Robert,
Straightening thick wire is harder. I am also a lampworker (making
glass beads) so I found I roll the wire in my hand as I’m hammering
with a Delrin mallet. I just keep rotating the wire as I mallet away
and the wire comes out pretty straight. Not perfect but as straight
as I can. If it is really critical that your thick wires have to be
perfectly straight, then order it in 12" straight lengths. I have to
do that once in a blue moon.
Joy
We have an antique draw bench and use it to pull heavy wire and
tubing as well as straightening heavy gauge wire.
Not something you find in every shop, but if you know someone who
has one I’d recommend that you try it.
Have fun and make lots of jewelry.
Jo Haemer
timothywgreen.com
Joy.
Thanks for the suggestions. I have ordered 12" straightened pieces
from Hoover and Strong, but have been looking for a solution that
doesn’t generate so much waste as most of my work is in the 10" -
11" stock range. Thanks. Rob
Rob Meixner
A way that doesn’t require a drawbench is to hang the wire
vertically, attach a weight to the free end, and twist the wire a few
times. It works with thick wire as well as thin.
Regards, Gary Wooding
Gary. I hung a piece of 12 gauge wire that had been tightly coiled
securing it with a locking plier bigger than the hole in the weight.
I carefully snapped the weight down a couple times against the plier
and turned the the wire around a few turns and it was straight.
Thanks. Rob
Rob Meixner