generous and helpful of you. I think thats a pretty good guideline for keeping your tools at their best! Happy days!

Essential Wire Wrapping Tools for Beginners, Design with Me! Here in Australia we can get 21gauge. Thank you so much. Some posts on this site may contain affiliate links from this and other such programs. This is a good alternative to gold. I have one question though; what wire guage is best for name-writing? 22-gauge At this size, the temper (or hardness) of the wire doesnt really mean much as it is so fine that its easily pliable. i am just learning how use wire. Working with the 16 gauge would take a little more practice but if you make sure to use only soft wire youll have better luck and it would stand out better. I will certainly be pointing other newbies in this direction for help in what to buy for what creations they are attempting to make. It can be shaped by hand and with the use of regular jewelry making tools. I love 18 and 19 gauge for my jump rings. Not common all the time. Generally youll have better luck with metals like copper and sterling silver as opposed to craft wires which are usually alloyed base metals. For bracelets and bangles I may even go to 10 ga, especially in copper and brass. google_ad_slot = "0692919928"; I have been designing Rosary Beads and Chaplets since 2009 and use mostly 22g and 20g for that depending on the beads. Cheers! Thank you 21 gauge is preferred by many for prong settings and earwires. weaving Not only did I find the information I was looking for about different gauges but, I found tons more like wire shapes, which wire to use for which project, what tools to use, work hardening, but also and very importantly the difference between the hardness or lack thereof in wire!! loved this article it is great for us newbee\s. It should not be used as structure wire or open loop links. You answered so many questions I had. Im so sorry! Does that help? earwires Thanks Rose. knitting / crocheting Many thanks. Lots of instructions online for Viking knit. Your blog, will save me, and anyone who reads it, many headaches in the long run. The gauge equals the diameter of the wire, meaning the distance straight across its center. frames i have been trying to sell off some or most of the wire , but as soon as the customer finds out the gauge they decline. This is a thicker wire that measures 0.051 inches or 1.29 millimeters in diameter. Hi Bennie, name writing with wire can be done using either square or round wire in a half-hard temper. What great tutorials. I would appreciate your input. You can try hammering the ear wires you have to make them useable. Thank you! I need a kindergarden class. Thank you for the chart and information. For the purpose of this article, all references below relate to the American Wire Gauge (AWG). by Dale Cougar Armstrong and Krystal Day, Wire-Sculpture.com. I like to use mostly 22- and 24-gauge half-hard wire for my projects. I am a newbie and love the look wire cabs. This site is very informative thanks for all the info on wire. Which Gauge Jewelry Wire to Use for What? At what point do I need a stronger set of tools? Ive decided to venture into making my own ear wires to start with, for those earrings, to start. Also, try using the tips vs. using the very inner part of the jaws, near the hinge. You can find this in the Chain Maille Jewelry Workshop by KAREN KARON.

Hi Shelly, if it comes on a spool, it is probably dead soft. Your pliers may not bite so much if you find the sweet spot. Built on the Genesis Framework, How to use Liver of Sulfur as Copper Patina, Wire-Wrapping Tools & Supplies for Beginners, Wire-Wrapping Tutorials: 17 DIY Wire-Wrapped Earrings, Wire-Wrapping Tutorials: 13 DIY Wire-Wrapped Pendants, Wire-Wrapped Ring Tutorials How to Wire-Wrap Rings. Im not into this yet but Im saving it for future reference. Hi, great informative article for a while now Ive been wire-wrapping rings and pendants and for this I use 20gauge for the base and then wrap with usually 24guage.. for more intricate designs I use 26gauge. Around the same time, I discovered Wire Sculpture and subscribed to the daily tips. I struggled at first, but after time and lots of reading, talking with local beads store owner I finally caught own too how different sizes of wire are used for. Measer your own wire and make a label with the diameter in millimeters, so you cannot make a mistake when you make a new jewel. you. I see a lot of beginners struggling with this. I am doing my ground work first and am so glad to have found you. I hope to learn more from you as I explore working with wire to make jewelry. I am a newby and now I feel a bit more confident buying, using, and knowing the wire in projects A thousand thanks yous is not enough. Ive just started.just this month. wirewrapped links, wrapping briolettes and other stones Dale, May I please copy this for a wire wrapped bead bracelet class I am teaching. But Ive heard that you can take sandpaper and smooth down the edges of the jaws I think I need to do that. It seems to flimsy & soft, so I order my copper ear wires. You can also check out this post for more info about jump rings and how to use them: https://jewelrytutorialhq.com/jump-rings-right-way/, OMG! You really inspire me! The benefit to using dead soft wire would be if you are making intricate shapes with the wire before hammering it, so that its easier to bend into those shapes. In a square shape, this is the preferred gauge for most traditional wire jewelry designs, such as bracelets, rings, and pendants for women and children. I dont know that this is a written rule anywhere but I try to look at the size of the wire and if its bigger than the tips of my tools I slide it down to where the tool is about the same or a little bit thicker than the wire. The gauge of the jump ring is the thickness of the metal that makes up the ring thats the part that matters for the 4mm hole youre talking about. The tips of your tools (round nose, chain nose, + flush cutters) will be able to handle smaller gauges than the middle or back of the tools jaws so there is a little bit more of a range. I want you to know how grateful I am to find all of this information here, on your blog!!

