Working With Wire: What to Bring!

Working With Wire: Expanded Edition

In this special two day workshop, students will learn to harness the possibilities of wire. From structural forms to chains, clasps and rivets, this valuable set of skills will enhance whatever you create, be it assemblage, jewelry or fixing something around the house!

REQUIRED TOOLS/MATERIALS:

The tools below are things you will be certainly using in the workshop, and to avoid having to wait for a communal tool to become available, you should plan on getting them for the class:

Note: Volcano Book Arts has a great Metalsmithing starter kit for $54 that comes with a jeweler's saw, Bench Pin, Saw Blades, Rawhide Mallet, Needle Files, Wooden Hand Vise (ring clamp), 2 Storage Tubes for Blades. This will take care of all those items on the list in one hit, so it's recommended: <here> "Metalsmithing Starter Tool Kit"

• 'Re-bar tie wire' <here> (also found in most hardware stores in the construction materials section, near the cinder block and chain-link fencing. IMPORTANT: make sure it is steel or iron wire, NOT galvanized!...it should be dark grey-black). NOTE: You won't need to haul the whole roll, as it's quite heavy - bring 1/2 of it with you and you'll have plenty!

• roll of 19 guage 'dark annealed' steel wire: <Here>

• a small power drill <here> If you already own a power drill, corded or cordless, bring that so you don't buy another (as long as it has an adjustable chuck on the end, rather than the hexagonal 'quick-change' tip). But in the last few years battery technology has allowed this new generation of compact drills to emerge. The one I've linked to is very inexpensive and it will be a wonderful tool for working with - well worth the expense! If you simply can't afford it, in a pinch you can even use a hand-crank manual drill, such as the Fiskars model, seen here.

• Hard-wire shear cutter <here>

• Flush-cutter. An absolutely BRILLIANT pair of flush-cutters can be found <here>. They cost around $29. If you cut wire with any frequency, these are more than worth the money. I covet my pair, which I paid way too much for ($70!), but even so, I wouldn't give them up for anything. However, if you want a cheaper alternative ($17), these will do - <here>

• 3M Wet-Or-Dry Polishing Paper This is simply a MUST HAVE. Comes in a pack of six sheets. Be sure to number them on the back when you first open the package, 1 being roughest to 6 being finest. <here>

• rawhide mallet <here>

• small table bench vise <here> DON'T bring the kind that swivel on a ball-joint (hobby/light-use), or a hollow construction vice - the one you'll need has to be similar in design to the one pictured.

• bench pin <here>

• spring-loaded, or 'automatic' center punch. Can be found at most hardware stores, but go here to see what they look like. Here is a lightweight version that is quite nice).

• steel bench block: <here> Be sure to bring a small piece of leather or sandbag (even some sand in a Ziplok bag will do) to put under your block--it'll make it much quieter! NOTE: If your bench vise has a flat anvil surface attached, you won't need this!

• a small hammer <here>

• a pair of lineman's pliers (a new, cheap and SUPERB pair can be found <here>

• jewelry pliers:
a round-nose (an appropriate one for the class can be found <here>), and a flat-nose <here>

•Hard-wire shear cutter <here>

• a small jewelry plier with a serrated edge on the inside (gripping edge)

• small file (any fine-tooth file will do)

• Ring clamp <here>

• standard steel drill bit set <here>

• Two extra 1/16" drill bits <here>

• fine (0000) steel wool (find it in a paint-supply section of a hardware store), or better yet, this brilliant new synthetic steel wool pad by 3M <here>

• 3M Micron Polishing Paper - set of 6 sheets <here>

• spring-loaded, or 'automatic' center punch. Perfect one <here>

• Riveting hammer. Available for about $7 from Gesswein or any other jewelry supply store. On this page, scroll down to the 'Swiss-style riveting hammer' to see the type that's best.

• Piece of scrap wood to drill into

• 2 bar clamps (this is the perfect set, of a 12" and 6" - <here>)

• a decent quality beeswax furniture wax polish (not the liquid, and not car wax, but furniture wax in a flat can), or, if you want the the best, a can of Rennaisance Wax.

• an assortment of found objects that you can practice joining or embellishing with wire...see the Precious Little supply list for possible things to bring in this vein.

• ear plugs, if you're sensitive to hammering (we'll keep the noise down as much as possible, but there will be some, so just to be safe....

• jeweler's saw (get a 'deep' one, ideally with 5" to 6" 'throat' <here>

• Jeweler's saw blades (an inexpensive assortment like <this> is perfect for the class)

Please email me with any questions you might have that this page didn't address.

