What I am Looking For

Jewelry Discussion
1

I am trying to find a source for something I don’t even know if
there is a name for!

I want to make a jig for wrapping wire–I have a design in mind,
and it would be nice to have all my pieces uniformly sized. I am
looking for a steel plate p[ierced with holes, uniformly placed
and sized, and steel posts or dowels that I could solder into
place in those holes to create my own custom made jig. I know
there is something called a wigjig on the market, but it’s not
what I want–I want to create my own. Any ideas?

2

Sandy

This sounds much like a jig I have for making filigree. Don’t
know who sells them though. The one I have was made years ago by
a fellow hobbyist.

Phyllis Richardson

3

Sandy,

If you are using this jig for a production type run, you may
find it cost effective to have a local machine shop make it up
for you (maybe out of scrap metal). If it’s just one piece, have
you considered driving nails into a block of hardwood? Just a
thought.

Sharon Ziemek

4

You probably could use wood blocks and drive nails where ever
you needed them and cut the heads off to make your jigs. Tubing
of various diameters could be placed over the nails for larger
diameter curves- I made a jig for dilling like that- the
protruding nails center a piece to be drilled.

Rick
Richard D. Hamilton

Fabricated 14k, 18k, and platinum Jewelry
wax carving, modelmaking, jewelry photography

http://www.rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton

5

What you are looking for is a “draw plate” Expect to pay about
$35.00 or so. You will need a pair of “draw tongs” because pliers
are not very good at gripping the ends of the wire that you are
trying to pull through the plate. About 3 times through the draw
plate and you will have to anneal the wire. Price of tongs about
$40.00.

Drill holes in a piece of wood and place our pegs (cut nails of
whatever size you want) and there is your jig. (something like a
small version of a cribbage board)

		..............Leo
6

Here is a thought. The goldsmiths, here in Iceland, do a lot of
filigrThetae (sp) work and they are basically using a wooden block
with nails in it to wrap around. They clip of the heads of the
nails to prevent scratching the wire. It is a cheap and
disposable system. They also, upon completing a design they want
to repeat, brand the design into the wood so they can see, at a
glance, what pattern they are repeating.

They use this technique both for the heavier wire outer form
and the smaller inner wire swirls.

I do not know if this is what you were refering to but hope it
helps…

Peter

7

Hi Can’t help but asking, have you lived in Iceland all your life? Do
you like it there? Did you learn english as a second (third) language
in school? Is it hard to live in a small area with people who, one
assumes, know one? Why did you learn jewelry arts? Thank you, Kat