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Spirals |
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"The spiral symbolizes the process
of growth and evolution. It is the process of coming to the same
point again and again, but at a different level, so that everything
is seen in a new light." Angeles Arrien |
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Making spirals is not only a useful skill they are fun to make.
The gauge needs to be heavy enough for the spiral to hold its
shape. 16 and 14 gauge wire will make hearty spirals. Try hammering
the spiral with your chasing hammer for a different look. |
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What You Need
- 4" of 16 gauge copper or silver wire
- Wire cutters
- Round nose pliers
- Chain nose pliers
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Click on thumbnails to see an enlargement. |
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Step 1. |
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Cut the end of your wire with your flush cutters to give
it a nice blunt finish. Grasp the very end of the wire with the
tip of your round nose pliers. If you have small round nose pliers,
use these on 16 gauge wire. 14 gauge is a little much for these
small pliers. Rotate your wrist away from your body with the
thumb of your free hand pressing down on the tail of the wire.
Keep rotating until you have formed a complete circle and you've
started to overlap the previous level. |
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Step 2. |
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With your chain nose pliers pointing directly in front of your
body, and the tail of the spiral perpendicular to your chain
nose pliers, grasp your piece in the back of your pliers. Hold
your plier hand stationary and press the wire against the previous
level with the thumb of your free hand. Go a short distance (about
a 1/4"), open the jaws of your chain nose pliers and reposition
the spiral so that the tail is again perpendicular to your pliers.
Continue wrapping until you have about 1/4" of the tail
remaining. |
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Step 3. |
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Grasp the tail with your round nose pliers to form a circle.
Remember, where you grasp the wire on your round nose pliers
will determine the size of your circle. Rotate your plier hand
away from your body to form the circle. |
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Previous Page
Simple Clasp |
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Please contact
me if these instructions aren't clear so adjustments can
be made.
Click here to download a printer
friendly Acrobat PDF file of this page. |
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