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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 25, 2021 13:45:22 GMT -5
Technically, I guess this is wrap 2.5! I wrapped a cab last night using round silver, got all the way to the final twist on the front, then ripped it all apart and threw it in the garbage (the wire, not the cab!). It just looked like a bunch of paperclips twisted around a rock! LOL I said before I'm not creative, so the basic design is the same as the first. But I was pleased that I figured out how to place the bindings around this odd shape. All the tutorial videos I've watched are teardrop shaped cabs with a single binding at the bottom of the cab. So, I had no real clue when I started wrapping this one how to work the odd shape. I didn't copy the exact design of the first one...I tweaked the decorative twists on the front a little bit. My wife said she liked it, so that was a plus!  I slightly damaged the wire right at the bottom, but I think that'll come out once I can tumble it with stainless steel shot. Anyway, thanks for taking a gander and critiques and comments are always welcomed.   |
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Post by miket on Feb 25, 2021 15:04:56 GMT -5
I think it looks good, Jason- odd shapes aren't easy for me, either! And I feel your pain- I've ripped apart wraps more than once in frustration... A piece of advice that I've gotten from some folks here on RTH- save your wire, you can send it in for cash!  Oh, and here are some of my mistakes...er, paperclips.  |
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Brian
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2020
Posts: 1,512
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Post by Brian on Feb 25, 2021 16:55:58 GMT -5
Nice work, Jason!
I have a feeling I would be making a lot of bent paper clips.
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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 25, 2021 17:36:12 GMT -5
I think it looks good, Jason- odd shapes aren't easy for me, either! And I feel your pain- I've ripped apart wraps more than once in frustration... A piece of advice that I've gotten from some folks here on RTH- save your wire, you can send it in for cash! Oh, and here are some of my mistakes...er, paperclips. Thanks Mike! I was looking at all the cabs I've made, looking for one to wrap, and I was wondering why in the heck did I make so many that are odd shapes! LOL Nice work, Jason! I have a feeling I would be making a lot of bent paper clips. Thanks Brian! I bet you wouldn't. I think you have a pretty analytic mind. I bet you'd have your wraps within a 0.000025" tolerance.  |
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Brian
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2020
Posts: 1,512
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Post by Brian on Feb 25, 2021 19:25:10 GMT -5
I think it looks good, Jason- odd shapes aren't easy for me, either! And I feel your pain- I've ripped apart wraps more than once in frustration... A piece of advice that I've gotten from some folks here on RTH- save your wire, you can send it in for cash! Oh, and here are some of my mistakes...er, paperclips. Thanks Mike! I was looking at all the cabs I've made, looking for one to wrap, and I was wondering why in the heck did I make so many that are odd shapes! LOL Nice work, Jason! I have a feeling I would be making a lot of bent paper clips. Thanks Brian! I bet you wouldn't. I think you have a pretty analytic mind. I bet you'd have your wraps within a 0.000025" tolerance. Haha! That’s exactly the reason why I would probably be making a lot of bent paper clips! |
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 25, 2021 21:33:40 GMT -5
I like it! You made the wrap nicely - your technique is good.
This is constructive criticism and nothing more because I really do like it. I just think that the wire is too busy on the front of the cab and with the pattern that Stone Canyon has, it seems the wire is competing with the stone for attention. The wrap itself would be awesome on a more plain stone that doesn't have so much patterning.
The easiest way to get rid of plier marks on your metal is to get some silicone polishing wheels that you can use with your Dremel. You can also use sand paper to sand away the marks, but then you need to repolish those areas. Burnishing with SS shot would probably polish it up ok, but the silicone wheels do the job in one step instead of two.
Just so you know, SS shot is expensive and even though I have it and use it with metal (and for cleaning the inside of my hummingbird feeders good) I get nervous thinking about putting a stone in there unless it is a hard stone. I worry about scratches on the stone from the shot.
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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 25, 2021 23:09:37 GMT -5
I like it! You made the wrap nicely - your technique is good.
This is constructive criticism and nothing more because I really do like it. I just think that the wire is too busy on the front of the cab and with the pattern that Stone Canyon has, it seems the wire is competing with the stone for attention. The wrap itself would be awesome on a more plain stone that doesn't have so much patterning.
