Tip #1. Put a good lotion on your hands before working with your wire. It helps to protect them.
Tip #2. If you are a beginner, use dead soft wire - it's easier for the novice to handle. To work harden it, pull each wire through a good jewelry polish cloth 3 or 4 times. Then group your wires together and pull them through as a group. This will get your wires all going in the same direction and will make your work smoother.
Tip #3. Use your hands as much as possible. The less you use pliers and tools on your wire, the better it will look.
Tip #4. Many pendants will look better if you will use 22ga. wire. It has a more delicate look to it. It is still strong and will stand up to wear for a lifetime.
Tip #5. When making rings, use 20ga. wire - it is stronger and will make a very nice shank.
Tip #6. If you are using pliars or any other type of tool that has jagged teeth or very sharp edges, you may want to get some Dr. Sholes Mole Skin and put it on your tools. This will help prevent marring the metal.
Tip #7. There is a product on the market called "Foamies". It is a 2mm thick sheet of foam that is about 8x10". This makes a great little matt to work with your wire on. You don't lose things - they don't roll around - they stay put. It's light weight and easy to carry with you so you always have a place to work.
Tip #8. When getting to the end of a wire when doing wrapped loops, after snipping as close as you can to the work, use a pair of crimping pliers to create a very neat end to the wrap. You use the rounding tips of the pliers to round the cut end. (Thanks to Myu Brooks for this tip!)
Tip #9. To anneal wire or any metal, you will need a torch and fire brick. You will need to turn off the lights in the area you are working in. Light your torch and move it back and forth in an easy rhythm over your metal (do not hold it in one place as you will melt your metal) - your metal will start to glow on the ends - you want it to glow all through the metal - evenly. When your metal glows a "cherry" red, pull back your flame and let it cool. Put it in a pickeling solution to clean. This will soften hardened metals that have become work hardened or brittle from age.
Tip #10. It is always good to have the generic type of Baby Wipes on hand - especially at shows if you are demonstrating - your hands get soooo dirty and you may not have time to go wash them.
Drilling Brioletts from Lois - "Strick 9"
1) wrap the whole stone in masking tape, with only one wrap where you want to drill and LOTS of layers where you will clamp it in the small vise for holding. When done make a mark where the hole goes. The tape relieves the stress around the drill point on the stone
2) submerge the whole mess in cool water and take your dremel and start drilling on the marked spot. Every few seconds, lift the bit out and swish out the stone- this helps keep the hole clean, but much more importantly, cools the stone and the bit, if you ever see the hole glow red, your bit will be fried and your stone will probably crack at that point, that is why slow is so important (I have had one or two explode on me- got the tape tip from a friend and it really worked)
3) if the stone is large enough to get a good grip on and the hole well started (The vise just immobilizes the stone so you don't start 4 holes in the same place unintentionally due to the slickness of the surface, and keeps you from scratching the hell outta the surface when the bit would slide rather than dig in) get one of those plastic containers like they put lunchmeats in and place it on a cutting board and fill it with water also and you can finish it that way. Keep a towel handy because 9 out of 10 times you will punch thru the container.
Ebay is a good place to find "diamond bits" -the local glass shop here wanted 10 bux for one and I got 25 for 14bux including shipping. Some non-chain hardware stores will have them also.
Good luck
Lois
