Question: What's the most common size wire you use?

AndrosCreations · Sep 7, 2011

Greetings all,

I've spoken with several engravers lately and asked what range of wire thickness they typically use for inlay and found it quite educational as I'm a novice. I was also a little shocked to know how thin the wire was...

I'm curious to know two things and think it would be helpful for the other new engravers Also...

1) What is the most common wire gauge/thickness that you use... If you were stranded on a desert island and you could only take one gauge with no drawplate... what would it be?

2) What is the range of wire gauge/thickness that you use? (Not including the initial gauge you purchase to draw down with a drawplate unless you would actually use that gauge for inlay).

Thanks for participating in advance! :biggrin:

Sam · Sep 7, 2011

I don't think of wire sizes myself. I use whatever fits the job I'm doing at the time and have everything from 18 gauge to 30 gauge. Churchill snips off pieces from sheet gold and doesn't use a draw plate. I'd say 26 ga would be a good one for borders.

Andrew Biggs · Sep 7, 2011

0.30mm is what I use for just about most things.

I have 0.75mm wire that I use as "sheet"............I just hammer it flat to the size required

Cheers
Andrew

Ray Cover · Sep 7, 2011

The two I use most for line inlay are .015" and .020". I don't know what that comes out to in gauge measurement. But those are the two sizes I most commonly draw down to for line inlay.

Ray

mitch · Sep 7, 2011

i use whatever size fits the trench i just dug.

SamW · Sep 7, 2011

I mostly use 0.016" for inlays and 0.012 for borders. If I need really small stuff I flatten the 12 and cut tiny strips from it. I usually buy in 0.020" size to have a bit larger on hand.

Christopher Malouf · Sep 7, 2011

Hey Andy, do yourself a favor and get a good tungsten carbide draw plate from Otto Frei that goes into the filigree diameters. You're going to get a ton of different answers because everyone is different and I can think of better things to be stranded on a deserted island with.... much warmer too. ROFL!!

The draw plate will pay for itself in the first good size project. Draw the wire down to under the size of the inlay channel and minimize the overflow as much as possible. You would be amazed how much gold accumulates in polishing stones, sand paper and even the rags to wipe off the sludge from using oil stones. Add that to the gold you can't see in the vacuum bag and you've got a few hundred bucks before you know it.

Doc Mark · Sep 8, 2011

Well, I have a good tungsten-carbide drawplate and I cut thin strips from a flattened 24k gold Canadian Maple Leaf, but I've never been able to draw down gold wire past about 24 gauge. Thinner than that, it just keeps snapping off into small lengths. I've tried annealing every pass-through and every other pass. I lube the wire etc. I can't even grab the tapered tip of the wire without crushing it and breaking it off right at the drawplate. I've got smooth jawed pliers and serrated parallel beak pliers. Nothing seems to help me get past 24 gauge. So I've given up and just buy the thinner wires. It's less frustration!

mitch · Sep 8, 2011

whoa, Doc! you ought to be able to draw waaaaay finer than 24g (.02"ish). i can very easily draw 24kt gold down to a fifth that diameter (.004") in short lengths of say, 6" or so- and how much of that size do you ever need, right?.

first of all, have a look at this quick video on tapering wire: http://www.engraversstudio.com/apps/vblog/Video/View.aspx?id=69d5a1b428 then come back and we'll discuss the process in more detail.

Christopher Malouf · Sep 8, 2011

Doc Mark said:
Well, I have a good tungsten-carbide drawplate and I cut thin strips from a flattened 24k gold Canadian Maple Leaf, but I've never been able to draw down gold wire past about 24 gauge. Thinner than that, it just keeps snapping off into small lengths. I've tried annealing every pass-through and every other pass. I lube the wire etc. I can't even grab the tapered tip of the wire without crushing it and breaking it off right at the drawplate. I've got smooth jawed pliers and serrated parallel beak pliers. Nothing seems to help me get past 24 gauge. So I've given up and just buy the thinner wires. It's less frustration!

I remember a discussion from awhile back on drawplates and you mentioned this. I also recall that you have the same Chinese made Rio Grande drawplate that I have. I have trouble with two holes but when I get to the US made, filigree drawplate from Otto Frei, I can draw down from .245mm to .12mm very easily. It wasn't until after I bought a "good" one when I figured out how much of a headache the Chinese ones are.

The only thing you can try is draw some alloyed gold through the holes that give you trouble. 22K wire from Rio Grande is excellent and a couple of feet fixed my .26mm hole. The other option is just buy a "good" one .... that is, American Made .. Or, just keep buying specific sizes and hope you have what you need.

In case folks want to refer to that thread.

http://www.engraverscafe.com/showthread.php?8180-draw-plate/page3&highlight=drawplate

I was definitely wrong about anealing fine gold between draws and a top quality drawplate makes all the difference.

Doc Mark · Sep 9, 2011

You know Chris, you may be right about the drawplate itself. I always have trouble with the same hole. I thought the Rio Grande plate WAS a top brand. Oh well, live and learn the hard way. After reading some of the other comments on this thread, I also think that I may be overheating the gold when annealing.

Mitch, I have seen Chris De Camillis's video when it was first posted and now do exactly that technique to taper the gold wire. It's the easiest and best technique I've ever seen for that problem.

Christopher Malouf · Sep 9, 2011

I hear ya Doc ... when I bought mine, all I saw was "tungsten carbide" and "Rio Grande". I figured suffering through the process was part of the job when in reality it should be quick and easy. One of the jewelers I work with won't buy tools from them any more and they pointed me in the Gesswein and Otto Frei direction.

John B's gold annealing on the diving board method is perfect for getting the stuff ready for the draw plate as annealing it straight leaves hard spots.

KSnyder · Sep 9, 2011

I used copper wire strands about .010" and inlayed it into a steel belt buckle you guys using gold are way past that though. I just tried it to see if I could. and like Mitch said, "it fit the trench. :chip:

KSnyder · Sep 9, 2011

Mitch , have you really used .004" wire? thats about like a human hair! what did you cut the trench with? that's gotta be awesome!

AndrosCreations · Sep 9, 2011

Thanks for the replies everyone... I ended up ordering some .016" & .013" 24k and hopefully just working with these two gauges will teach me more about what my preference will be in the end.... Though I know it's not just about "preference" but more about what fits the trench, for now I'll just have to make the trench fit the wire.

I found my drawplate only goes down to .5 millimeter. I bought it for jewelry fabrication purposes and it looks like I'll have to buy yet another for engraving purposes... That will have to wait until the $$$ is available.

Thanks again for your replies... it's been educational.

mitch · Sep 10, 2011

KSnyder said:
Mitch , have you really used .004" wire? thats about like a human hair! what did you cut the trench with? that's gotta be awesome!

drawing it is one thing, inlaying it is a whole nuther proposition. basically it involves cutting a proportionately deeper groove (yes, even tho it's skinnier, its width it needs to be relatively deeper than normal). then instead of making undercuts in the side walls, make tiny burs in the bottom, in alternating directions. make very sure the tops of the burs are well below the surface, or they'll cut the wire. like pretty much ANY engraving, it gets tougher as the line curves more. straight lines aren't too bad, scrolls are a booger.

when i was young, prideful, & stupid, i occasionally inlaid lines down to about .002". i only very, very rarely go finer than maybe .006" these days, and even then for only very, very tiny distances.

KSnyder · Sep 10, 2011

Wow! yeah, drawing is the "easy" part. executing the design well................. you know. Please post pics if you have some with the real tiny inlay. that would be a treat.

Question: What's the most common size wire you use?

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