The easiest way to get rid of plier marks on your metal is to get some silicone polishing wheels that you can use with your Dremel. You can also use sand paper to sand away the marks, but then you need to repolish those areas. Burnishing with SS shot would probably polish it up ok, but the silicone wheels do the job in one step instead of two.
Just so you know, SS shot is expensive and even though I have it and use it with metal (and for cleaning the inside of my hummingbird feeders good) I get nervous thinking about putting a stone in there unless it is a hard stone. I worry about scratches on the stone from the shot.
What're you talking about? This was a scientific study to see who has ADD or Sensory Overload Syndrome! LOL Thank you for being honest about your opinion. I totally agree with you! One of the problems I have right now is with most of the cabs I've done so far, I've tried to focus on the patterns in the stones...so I don't have a lot that I would consider "plain"! (Kind of kidding... ) I've got to work on getting a few "plain" wraps in my repertoire for stones with more pattern...and a few plain stones cabbed for fancier wraps. Thanks for letting me know about the silicone polishing wheels. Probably a better/faster method...and obviously more financially responsible. Very seriously...these are the kind of critiques that are VERY helpful...so again, thank you for putting this out there. |
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Post by Pat on Feb 25, 2021 23:32:31 GMT -5
I’m not a wrapper.
Your wrappings look well-done
I like everything about it except all the curls etc covering up that attractive stone. Too much goo-gaaa. Your fancy bail and the edge wrap are fine.
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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 25, 2021 23:37:52 GMT -5
I’m not a wrapper. Your wrappings look well-done I like everything about it except all the curls etc covering up that attractive stone. Too much goo-gaaa. Your fancy bail and the edge wrap are fine. Thank you for your honesty Pat! Not only am I still in the process of learning the "hows" with all of the things I'm trying to do with this hobby, I'm definitely still in the process of learning the "whys and why nots"... |
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Post by Pat on Feb 25, 2021 23:56:56 GMT -5
[quote author=" jasoninsdI like everything about it except all the curls etc covering up that attractive stone. Too much goo-gaaa. Your fancy bail and the edge wrap are fine. [/quote]Thank you for your honesty Pat! Not only am I still in the process of learning the "hows" with all of the things I'm trying to do with this hobby, I'm definitely still in the process of learning the "whys and why nots"... [/quote] You are doing a good job learning lots of new skills and considerations of the various facets of this remarkable hobby. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 We are all learning, and I hope it never stops. |
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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 26, 2021 0:56:04 GMT -5
[quote author=" jasoninsdI like everything about it except all the curls etc covering up that attractive stone. Too much goo-gaaa. Your fancy bail and the edge wrap are fine. Thank you for your honesty Pat! Not only am I still in the process of learning the "hows" with all of the things I'm trying to do with this hobby, I'm definitely still in the process of learning the "whys and why nots"... [/quote] You are doing a good job learning lots of new skills and considerations of the various facets of this remarkable hobby. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 We are all learning, and I hope it never stops. [/quote]Thank you Pat. Like I replied to Robin, I seriously do appreciate all the feedback and the time people take to give their input and opinions. It's extremely helpful as to how I can get better at what I'm trying to learn how to do. |
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Post by HankRocks on Feb 26, 2021 8:09:56 GMT -5
jasoninsd One comment before starting, I don't wire-wrap and most likely never will as I don't possess the required patience for such tedious work. For my personal tastes, I am more in line with what Pat said, too much wire hiding the rock. Although the wrap is showing a very improved skill on your part, it's too much for my personal tastes. The phrase "personal tastes" is key. I bet that if I put this pendant out at one of my Shows, it would sell the first day as I see lots of women there wearing similar jewelry and this one would definitely catch their eye. That and my wife likes simple which my drilled and pinch bailed pendants fit to a tee. If your wife says she likes this, then you need to keep making these. Keeping the wife happy is a requirement for being able to keep all of these rocks around!! So keep up the good work and look forward to seeing more. Henry
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Post by rockjunquie on Feb 26, 2021 8:20:45 GMT -5
I can see the skill you put into this with the snug border wrap and great binds. I like where you turned in your locking wires, too. But, I do agree with the others about it being too busy on the front. Some stones are ok with it, to a point, but this brecciated jasper loses some of it's character behind the wire.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 26, 2021 9:16:36 GMT -5
jasoninsd you really do have a natural talent for wire wrapping. When I first started I can assure you that the first few were a hot mess. Just looking at this wrap, I don't see any square wire that's twisted when it's not suppose to be. I know a lot of people have a real problem keeping the square wire square and it looks like you are able to do that easily.
