Wire weaving gadget

Jewelry Discussion
1

Can someone identify where to purchase the wire weaving gadget which
is pictured on page 16 of the July issue of Jewelry Artist? After I
requested the from the editor, I was told that they
would let people know sometime in the future! What a way to answer a
question

John

2

Hi John,

Try cooltoolchick.com. The source is on page 18 of Jewelry Artist
July 2008 issue Looks pretty easy to make. At the workshop Dianne
Karg Baron taught we we used a plastic clamp with wide jaws padded
with a soft rubbery material I think that a clamp attached to the
bench would be easier to use. Maybe the editors need to read the
articles more carefully!

HTH,
Karen

3

That looks like the wire weaver sold (and probably made) by Cindy
Moore of cooltoolchick.com I ordered one but haven’t had a chance to
use it. Looks like it would be a HUGE help in wire weaving. It wasn’t
exorbitantly expensive–I think less than $75 and came complete in a
nice tool bag with all the things you need except the wire. She also
has a neat bender designed to …Use the pressure of your thumbs to
easily bend and shape metal into bracelets and rings without altering
the existing patterns and textures. Make a parallel bend without
rotating your piece. With this amazing tool, you can easily shape
anticlastic, synclastic, corrugated and other surface designs without
hammers, stakes or mandrels (taken from her site).

Ann Lacava

4

Hi John,

Can someone identify where to purchase the wire weaving gadget
which is pictured on page 16 of the July issue of Jewelry Artist?

Based on the picture on page 16 I’d make one myself.

It looks like it’s just a piece of 1 inch X 1/8 inch angle iron
about 4 inches long with a 4 inch long piece of 1 inch X 1/8 inch
flat bar. The bolts appear to be 3/8 inch x 1 1/4 inch hex head cap
screws. It 's attached to a piece of 3/4 X 1 1/2 inch wood. The white
padding can be an type of material that will keep from marking the
material being held; some scrap vinyl would work well.

Most hardware stores will have the metal & bolts to make it. If It
were me, I’d do away with the bolts & use a 1/4 -20 thumb screw & tap
the holes in the angle iron.

Dave

5

It looks to me like something someone put together from parts from
the hardware store – and if so it wouldn’t be available as a retail
item. From the response you received it does sound as if Jewelry
Artist is planning to include instructions for making one in a future
issue.

I’m thinking that if I carried the issue into my local hardware
store they could probably point me to the necessary parts. I’m going
to try that, anyway. Thanks for pointing it out!

Constance

6

John:

Can someone identify where to purchase the wire weaving gadget
which is pictured on page 16 of the July issue of Jewelry Artist?

This looks like the wire weaving jig I have. Mine was made by Cindy
Moore. Visit her website cooltoolchick.com to order. Usual
disclaimer, just a satisfied customer.

Carolyn Vinson

7

For wire weaving such as described in the July issue of Jewelry
Artist, I use a quick clamp (that is the name of it), which I got at
the local hardware store for around $5.00. It has plastic jaws, which
come in different sizes. I got the 1" and 1-1/2" sizes. Then, once
you fasten your wires between the jaws, you click the clamp tight to
hold the wires. It adjusts to different sizes.

My only objection is that it is awkward to use. It works, and one
can do nice weaving with it, but if it was clamped down the work
would go faster.

From the one pictured in Jewelry Artist, it should be very easy to
make. Looks like an angle iron which has holes in it, and which is
then skrewed to the board. The other iron seems to be just a flat
piece. Both pieces have holes in them and the two pieces are bolted
together. One would tighten the bolts firmly to hold the wires in
place. Seems like a very easy project to make one of these. I would
make it so that I could clamp the board to my bench so that it is
firmly secured. I would cover the jaws with pieces of rubber or
flexible plastic, so as not to mar the wires.

8

I weave wire all the time and the only gadget I use is a heavy iron
bench vise that is older than dirt. It sits on my table (not bolted
so I can change its orientation as needed) and holds the wire being
woven securely. I pad the jaws with vinyl electrical tape (3M’s
“Scotch 35”, NOT the thin cheap stuff). I don’t have to fuss with
clamps and the process of opening and closing the jaws as I work the
weave is pleasant. You can see a photo of my bench vise at the bottom
of this page of my website:

http://janra-jewelry-designs.com/shows.html

You can probably still find new vises like this, or you could check
out an antique tool shop.

Jan Raven
www.janra-jewelry-designs.com
www.wovenwire.blogspot.com

9

Thanks for your response and I looked at your weaving. It is not the
tight weaving of Hanne Behrens or Mary Lee Hu who do a very
intricate type. Google their works.

john

10

I just received a kit of tools from cooltoolchick.com. They are just
what I have been looking for to enable me to hold my wire and braid
it without utilizing a quick-grip apparatus. Very portable. Upon
completion of the woven form, I can shape it with the bracelet
mandrel. Understand that Cindy has an article in the July issue of
“Jewelry Artist” page 16. (Wire Weaving Gadget)

Ray Wenneker