Drawing Chenier

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.

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.

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.

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

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-si...50mm-wall.html

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

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

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.