I know that I already have the wrong guage of wire for what I want. 12 gauge wire is usually only available in dead soft temper. Purchasing through them supports this blog at no extra cost to you. found it! Thank you for the blog. It can also be used to knit, crochet, and weave, and to attach small-hole pearls and beads to other projects. What Im wondering now is how many of the gauges can be worked on using the basic tools? Very helpful. I rarely use 28 gauge for links necklaces and bracelets but I do use it often for earrings. Those are really cool and that helps a lot, thanks! My living room is covered in the stuff. I then learned there was a heck of a lot to know.. Youve saved my life and more importantly, tons of mistakes and money!! 28 gauge wire can also be used for wire wrapping very small light beads, though the finished wraps will be very delicate and could bend and break quite easily. can you give me some ideas or tell me your opinion? Your support helps me to be able to create free tutorials and videos to inspire and educate people all over the world. superb nformative and realy helpfull and detailed article for begginers.i got all and everything what i want to know abt Jewellery wiresnow its not confusing for me..after reading your different posts now i am very clear abt what kind of Jewellery wire/which shape/material/gauge i have to buy. Hole Size:4mm( 1/8) I also met a lady who daps bottle caps and makes beads out of them. It is generally used for: coiling Your site has encouraged me to try different techniques in my journey of self taught jewelry making as well as different metals and shapes of wire. spirals Much of the decision is connected to the type of jewelry and the desired artistic results, but there are a few general rules of thumb that you can follow when first starting out. My spouse and I stumbled over here different web address and thought I should check

Slightly larger than the 22-gauge, the diameter of 21-gauge wire measures 0.0285 inches or .723 millimeters. Oops! Sorry I should have explained! I have always been artistically inclined and so I finally decided this January to just take the plunge and start making jewelry and have do well but it\s odd that I got this information at this time because I\m going further and want to get into wire jewelry. I love making my own findings as much as I love to make the jewelry. In North America, the size of the holes in a wire-drawing die is based on a geometric formula developed in 1855 by the machine-tool company, Brown and Sharpe.

You'll need to click the link in your email to view the first video. You mentioned in a reply to see your article onTempers. I am a newbie. bracelets The really good tools should tell you specifically the range of gauges recommended for use with the tips and the range for the rest of the tool. wire settings for small stones. Thank you, this has been very helpful to this newbie!! You can read the complete disclosure here. My favorite gauges are 18,20,22 for most of my projects. delicate clasps Higher gauges require more sturdy tools Anything else we should remember propos ? i mainly use 18 and 20 or higher, but have started buying 16 and 14, been dying to try these gauges out. So if you have the option of using the middle or back of your flush cutter jaws to cut a piece of wire, thats a good habit to get into, so you can preserve the tips for when you need to really snip up close and in tight spots. Ring created and photo provided courtesy of Adrien De Ruyck. I have not found it yet. This is good for free form rings and heavy gauage beaceletts. This blog is an invaluable tool for ANYONE looking to get into jewelry making of any kind. Hi Michelle! Thank you! Thickness:3mm( 1/8), I am really not sure what size jump ring to use. Most people use either 21 or 22 gauge, the choice is yours! 26 gauge is still pretty delicate but I still use it occasionally for links in necklaces and bracelets (and certainly ok for dangles and earrings as well).

This is Part 5 of a series unraveling all the important aspects of choosing the right jewelry wire for your projects. In fact summing up, we can safely use regular tools through gauge 18.

