Square pendant

[Vitty]

Hi
I want to make a square pendant in square wire and I'm a bit stuck about where to start. Should I cut four sections with each end with a 45 degree angle and solder them together or have two longer lengths with two smaller lengths to ends fit together? Or even have one longer length with sections taken out so I can fold them over to make a square?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks

[Dennis]

If you are making a square out of square wire then by far the easiest is to make two right angles, one with arms longer than the other by exactly the width of the wire.

To make right angles, saw through the middle by about three quarters, file a groove to the depth of the cut with a triangular needle file, then broaden the groove with a square file. Bend to a right angle using a square or a steel block and solder.

Checking for squareness is much more accurate if you can lay it on some graph paper as well. Adjusting is best done with parallel pliers.

To check/adjust lengths, you will need some calipers and again 6" electronic ones will give you an accurate and instant read out. Solder the shorter piece inside the larger piece using the same solder. To double check for accuracy of placement, draw a slightly larger square on your soldering block with waterproof pen and arrange your components inside it.

Metal tends to distort when heated, so it might never be perfect, but the main reason for failure would be faulty arithmetic or poor measuring. A square triblet(mandrel) would help to nudge a slight error into shape.

Hopefully the fact that two joints are butt and two are mitered will be disguised by good joints and good finishing. Another (expensive) accessory is a filing block, which allows you to file better butts and even mitres. Dennis

[Dennis]

Now that I've posted this I can see that it's already quite long winded and confusing, but I can't resist adding a foot-note about finishing.

To give a good finish to the front, rub it on abrasive papers laid flat on your work surface. From about grit 3600, continue with MicroMesh (rubber backed sheets available online), laid flat in the same way, using perhaps grits 4000, 6000, and 8000. Finally use a silver polishing cloth in the same way.

You will now be able to see your face in it, but don't let that put you off :-) Dennis.

[Vitty]

Thanks for that - I will give it a go and will see how it goes. I do have a square steel block so that may be useful for checking angles.

I will let you know how I get on.

Thanks again
Beth

[Dennis]

Apparently someone did ‘not like’ my hybrid method for constructing a square, and I can see why. However I felt at the time that this was the best option for a beginner, and a way of gaining some experience.

To end with four mitred corners, you make two angled pieces as described in my first answer, but of equal length. File the ends to 45° (half a right angle) then stand the arms on some flat abrasive paper and rub both at the same time to perfect them. Provided that all four arms remain the same length, they will fit together to make a square.

I find this quite demanding to do well. Callipers are essential and for squaring relatively small components, steel blocks and engineers squares are nothing like as accurate as graph paper. Dennis.

[ps_bond]

Apparently someone did ‘not like’ my hybrid method for constructing a square, and I can see why.

Eh??? Nothing wrong with it, it's a far more tolerant technique than either joining 4 pieces or notching a strip (which has the additional issue of compounding measuring errors).

I find this quite demanding to do well. Callipers are essential and for squaring relatively small components, steel blocks and engineers squares are nothing like as accurate as graph paper. Dennis.

I'd far sooner use a square than graph paper for this work - although I've got a 25mm square I use for this sort of thing.

[Goldsmith]

I agree with Peter and Dennis, this is exactly the method I would use for making a square pendant from wire. As for tools, I have a batch of Moore & Wright steel measuring tools which I bought when I was an apprentice that have lasted me over 50 years now.

James

[caroleallen]

The only thing I'd add is that you might find a sawing jig useful to get the right angles. I've got a really cheap one and it's great.

[medusa]

Apparently someone did ‘not like’ my hybrid method for constructing a square,

I saw that and assumed you had somehow put the thumbs down in as I didn't think we could vote on posts like that. I followed what you meant and found it fairly clear.