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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 26, 2021 11:33:38 GMT -5
jasoninsd One comment before starting, I don't wire-wrap and most likely never will as I don't possess the required patience for such tedious work. For my personal tastes, I am more in line with what Pat said, too much wire hiding the rock. Although the wrap is showing a very improved skill on your part, it's too much for my personal tastes. The phrase "personal tastes" is key. I bet that if I put this pendant out at one of my Shows, it would sell the first day as I see lots of women there wearing similar jewelry and this one would definitely catch their eye. That and my wife likes simple which my drilled and pinch bailed pendants fit to a tee. If your wife says she likes this, then you need to keep making these. Keeping the wife happy is a requirement for being able to keep all of these rocks around!! So keep up the good work and look forward to seeing more. Henry Thank you so much Henry! I used to deal a lot with pool cues. I would buy/sell/trade cues all the time and was very active in knowing the plethora of cues that are out there...including production as well as custom made cues. I have seen everything from sneaky-petes (bar cues) to diamond inlaid cues that most people couldn't afford or would consider them to be gaudy. That being said, there's a market for everything in-between those two examples, including the "busiest" inlaid pool cue you could imagine. And I owned an example from the lowest level clear to (nearly) the highest level. That was a long way of saying that from a personal standpoint, I agree that there are certain rocks which deserve to be the center of attention...while others need to be dressed up to take out. However, last night I was thinking about exactly what you said...this would probably be one of the first things to sell when the time comes. Someone would want the best "bang for the buck" and see that this one has a TON going on! LOL - For those of us who appreciate rocks for their own inherent stand-alone beauty, this one is too much though. So, I definitely get the perspectives of those of us on here who would put this in the "too busy" category. And yes, if mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy! I can see the skill you put into this with the snug border wrap and great binds. I like where you turned in your locking wires, too. But, I do agree with the others about it being too busy on the front. Some stones are ok with it, to a point, but this brecciated jasper loses some of it's character behind the wire.
Thank you so much Tela! This one was like putting a tuxedo on a peacock...it may dress it up, but it then hides the beauty that nature intended to be showing. jasoninsd you really do have a natural talent for wire wrapping. When I first started I can assure you that the first few were a hot mess. Just looking at this wrap, I don't see any square wire that's twisted when it's not suppose to be. I know a lot of people have a real problem keeping the square wire square and it looks like you are able to do that easily.
Thanks Robin! I appreciate the compliment...but it required reading glasses and a magnifying glass on numerous occasions! LOL - What I'm having the most difficulty with, is keeping the half-round wire from twisting! I think I had to start the binding on the bail section three times because the wire's so small I didn't see it take a turn...then all of a sudden the flat side was up. That's when I had to use the magnifying glass the most. LOL |
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 26, 2021 19:28:04 GMT -5
Thanks Robin! I appreciate the compliment...but it required reading glasses and a magnifying glass on numerous occasions! LOL - What I'm having the most difficulty with, is keeping the half-round wire from twisting! I think I had to start the binding on the bail section three times because the wire's so small I didn't see it take a turn...then all of a sudden the flat side was up. That's when I had to use the magnifying glass the most. LOL Almost everyone has to use some type of magnification with those smaller gauge wires, I would think. Lord knows I do!
Small half-round wire is especially easy to flip and not notice the difference. What I do (and this is just my way of doing it) is once I have the flat side toward the wrap, I start the binding and when I get to the edge I push it with my fingers so it's 90 degrees. Then I push it across and then once again make the 90 degree angle at the opposite edge (up or down, depending). I usually will give it a slight squeeze with the pliers after about 2 wraps all the way around to keep it in place, but not too hard. I keep doing that until I'm done, squeezing the wire down slightly after every 2 full wraps. Does that make any sense? It seems to help me keep the half-round the correct way by stopping at each edge to bend it 90 degrees. It sounds like it might take longer, but once you're use to it, it's really fast.