Hi I have been making wire Jewellery for ab out five years. small clasps Hope that helps; I hope you have fun with your cross-stitch creation sounds fun! 26 gauge wire is too light for much of anything except wrapping heavier gauges and attaching beads and things to your projects. Awesome!!!!! All About Jewelry Wire Part 1: Wire Gauge Sizes Explained, All About Jewelry Wire Part 2: Wire Hardness, All About Jewelry Wire Part 3: Wire Shapes, All About Jewelry Wire Part 4: Common Wire Materials, Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), DIY Multistrand (Bridal) Necklace {Video}, DIY Beaded Hoop Earrings Tutorial {Video} . The diameter of this wire measures 0.025 inches or 0.64 millimeters. I appreciate all the information yall have compiled for people like myself. Thank you for the information, this is great stuff to know! 3mm may not be big enough in diameter if you are going to want to thread a cord necklace through the jump ring as well as attaching it to the pendant something to keep in mind! 2022 Jessica Barst JewelryTutorialHQ.com A division of Southern Fried Genius, LLC. I want to use colored wire and bought some 20 gauge but it seemed too thin. Thank you so much for visiting. Thanks again, youve really helped me tremendously. I am up to buying the wire and of course need to know what is best for what. wire settings for small to medium stones It can become kinked and break easily, so it is best to work slowly with these small gauges of wire. I love learning new things. (sorry for my english.) Ive just begun to use wire in projects and this was very helpful. ebay.com/itm/10PCs-JM-Natural-Rhombus-Multi-hole-Wooden-Pendant-For-Counted-Cross-Stitch-Kit-/152190349183?hash=item236f406f7f:g:OlUAAOSwyLlXn~0o. Also the info about the gauges are fantastic. rings PS Taking a hammer to your piece isnt just good venting you can also hide those tool marks with texturing or flattening. This information is so valuable and needed for beginners like myself now that I know what different types of wires are used for what project. Look forward to checking out your web page for a second time. By submitting your information here you agree to our SitePrivacy Policy. binding My $6 flat nose pliers give me different results from my Swanstroms! rings I have just started to make any kind of jewelry, so this is so very helpful to me. Im still just starting out to make rings,,this so far is my favorite thing to make,but,,i dont know what my favorite wire is i only know what its NOT,,its not 22 dead soft,,i cant get it to do anything,,it looks messy no matter what i do,,i have had good results with half hards but the dead softs kill me,. how workable is the stainless steel 12 gauge wire? Thank you again so much for sharing your passion. Im celebrating my first 18 months of jewelry making. I\\\\\\\m new to wire wrapping and love to use 20gauge or in UK where l live 0.8 mm dead soft, but l find here its not labelled dead soft or half hard so you don\\\\\\\t know till you get it home, wish it was better than that but enjoying wire wrapping all the same. The choice of **craft wire** is a personal preference for most jewelry makers. :^|; )+e.replace(/([\.$? Half hard is best for me. i have been searching what projects to make, jewelry how to use 26 gauge wire, what to make out of 26 gauge wire, etc.and i dont find very much useful information. The old measers, gauges, AWG, SWg etc are very dificult and you can make mistakes .When every body use mm, millimeter, than you have never problems with the wire. Generally its good practice to only use the fine tips of your tools (for round nose, chain nose, and flush cutters) only when necessary. Thanks. These small wires are not suitable as structure wires (to wrap other wire around), nor should they be used for open loop links. Be sure to check your spam folder if you can't locate this email! Please send me a guide? All of the wire stocked by Wire-Sculpture is labeled using the AWG. Copyright 2015 WireJewelry.com & Home Jewelry Business, LLC. Weve all been there and if you keep going and figure this out, you will be soo much closer to being the jewelry artist you want to be! So glad to hear that! It can be used as a frame to wrap smaller wire around in some applications* like earrings, when the finished piece is not structural. Featured Video: **Overview of Wires for Jewelry Making**. I do have a question thou, What,s the best wire to make necklaces with. My first love is chain maille, and I have been using jump rings from Walmart (my daughter works there so I get her to use her discount), but the packaging doesnt say what gauge the wire is. The larger size (18 gauge) will be the more sturdy of the two. For those, I will probably be using 20 gauge wire. I am really struggling on the gauge part. l use half hard for rings and if l am going to make coils and a lot of bending the metal is required l use dead soft for wrapping gemtones and some rings.When you hammer dead soft wire this will harden the metal. It is the preferred gauge for making most prong projects and rings. So glad you found it helpful :) Thanks so much for visiting! I am so happy I signed up for your wire tips. As I was searching for information on different wire gauges which I thought was all I needed, I found your blog!! Its true that its very delicate but its definitely ok for dangles (you can make your own headpins or purchase some that are 28g) and for wire wrapping briolettes. In Part 1 of this series, How to Choose Wire Temper for Making Jewelry, we learned about the most popular wire tempers that are used to make wire jewelry designs. Thx. Your explanation of each size is very easy to understand but of course, that is not all there is to it. google_ad_width = 336; 28-34-gauge hi. It may require heavy duty jewelry making tools for shaping and cutting. One more step! Please forgive my terribly delayed reply I seemed to have missed a lot of comments. You can certainly use dead soft, but you will have more hammering to do to harden it up (see my post on work hardening wire if you need more info). I find a lot of pleasure working with wire. It is the preferred choice for making ear wires. head pins bails Thanks so much for the wire gauge chart, very helpful and useful. Thanks so much for your question! tons!!!!! Thank you so much for all this valuable info! Also the description breakdown about what the different gauge wires are commonly used for. Can you please tell me where it is in your site. It may require some heavy duty jewelry making tools for shaping and cutting. I made up my mind to make jewelry. They can be used for coiling, weaving, knitting, and crocheting, as well as to work with feather-weight small-holed pearls and seed beads. Oh, I forgot to mention my favorite gauge to work in. Thanks Judy. Hi if the hole is only 4mm how could I get a 6mm thru it? Welcome back to All About Jewelry Wire! (The longer the bar the more easily it will bend out of shape). Great Reading. It looks like stamped metal and I cant seem to find this kind only rounded/smooth wire, thanks, Thanks so much for your question. Thank you. It is very disappointing to get a design all ready, and feeling like you have it under control, and then something snapping and falling apart. Unfortunately I live in a small town and can only get 20g, 24g round in silver or gold plate. Thanks for the information!

