Jatayu: Basic Wire Skills

Basic Wire Skills - Spirals

"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

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.

What You Need:

4" of 16 gauge copper or silver wire
Wire cutters
Round nose pliers
Chain nose pliers

Click on thumbnails below to see an enlargement.

Step 1.

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.

Step 2.

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.

Step 3.

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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