Get some Optivisors, Jason. You'll be so glad you did for wrapping and cabbing.
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Post by stephan on Feb 26, 2021 19:44:45 GMT -5
I think it looks good, Jason- odd shapes aren't easy for me, either! And I feel your pain- I've ripped apart wraps more than once in frustration... A piece of advice that I've gotten from some folks here on RTH- save your wire, you can send it in for cash! Oh, and here are some of my mistakes...er, paperclips. Perfect for the "Then and Now" thread. |
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Post by stephan on Feb 26, 2021 19:50:20 GMT -5
I’m not a wrapper. Your wrappings look well-done I like everything about it except all the curls etc covering up that attractive stone. Too much goo-gaaa. Your fancy bail and the edge wrap are fine. I also prefer plain wraps -- let the stone be queen/king, especially if it's patterned. That said, technically, you did a great job with the embellishments, and they would really set off a mono-colored stone. The copper wire would look great with a piece of jade. Also, the IS a market for those fancy wraps. I have seen rings and pendants made entirely of wire. Pretty incredible work on some of them. They still called it a "wire wrap," though I'm not sure what was wrapped. Air? More wire? |
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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 26, 2021 20:33:07 GMT -5
Thanks Robin! I appreciate the compliment...but it required reading glasses and a magnifying glass on numerous occasions! LOL - What I'm having the most difficulty with, is keeping the half-round wire from twisting! I think I had to start the binding on the bail section three times because the wire's so small I didn't see it take a turn...then all of a sudden the flat side was up. That's when I had to use the magnifying glass the most. LOL Almost everyone has to use some type of magnification with those smaller gauge wires, I would think. Lord knows I do!
Small half-round wire is especially easy to flip and not notice the difference. What I do (and this is just my way of doing it) is once I have the flat side toward the wrap, I start the binding and when I get to the edge I push it with my fingers so it's 90 degrees. Then I push it across and then once again make the 90 degree angle at the opposite edge (up or down, depending). I usually will give it a slight squeeze with the pliers after about 2 wraps all the way around to keep it in place, but not too hard. I keep doing that until I'm done, squeezing the wire down slightly after every 2 full wraps. Does that make any sense? It seems to help me keep the half-round the correct way by stopping at each edge to bend it 90 degrees. It sounds like it might take longer, but once you're use to it, it's really fast.
Get some Optivisors, Jason. You'll be so glad you did for wrapping and cabbing.
One of these days I'm going to start looking like Mr. Magoo while doing these! LOL I totally understand what you're describing with your technique. I like it! I've got to figure out the best way for me to have the half-round come off the spool. I think that's where it's wanting to twist on me. Last night, I unraveled about four feet off the spool and that helped tremendously... I keep looking around for an optivisor, but I keep getting gunshy as to which one I want to get...and suggestions? I’m not a wrapper. Your wrappings look well-done I like everything about it except all the curls etc covering up that attractive stone. Too much goo-gaaa. Your fancy bail and the edge wrap are fine. I also prefer plain wraps -- let the stone be queen/king, especially if it's patterned. That said, technically, you did a great job with the embellishments, and they would really set off a mono-colored stone. The copper wire would look great with a piece of jade. Also, the IS a market for those fancy wraps. I have seen rings and pendants made entirely of wire. Pretty incredible work on some of them. They still called it a "wire wrap," though I'm not sure what was wrapped. Air? More wire? Thanks Stephan! I've got some liver of sulfur on order so I can start oxidizing the copper wire on some of these wraps, so it's not so "coppery"! LOL I've seen a bunch of wire wraps "without" cabochons...some of it is pretty fantastic...but I wouldn't want to waste my wire doing most of it! |
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Post by rockjunquie on Feb 26, 2021 20:42:01 GMT -5
Both my husband and I sprang for the optivisor. I know there are cheaper ones, but we've been very happy with ours. I've had mine 20 years and still have the same lens. We also got the Quasar light for them. Not a necessity, but nice to have.
I always get my wire coiled, if I can. If you are buying from Rio, you usually have a choice. Coiled wire is easier to manage. I have never had a problem with 1/2 round twisting.
You seem to be a natural. I'll be watching to see what you do next.... the pressure is on! LOL! |
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