lol Hi Yifatii, check out my article on Wire Tempers. This progression of 39 sizes is known as the American Wire Gauge (AWG). Join the Beadaholique newsletter list for new product announcements, exclusive coupon codes, sale alerts and more. If not, save yourself the trouble and go with half hard :). 16-gauge rings spirals things out.

I use 30 gauge for crochet and 20 gauge for almost everything else but sometimes it is too heavy.I shall give 22gauge and 24 gauge a try. What is the gauge on the picture that looks like the ? Thanku so much Jessica.. The size of the hole is 4mm here is the description: Material: Wood Hi. I know I will love it once I understand all the concepts I need to learn. I like a chasing hammer or a brass hammer and a good bench block (on a cushion!). This guide will be so helpful. All About Jewelry Wire Part 7: How to Work Harden Jewelry Wire, https://jewelrytutorialhq.com/jump-rings-right-way/. (For example: AWG 20-gauge = 0.813mm and SWG 20-gauge = 0.914mm.) Is 14 n 12 gauges good. Here is the link to show you the kind I am working on. Id say try it and see if youre comfortable with how flexible it is! That is the most complete simply explained article on wire! Every time I think Ive seen everthing, something new pops up to get me excited about jewelry making again! This tip of the day is so valuable to me. thanks!!! Find more videos in our **instructional videos** section and be sure to check out our **free beading projects** for tutorials and patterns. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Now we will learn a bit about the size or gauge of jewelry making wire, along with some examples of how different gauges may be used. thank you very much. It is often used to make settings and frames for small-to-medium sized cabochons and cut stones. Thank you. As a multi-purpose wire, it makes a nice double wrapped hook, head pins, smaller clasps, and it can be used to make individual jump rings. I use 16 gauge wire for jump rings,I make bracelets they stay together good without soldering.June. I cant get enough! NEW DVD Series Stone Setting with Bezels, NEW DVD Series Stone Setting with Cold Connections, NEW DVD Series: Introduction to Stone Setting by Kim St. Jean, How to Choose Wire Temper for Making Jewelry, A Chainmail Bracelet: Start Narrow, Make it Wide, http://www.jewelrytools.com/eurotool/jewelry-making-pliers.html, http://www.wire-sculpture.com/jewelry-pliers-1.html, See Yourself as a Creative Thinker-Part IV By Karen Meador, PhD, See Yourself as a Creative Thinker-Part III By Karen Meador, PhD, Make a Three-Strand Bracelet by Marilyn Gardiner, See Yourself as a Creative Thinker-Part II By Karen Meador, PhD, Handy Uses for the WireJewelry.com Cushion Clamp By Karen Meador, PhD, See Yourself as a Creative Thinker By Karen Meador PhD, Free Pattern: Smile Cluster Necklace by Karen Meador, Free Pattern: Long crystal round maille earrings by Kylie Jones, Free Pattern: Stone Twist Wrap by Karen Meador, Free Pattern: Floating Bead Earrings By Kimberly Newman, Get to Know Your Hand Tools Tube-Cutting Jig By Helen I. Driggs, Wire Jewelry Video: Using Punch Pliers by Judy Freyer Thompson, Wire Jewelry Video: Aligning a Hole Punch by Judy Freyer Thompson, Get to Know Your Hand Tools Wire Cutters Helen I. Driggs.