See you there! Keith

	Working With Wire: Expanded Edition In this special two day workshop, students will learn to harness the possibilities of wire. From structural forms to chains, clasps and rivets, this valuable set of skills will enhance whatever you create, be it assemblage, jewelry or fixing something around the house! REQUIRED TOOLS/MATERIALS: The tools below are things you will be certainly using in the workshop, and to avoid having to wait for a communal tool to become available, you should plan on getting them for the class: Note: Volcano Book Arts has a great Metalsmithing starter kit for $54 that comes with a jeweler's saw, Bench Pin, Saw Blades, Rawhide Mallet, Needle Files, Wooden Hand Vise (ring clamp), 2 Storage Tubes for Blades. This will take care of all those items on the list in one hit, so it's recommended: <here> "Metalsmithing Starter Tool Kit" • 'Re-bar tie wire' <here> (also found in most hardware stores in the construction materials section, near the cinder block and chain-link fencing. IMPORTANT: make sure it is steel or iron wire, NOT galvanized!...it should be dark grey-black). NOTE: You won't need to haul the whole roll, as it's quite heavy - bring 1/2 of it with you and you'll have plenty! • roll of 19 guage 'dark annealed' steel wire: <Here> • a small power drill <here> If you already own a power drill, corded or cordless, bring that so you don't buy another (as long as it has an adjustable chuck on the end, rather than the hexagonal 'quick-change' tip). But in the last few years battery technology has allowed this new generation of compact drills to emerge. The one I've linked to is very inexpensive and it will be a wonderful tool for working with - well worth the expense! If you simply can't afford it, in a pinch you can even use a hand-crank manual drill, such as the Fiskars model, seen here. • Hard-wire shear cutter <here> • Flush-cutter. An absolutely BRILLIANT pair of flush-cutters can be found <here>. They cost around $29. If you cut wire with any frequency, these are more than worth the money. I covet my pair, which I paid way too much for ($70!), but even so, I wouldn't give them up for anything. However, if you want a cheaper alternative ($17), these will do - <here> • 3M Wet-Or-Dry Polishing Paper This is simply a MUST HAVE. Comes in a pack of six sheets. Be sure to number them on the back when you first open the package, 1 being roughest to 6 being finest. <here> • rawhide mallet <here> • small table bench vise <here> DON'T bring the kind that swivel on a ball-joint (hobby/light-use), or a hollow construction vice - the one you'll need has to be similar in design to the one pictured. • bench pin <here> • spring-loaded, or 'automatic' center punch. Can be found at most hardware stores, but go here to see what they look like. Here is a lightweight version that is quite nice). • steel bench block: <here> Be sure to bring a small piece of leather or sandbag (even some sand in a Ziplok bag will do) to put under your block--it'll make it much quieter! NOTE: If your bench vise has a flat anvil surface attached, you won't need this! • a small hammer <here> • a pair of lineman's pliers (a new, cheap and SUPERB pair can be found <here> • jewelry pliers: a round-nose (an appropriate one for the class can be found <here>), and a flat-nose <here> •Hard-wire shear cutter <here> • a small jewelry plier with a serrated edge on the inside (gripping edge) • small file (any fine-tooth file will do) • Ring clamp <here> • standard steel drill bit set <here> • Two extra 1/16" drill bits <here> • fine (0000) steel wool (find it in a paint-supply section of a hardware store), or better yet, this brilliant new synthetic steel wool pad by 3M <here> • 3M Micron Polishing Paper - set of 6 sheets <here> • spring-loaded, or 'automatic' center punch. Perfect one <here> • Riveting hammer. Available for about $7 from Gesswein or any other jewelry supply store. On this page, scroll down to the 'Swiss-style riveting hammer' to see the type that's best. • Piece of scrap wood to drill into • 2 bar clamps (this is the perfect set, of a 12" and 6" - <here>) • a decent quality beeswax furniture wax polish (not the liquid, and not car wax, but furniture wax in a flat can), or, if you want the the best, a can of Rennaisance Wax. • an assortment of found objects that you can practice joining or embellishing with wire...see the Precious Little supply list for possible things to bring in this vein. • ear plugs, if you're sensitive to hammering (we'll keep the noise down as much as possible, but there will be some, so just to be safe.... • jeweler's saw (get a 'deep' one, ideally with 5" to 6" 'throat' <here> • Jeweler's saw blades (an inexpensive assortment like <this> is perfect for the class) Please email me with any questions you might have that this page didn't address. See you there! Keith