Wires - can you confirm these are good sizes to start please

beadysam

Hiya
I'm buying some copper wire to play around with before I get started on the sterling stuff. I know next to nothing about jewellery making, and I'm finding the whole `AWG/SWG/mm/inches' thing confusing - I'm one of those people that numbers go in and then fly right out of their heads unfortunately. Embarassed

Anyway, I'm ordering some copper wire and I think these sizes are a good range to play with but can somone confirm that for me please? Thanks Daisy

0.600mm
0.710mm
0.800mm
1.250mm

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SAM xxx

silvermaid · Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 2:21 pm Post subject:

There is very little difference between .6mm .7mm and .8mm that I would go for just .6mm and .8mm. If you want to wrap tiny beads round a thicker wire or making twisted stems like on a tiara then .4mm would be a good choice.
I use either .8mm or .9mm for most things. The 1.25 is rather thick, it would be ok for bracelets but may be too thick for pendants and earrings and I doubt you would be able to thread beads on it apart from lampwork which have bigger holes.
To sum up I would go for .4mm .6mm .8mm and 1mm or 1.25mm - depending on what you are planning on making.
I get all my craft wire from

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Melanie

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Once you start to think outside the box - you never get back in

beadysam · Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 2:31 pm Post subject:

Thanks for your help Melanie,
Its Wires.co.uk where I'm steadily filling my basket LOL!
I make big lampwork beads so I am wanting to buy some fairly thick wire that will be good for wrapped loop pendants. I can't see me doing much in the way of fine wire wrapping though - its just not my thing, I'm a very plain and simple girl with the minimum of fuss. I thought maybe the smaller sizes would be good for the odd crystal dangle or something? I might get rid of the 0.7mm and add some 1mm instead. Its only copper so its not a big investment, and wire always comes in handy too.

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SAM xxx

CraftedGems · Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 2:59 pm Post subject:

i'd go for the 0.6mm, 0.8 and the 1.25 but also you might find some 1mm handy

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Caroline

bluebottle · Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:11 pm Post subject:

I use .8mm for practically everything!

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Julie :0)

beadysam · Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:15 pm Post subject:

Thanks Caroline, I think thats the 4 sizes I'll be going for.

Thanks for everyones input Thumbs up

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SAM xxx

amareke · Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 7:54 pm Post subject:

LOOK!!
BEFORE YOU ORDER!! did you see the offer?

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scroll down- there is all the sizes mentioned in a sample pack- I bought this one -very cheap way of trying it out!

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Cathy
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Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur
(Everything said in latin sounds deep!)

beadysam · Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 8:22 pm Post subject:

amareke wrote:

LOOK!!
BEFORE YOU ORDER!! did you see the offer?

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Register or Login on forum!

scroll down- there is all the sizes mentioned in a sample pack- I bought this one -very cheap way of trying it out!

Oops! No I missed them completely! I'm not sure how much you get in the copper pack though, it doesn't say. I've bought enough to make my own sample packs now I think! LOL! Embarassed

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SAM xxx