Silver wire for inlays

[eddillon]

I recently acquired 2 spools of silver wire.  One is .025 dia. and the other is .0325 dia.  Are these useful for wire inlays?  Or, am I just asking for trouble tying to do it with round wire?  would i9t help to flatten it?
Ed

[Pete G.]

It needs to be flat. The problem would be getting it a uniform flatness. Might be better to sell to a jeweler and use the procedes to buy what you need.

[T*O*F]

In its round condition, it could be inlayed into metal such as barrel bands.  You don't say if it is sterling, german silver, or other composition.  It needs to be dead soft for inlays.

You could also take it to your local jeweler and have him flatten it in his rolling mill and use it for wood.

A third option is to hook up with Brian Marshall in Stockton and take one of his engraving courses, or individual instruction on specific things you might be interested in.  He can teach anything one might desire.

[Acer Saccharum]

Sell it, and buy exactly what you need for the job.

Or like me, stick it in a drawer, forget where you put it, then buy it again.

 

[eddillon]

It is silver.  Thanks for the suggestions.  I'll take Acer's advice and stash it for the future.  Planning a Boutet pistol build.  I think flat silver wire should work.  Saw you on Raz FB today, Tom.
Ed   

[Acer Saccharum]

You can also make chain from the wire.....

I saw you Ed on FB today!

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Both diameters will roll easily on a jeweller's roller to make flat stock.  You need several thicknesses of flat ribbon....005", .010"  and perhaps .015" thick, just for a start.  Anything thicker than .010" looks like a bar of silver inlet in the wood.  When you roll your .0325" stock, it will be quite wide when it is done, and you will likely need to cut it lengthwise with shears.

Or, sell it and buy what you need.  Or, save it and make pin stock and metal inlay stock from it.

[eddillon]

Thanks D.TS.  Ill see if a local jeweler can roll it.

[Dphariss]

It is silver.  Thanks for the suggestions.  I'll take Acer's advice and stash it for the future.  Planning a Boutet pistol build.  I think flat silver wire should work.  Saw you on Raz FB today, Tom.
Ed   

You might get a jeweler to roll it flat for you if you give them a thickness. But the smaller wire will likely not roll to a suitable width. This would also work harden it somewhat since dead soft wire is harder to put it and tends to develop "corners" in the scroll work.

Dan

[whitebear]

It is silver.  Thanks for the suggestions.  I'll take Acer's advice and stash it for the future.  Planning a Boutet pistol build.  I think flat silver wire should work.  Saw you on Raz FB today, Tom.
Ed   

You might get a jeweler to roll it flat for you if you give them a thickness. But the smaller wire will likely not roll to a suitable width. This would also work harden it somewhat since dead soft wire is harder to put it and tends to develop "corners" in the scroll work.

Dan

Could you anneal it with heat and a pan of water like you do brass?

[eddillon]

Seems like my best bet is to find a good source of flat sterling wire.  Any suggestions?  What would be a good thickness?

[Rolf]

I did this wire inlay with 0,03" round, pure silver wire that I flatten to 0,01"  in a rolling mill.  This gave a strip 0.055" high. When using a rolling mill the wire elongats more than it widens. Your wire will work fine. Roll the flatten wire into a coil, wind a steel wire around the coil to keep the silver wire tight to gether, heat to dull cherry red to aneal. Any part of the silver wire that is not in contact with the other silver strands will overheat and melt.

Best regards
Rolf

[Bob Roller]

Rolf,
 A FINE looking pistol. How many hours do you have in polishing that lock.
I can see about four hours of my shop time and that would add $100 to
the cost of the lock.
Thanks for posting this fine job.

Bob Roller

[Acer Saccharum]

Bob, if you can polish a lock for $100, I'm sending you all of my locks! 

[Acer Saccharum]

Rolf, nice looking pistols.

