Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Bending D wire the other way...

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    London
    Posts
    12

    Default Bending D wire the other way...

    Can anyone please advise if it's possible to bend D wire in a horizontal plane?

    I have been happily making gold stud earrings which have a mabe-style pearl glued onto a flat disc which has a 1mm square wire false 'bezel'. I now have a commission to make similar earrings, but to have the bezel curved, rather than square. This could be achieved by using D wire, but made into a ring that sits with its flat edge on the disc, rather than its pointy curved edge (like a wedding ring): imagine slicing a bagel in half horizontally (oops, food again!) and I hope you see what I mean!

    Can this be done? Will D wire bend this way?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
    Posts
    8,845

    Default

    I hope I see what you mean. It is almost impossible to make a ring with D-shaped wire in the flat, because it will resist and end up kinky.

    Luckily there is an easy peasy way out: make the ring in round wire and then rub it on a flat piece of abrasive paper until the wire is D-shaped.

    By the way, unless I misunderstood you, to mount a pearl on a flat or cupped surface it needs to be half drilled and be set on a spike. With tiny pearls a hole and a cup are usually sufficient. Dennis.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Exeter, Devon
    Posts
    1,803

    Default

    Agree with Dennis, you may be lucky if the wire is very thin but the way I would do it is to make a jump ring and sand it in half.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    London
    Posts
    12

    Default

    You've got it exactly - thank you Dennis and Patstone. The sanding method just seemed to me to generate a lot of waste (which I know can be reclaimed) but it's definitely easy!

    To mount the pearl, which is half drilled. I usually drill a tiny hole in the centre of the disc and push through a wire which forms the spike on the inside and the ear post on the back. Soldered in place, it works a treat.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    England
    Posts
    1,902

    Default

    If you are desperate to bend D shaped wire this way, there is one way it could be done but a bit long winded. If you super glued a strip of gold D wire to a length of square silver wire. Twist your rings around a steel spit of the size you need, cut them as if cutting jump rings, straighten them out and then finally heat with your torch and the glued wires will detach leaving the D shaped rings you want.


    James

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
    Posts
    8,845

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Gogargirl View Post
    The sanding method just seemed to me to generate a lot of waste
    Yes, but to be fair, economy of material is part of the design process. You could just as well use round wire without modifying it, as on my recent thumb ring and it would look OK too. Dennis.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Tr1 Thumb Ring.jpg  

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    London
    Posts
    12

    Default

    Lovely ring Dennis. I could leave the wire whole, but the client wants 2mm rims, so that's quite a lot of gold....but thank you for the suggestion as i could smooth off the back and they would look nice.

    James - I think I'll try this - just because I'm curious, rather than desperate!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Posts
    668

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Gogargirl View Post
    Lovely ring Dennis. I could leave the wire whole, but the client wants 2mm rims, so that's quite a lot of gold....but thank you for the suggestion as i could smooth off the back and they would look nice.

    James - I think I'll try this - just because I'm curious, rather than desperate!
    That sounds like a great solution, James.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •