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AliMac
30-11-2009, 10:00 PM
Hiya,

I am just venturing into making chains, rings and things and I'd like to lay some beginning supplies to play around with. I have a couple of textbooks which are American and use gauge sizes that are confusing me deeply. I want to start out making some hammered chain necklaces/bracelets and some medium rings (vague or what?!). What are good sizes to have around?

mizgeorge
30-11-2009, 10:13 PM
Here's a quick functional conversion - this is NOT accurate, but is a quick guide to more-or-less equivalents if you're following American designs.

30ga - 0.25mm
26ga - 0.4mm
24ga - 0.5mm
22ga - 0.64mm (tricky this one!)
21ga - 0.7mm
20ga - 0.8mm
19ga - 0.9mm
18ga - 1.0mm
16ga - 1.3mm
14ga - 1.6mm
12ga - 2.0mm
10ga - 2.5mm

For the sort of thing your'e thinking of, I'd probably start with 1.6mm and 2mm wire.
I'm guessing from what you've said that you have a torch - which is good, as with the thicker wire sizes, you're going to need to anneal pretty often!

caroleallen
30-11-2009, 10:14 PM
I'd use about 1.3mm for chains, 2mm for rings, 3mm for bangles, .8mm for ear wires

AliMac
01-12-2009, 08:23 AM
Thanks very much both! I've been sitting on the Cookson site panicking about what to order (the answer is really 'stop ordering and get back to your day job' but anyway).

Sunnybank
01-12-2009, 10:28 AM
Thanks for asking this Ali, I've been meaning to and thanks for the conversion George, this is one I'll print.:Y: