First groove wrap

I agree with Jason. That looks nice! I really need to start wrapping...

Brent, I'll try to explain what I learned while doing the last batch of groove wraps I did. If you look at the pics in that thread I did, you can see where some of the bails look pretty good, and then a couple look "ok".

I figured out when doing the bail, I wrap the bail with "8" turns of the half-round. This secures the bail tightly. The reason for eight turns, it's equal to the width of my flat nose pliers. Then, when I wrap the round (I used round wire for the outer wire on the bail) over top of the half-round I kept the turns the same height as the half-round...that way there isn't that "gap" like you see on the bottom two turns on your bail. If that doesn't make sense, let me know...

Also, I'm not sure your depth on the groove is deep enough. It looks like it should be a hair deeper. If you can't adjust the bushing, you can take a dremel to the girdle to grind the wire down flush with the girdle. Then you have to work the girdle on the wheels again...

You're on your way! Great first effort.

Patty, I'm a belt guy, but only when I'm out rock hounding...otherwise my pants fall down from so many rocks in my cargo pockets! LOL

Some of the first groove wraps I did, I didn't use the half-round underneath. It was very difficult for me to keep the main wires together at the bail and in the groove while trying to twist the round wire around the bail. I think by using the half-round, it enables (me at least) to keep the neat and tidy.

I wouldn't trust the half-round to maintain integrity at the bail. I know the half-round isn't as sturdy as the round. That being said, I have a tendency to put six nails into a board when it probably could get away with three...

I think it's also easier to make the ends of the wire "blend in" when using round, since you can cut the end of the wire at an angle and it'll blend right in with the bail...with half-round, you have to find a way to "tuck" the end somewhere...

So in this case, I guess I am a belt AND suspenders kinda guy.

*I will say, I did try to find a half-round that was a bigger gauge than the 21 I use for my bindings as I too think it would have been easier. However, Rio Grande only sells 20, 21, 22 gauge half-round 1/2 hard...so moving to 20 gauge wouldn't have made any significant difference.


EDIT - Patty, I better point out that I don't normally do groove-wraps, so I only have a handful of them "under my belt"! I'm just sharing what I've learned, or thought of with the handful of ones that I have done...

Huh?  Rio has half round copper down to 6 gauge.

Thanks for the kind words everyone. I’m pretty happy with it as a first wrap. jasoninsd and hummingbirdstones, I appreciate the constructive criticism. That is the best way for me to get better.

I looked back at my notes. That Kambaba was grooved with the bit that came with the Gryphon so the width of the groove is approximately 1.6mm. The perimeter wire is 14 gauge half round. The flat side fit into the groove pretty tightly. The cab doesn’t move around in the wire at all. The bit I got from Rio Grande is approximately 1mm and seems to work better with 20ga wire. I can definitely go deeper with the grooves.

The part I’m least happy about is the wrap below the bail. I used 22ga twisted square wire for that. It was hard to push the wraps together so they look tight. I need to get some 22ga round wire for that I think.

What is a good wire size for weaving the bail? I’m thinking of doing another Rio Grande order. My gut feel is to order 28ga round but that is the voice of INexperience speaking. Currently I have a spool of 14ga half round, a spool of 20ga square and some shorter coils of 22ga square. All are dead soft.

My goal is to get comfortable enough to try it with some SS wire but right now, copper is in my future.

Thanks again for the help.

Sincerely,
Brent.

jasoninsd. I really appreciate your advice. I’m definitely a beginner at this stuff. I think a critical eye is important. I see the mistakes I made but I don’t necessarily see how I made them. I’ve done some sterling silver fabrication in the past, mostly bezel mounts. Wire wrapping seems harder but I like a challenge. You’ve already helped me a ton.

Keep giving me advice. I really think that’s the only way I’ll get better. Isabelle did a couple yesterday in the time it took me to do one. She’s much more artistic than I am. I’ve been trying to get her to join RTH. She could learn a lot here.

This photo shows what she did. They’re both tumbled stones. The left one I grooved with the 1mm bit. The right one is cool but the stone is a little loose in the wrap.

I’ll let her know Jason. That rock is way brighter orange than the photo shows.

maybe a slightly better photo.