Drawing Chenier

[china]

I have put more wire through draw plates than I can remember although I have not ever had a need to draw Chenier, I now require some 2mm OD x 1mm ID and of course no one makes it. Plan was to simply draw it down as I do with wire, one of my mates who works it a large engineering factory suggested that I will need to draw it over a mandrel or the tube will collapse, any forum members who shed any light on the process.

[ps_bond]

If a) you need the ID exact and b) you can dissolve it out safely afterwards then I'd have a 1mm copper wire inside it to keep the ID.
Otherwise, just have at it. The forces on the outside of the tube are balanced & opposing, so no collapse.

[trialuser]

I used some oiled brass wire through the tube when the ID got near the required size, that worked well, I just pulled it out afterwards by pulling it backwards against an appropriately sized hole in the drawplate.
Piano wire might be even better.
I have never had a problem with unwanted collapsing when drawing 'empty' tube, you can turn round tube into square tube if you want but the internal shape isn't perfect unless you use a mandrel.

[Dennis]

Agreed. Pinch one end flat, cut and file the pinched end to pass through the plate and draw away. I have drawn tube for years and never had it collapse.
It can however develop a curve if not annealed frequently. Dennis

[Paul Kay]

Or, unless you really want to try drawing it down; 2mm OD 0.5mm wall = 1mm ID, I think.

So try here: http://www.rashbel.co.uk/sterling-silver-925-round-tube-2-00mm-0-50mm-wall.html

[china]

Thanks for that when it arrives From RioGrande I will give ago without mandrel and hopefully all will be well

[china]

Thanks Paul Kay, should have mentioned it needs to be Argentium

[Paul Kay]

China... and I of course assumed Sterling Silver, being my medium of choice, when you could equally have been referring to anyone of a dozen gold alloys besides to silver ones and other exotics.