Indeed, the wire will get longer than wide. It has to be annealed, probably a couple of times, if you are going to roll the wire down in stages.

a 1' piece will probably yield 18" or 2' of flattened wire. Make several thicknesses while you're at it. Wire inlay that is all the same width does not have great visual interest.

[Bob Roller]

I don't take in locks for polishing at any price.I spend all my time
on the mechanisms because a lock IS the mechanism,not the plate,cock and frizzen.

Bob Roller

[Acer Saccharum]

Bob, I was just kidding. I would never consider asking you or anyone to polish my locks.

Lock polishing is one thing I truly hate. I'm good at polishing, having polished molds for plastic. I know the routine. But I don't like it.

It's funny* the corners we paint ourselves into.

*you can substitute 'pathetic' for funny in the above.

[Jim Kibler]

I did this wire inlay with 0,03" round, pure silver wire that I flatten to 0,01"  in a rolling mill.  This gave a strip 0.055" high. When using a rolling mill the wire elongats more than it widens. Your wire will work fine. Roll the flatten wire into a coil, wind a steel wire around the coil to keep the silver wire tight to gether, heat to dull cherry red to aneal. Any part of the silver wire that is not in contact with the other silver strands will overheat and melt.

Best regards
Rolf

.055" wide ribbon is pretty scant to my way of thinking and doing things.  The wider the strip is the better hold the wood has on it.  Having a little stock to cut down at times is good too.  I think I usually shoot for somewhere in the range of .090" wide to start with.  I also try to raise burs as with the Gusler method of wire work.  Wider certainly makes things more difficult, especially on tight curves like these pistol grips.  Time will tell how well it hangs in there.  With all this said, your pistols look nice!

[Dphariss]

It is silver.  Thanks for the suggestions.  I'll take Acer's advice and stash it for the future.  Planning a Boutet pistol build.  I think flat silver wire should work.  Saw you on Raz FB today, Tom.
Ed   

You might get a jeweler to roll it flat for you if you give them a thickness. But the smaller wire will likely not roll to a suitable width. This would also work harden it somewhat since dead soft wire is harder to put it and tends to develop "corners" in the scroll work.

Dan

Could you anneal it with heat and a pan of water like you do brass?

I would not want it annealed for doing wire inlay.

Dan

[Acer Saccharum]

Anneal wire before rolling. If you're going to roll it down more, anneal first. Try some inlay in the 'as-rolled' state. If it's too springy, anneal it.

Remember to score the wire lengthwise when you do wire inlay. This gives it the  'tooth' to stay in the wood. Scoring the wire will harden it, making it springy.

It's always good to do a test piece so you don't work yourself into a corner.

[Rolf]

I found the best way  was to notch the wire on the bottom with a knife. Wire that was scored lengthwise had a tendency to pop out on curved surfaces. I got this tip from a ALR member, don't remember who.





Best regards
Rolf

[Jim Kibler]

Yep, that's part of the method developed by Wallace Gusler.  Upset the bottom with a series of tiny taps with a chisel or knife, cut an oversized relatively flat bottomed groove, insert the wire and swell the wood back on it with water.  If you ever try to pull a piece out you'll realize how well it's held in!

[Sawatis]

Yep, that's part of the method developed by Wallace Gusler.  Upset the bottom with a series of tiny taps with a chisel or knife, cut an oversized relatively flat bottomed groove, insert the wire and swell the wood back on it with water.  If you ever try to pull a piece out you'll realize how well it's held in!

Yeah, Jim's right on target...I learned this trick from Wallace a few years back and it makes installing the wire (and keeping in the groove) a breeze. I just use a small thin bladed palm chisel and tap it on the edge
John

[David Rase]

Lock polishing is one thing I truly hate. I'm good at polishing, having polished molds for plastic. I know the routine. But I don't like it.

Here is a link to a polishing tutorial.  http://www.moldmakingtechnology.com/articles/teach-yourself-polishing  My appologies for getting off topic, even though I do it so well.
David

[Acer Saccharum]

Dave, how did you get so far off topic?