Tools for wire wrapping tear drop stones

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hi Everyone, I am new to Ganoksin/Orchid and I am enjoying reading
the news and furnished through this forum. I have a
question: Is there any helpful tool that I can use to wrap/coil and
then loop 24ga & 20ga wire around tear drop stones?

I have looked at several websites and the tools offered are
confusing me a bit (ie, dowels, burs, twist & curl, etc.). So far, I
have been using my hands along with a myriad of pliers and my skills
are disappointing me with inconsistent results. I would appreciate
your suggestions along with websites of suppliers for purchase.

Thank you in advance for your help. Best Regards, Stacey Stacey Seigel
President We Rock, Ltd. werockltd@aol.com

2

Hi Stacey -

If you are referring to teardrop-shaped stones that have a
horizontal hole, those are called briolettes, and there’s a good
tutorial on wire wrapping them here, plus you can buy the tools
online:

http://www.beadshop.com/brneusge.html

If you are referring to teardrop-shaped stones that have a vertical
hole like any other bead, then basic wire-wrapping applies. A book
that I particularly like for this is All Wired Up by
Mark Lareau. Here’s a link to a page about it at amazon.com:

All Wired Up
by Mark Lareau 
Price:   $15.37 
Paperback: 128 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.30 x 8.97 x 8.47 
Publisher: Interweave Press; (November 2000) 
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/188301073X/ganoksincom-20
3

Thank you to everyone who replied to me! I decided to take the
advice of a couple of people, and do some wire-wrapping (wire
working?). It turned out beautifully – i used a fine gauge sterling
round wire, and made swirling “S” links, so that the top of the curve
in the S hooked into the jumpring between the bars of the bracelet,
and the lower curve hooked through the crystal heart bead (top
drilled, not center drilled). I shaped the bottom swirl of the S
curve so that it was not so much round, but more of a horizontal
rectangle with rounded edges, so that the bead could dangle more
freely. Each curve sat against the S at some point, so there were no
openings. I used small round-nosed pliers and sharp nippers, and
buffed it out to get rid of any marks left by the tools. I will try
to get a picture (I had to give my friend the bracelet ASAP since she
had been waiting a while) – hopefully I will catch her wearing it
when I have my camera handy. She is very happy with it!

Thanks again,
Lois

4

None That I know of in my Ten years of Twisting… Tools that do
that… You might however try using dead soft wire… It will help you
get more consistency in your efforts…smaller than 20 ga will help
aswell… Try making some kind of mandrel to hold the bead and give
you more control over it…Good luck …

5 
Try making some kind of mandrel to hold the bead and give you more
control over it...Good luck ..

I just want to remind everybody that any time you are trying to get
a grip on something awkward, or support something delicate while you
work on part of it, Jett Sett (or equivalent) can be a godsend. I’ve
had mine for maybe three years, but only recently have really
started to use it. It is an absolute miracle for laying, say, a
piece with bezels all over it on its face, all supported in every
detail, so I can hammer something without smashing delicate parts.
Or for holding onto a briolette and even clamping it in a vise…

–No�l