| The steps involved in starting a jewelry making project are
essentially the same for every project. From an overview
perspective the first thing you need to do is to make your jewelry wire
components out of practice wire. While making your components out of
practice wire you need to learn how much wire is required to make the
components so that when you get ready to use your good wire, you will be
able to cut the correct length of wire on your first try. In
general, with every jewelry making project, you will cut your wire,
measure the wire, make a loop in the end of the wire,
hold this loop and straighten your wire, and then make your wire component
starting with just two pegs in your jig and adding pegs as you go. When
you have completed wrapping your wire on your jig then you need to cut the
excess wire and measure how much excess wire you have. Your goal
should be to have 1/2 inch of wire left over as scrap when you are done.
Here are the steps involved. Step 1: Cut a length of practice wire that you estimate will be 1-2 inches longer than you need. Step 2: Measure this length of wire and record the length. Step 3: Make a loop in one end of this wire using your round nose
pliers or Fine Step Jaw Pliers. (We prefer the Fine Step Jaw Pliers
for making initial loops because the first step gives us a loop the size
of the metal pegs for the WigJig Delphi, Cyclops or Centaur and the second
step gives us a loop the size of the metal pegs for the Olympus, Olympus-Lite
or Electra.) Select here
for information on how to make a loop with round nose pliers.
Select here for information on
how to make a loop with Fine Step Jaw Pliers. When making your loop, be sure to use the end of your wire with the flush cut
and not the end with the sharp end. See the top
of page 27 if you aren't certain which end of your
wire to use.
If both ends of your wire are sharp, cut one end off about 1/4" from the
end being certain to leave Step 4: Now, while holding your wire by the loop you just made, pull the wire through the jaws of your nylon jaw pliers several times until it is straight. Page 3 has more information on how to straighten wire. (Continued on page 36) |
