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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips |
2014-01-30, 3:34pm
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Linda Linda Honey, lookit
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Join Date: Oct 31, 2008
Location: Almost paradise... ccept for the humidity.
Posts: 951
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Glass & Copper Wire....
Anyone ever successfully put 104 on copper wire - cause I have two questions.
1. Melting temps of copper are around 1900 degrees, did you have any issues with it softening and bending?
2. What gauge wire did you use, and what length did you have to use to be able to handle it since copper is an excellent heat conductor?
I want to put glass ON a wire that is thick enough to hold shape, but small enough that I can bend it after annealing, and have the glass stay there. So basically, working without bead release.
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Christopher
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2014-01-30, 3:48pm
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novembersfyre everywhere
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Join Date: Jun 11, 2005
Location: Colorado
Posts: 3,833
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I've made a bunch of glass headpins directly on copper wire. I tend to use mostly 18 and 20 gauge but I have used 16. I've had no issues with the glass coming off of the copper. The copper is nice and soft after annealing.
Edited to say: just briefly warm the end of the wire in the flame and apply the glass to the wire (keep the wire out of the flame while applying the glass).
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Mary Beth
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2014-01-30, 3:52pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: May 27, 2008
Location: Albion NY
Posts: 517
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Late last year there was a tutorial in step by step wire work useing tompson enamels with copper wire.
You local library may have a subscription.
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2014-01-30, 4:04pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Dec 22, 2012
Posts: 443
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Chris, I make flowers on copper wire. I use 18 gauge but can use 20 in a pinch. Just like MaryBeth said, warm your wire a little so the glass will stick. I use about a three inch piece and use a hemostat to hold the wire. After I anneal the copper wire is black, but a little scrubbing with Comet or Bon Ami makes the wire shiny again. It is very easy to make a loop in the wire.
Good luck!
Helene
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2014-01-30, 4:12pm
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Lampworkaholic!
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Join Date: Apr 22, 2008
Location: Cornelius, NC - because weather
Posts: 5,158
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20 gauge wire will melt in the flame quite quickly. Keep the flame on the glass, barely flash the wire to pre-warm it.
I use a pin vise from Arrow Springs to hold it.
You can pickle the wire to remove fire scale after your piece comes out of the kiln.
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"And all will turn to silver glass, a light on the water, grey ships pass into the west." Annie Lennox
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2014-01-30, 8:33pm
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Loving learning
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Join Date: Oct 11, 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 11,650
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Christopher, I don't know what gauge this is, 20ga or heavier though I think. I haven't tried it on thinner, I was just playing with my new leaf masher. I used a piece about six inches long I think, then just wrapped the rest. I did use it in a short holder from Agate58 (is that right?), didn't have a pin vice handy.
I used a piece of 0000 steel wool to clean the wire off before I wrapped it.
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2014-02-01, 5:45am
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Dec 30, 2009
Location: Perth, West Australia
Posts: 278
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Most of my work is headpins made on copper wire. I have gone as fine as 24 gauge for some projects but mostly use 22 gauge. As already mentioned, I use a pin vise to hold the wire, and just flash the tip in the flame. You can also precut your glass rod ( I use about a half inch), soften the glass in the flame and plunge the heated wire into it, rather than wrapping the glass on the wire.
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2014-02-02, 1:40pm
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Senior Moment
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Join Date: Jun 16, 2012
Location: New Yawk
Posts: 4,161
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24 gauge works fine, but you'll need to clean the scale off afterwards:
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2014-02-02, 4:41pm
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Wonder-wench
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Join Date: Aug 09, 2010
Location: land of milk & honey
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love your headpins Allicat
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Elizabeth
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2014-02-02, 4:58pm
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Katherine
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Join Date: May 27, 2009
Location: Santa Fe, NM - the land of enchantment
Posts: 335
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Many of us have make Bell Flowers on cooper wire and many images are posted on a variety of Bell Flower threads using mostly cooper wire or German silver wire. Here is one of the thread: http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...ht=bell+flower
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Katherine
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