Waves in wire inlay?

[Osprey]

Second thing I could use some help on.  When putting in wire inlay I sometimes run into problems with it looking wavy.  The lines are drawn on straight, look straight when chiseled in, wire looks good when put in, but when I swell the wood it presses the wire with a slight wave.  Looks to be the way the grain swells shut and grabs the wire, is there a fix or way around this?  Or is this just a matter of some pieces of wood being cantankerous and something to live with.

Taylor, any tips??   

[Jim Kibler]

Push the sides of the wire with any small tool to even things out.

Jim

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Os...I can't say I've ever had that problem, even when working with .005" "wire".  When I punch in the design, I make sure to overlap each cut by as much as half the width of the cutter.  That keeps lines flowing smoothly.  I use Jim's technique, too, when the ribbon wants to "collapse" in on a curve.  It actually stretches the ribbon so that it will go straight into the cut rather that fold over, or make a flat spot in a curve.
I've seen some wire inlay recently that does not flow as well as I'm sure the artist intended, and I have seen dark "gaps" in places along the inlay.  Be sure your chisel is as fine as it can be, so that when the wood is wet to swell it, it closes the cut completely.  Also, dress the wood down completely to eliminate the impression of the wire being below the wood's surface.

[smylee grouch]

I have never done wire inlay but would making your cuts anything other than straight in or perpendicular to the surface of the wood cause your problem?  Smylee

[smart dog]

Hi Osprey,
Jim's and Taylor's solutions are good.  I created 2 tools from small screw drivers to deal with the problem you describe.  I took an old 1/8 or 3/16" screw driver and very slightly rounded the straight tip with a grinder.  I did the same with a larger screw driver.  I use the curved tips to gently push the installed wire to either smooth a curve or straighten a line.  I do that after wetting the wood and before I file the wire down flush so the tools have an edge to push against.  I rarely need the tools for silver wire as long as it is soft pure silver.  I use the tools all the time for brass wire because it is somewhat springy. 

dave

[Mike Brooks]

Push the sides of the wire with any small tool to even things out.

Jim

DITTO

[Osprey]

Thanks all for the tips.  Odd, but I have more problems with it when using soft silver wire than with harder brass or german silver. 

[Rolf]

On the pistols I made, I used round pure silver wire diameter 0.7mm (0.027") that I flatend in a rolling mill to 0.25mm x 1,3mm(0.001"x0.05").
Lot quicker than cutting strips. I used Popsicle sticks to "iron out" any kinks in the wire after pushing the wire into the grove. The Popsicle sticks are easy to shape to fit the curves you need.

Best regards
Rolf

[smart dog]

Hi Osprey,
If you seem to have more trouble with fine silver, it may mean that your incised lines are the problem.  I find that silver conforms to the smoothness of the incised cuts. If those cuts are wavy or the thickness varies because the chisel was pushed or tapped in deeper in a spot, the silver may show it.

dave