I like working with 18g wire but I want to do some stuff with twisted

what two gages do I twist to get me close to the 18g size or is it better to use square 18g and then twist that?

Thanks

Square will get you a different look than 2 wires twisted together. Which would you prefer? If you are working with dead soft wire, both square and twisted will be harder once the twisting is done. Can't say what gauges to use, sorry.

Either look is fine, I just want to say close to the same gage that I work well with.
I did it in cooper with two 18g wires and it looked wonderfull but the gage was very big and still very soft.

I'm not sure there is a simple answer to that question. 18 gauge wire is 1.02 mm in diameter. If you twist two strands of wire and look at it from the end it will look like two wires next to each other and as you move back the twist two wires on top of each other. The bottom line is that 2 x wire width = 1.02 mm, so your wire should be about .51 mm, which is 24 gauge.

Now, having said that, a lot depends on how much you twist. The wires can be loose, or they can be twisted so much that it looks more like a coil from the end. If you do a tight twist and don't deform the metal much, 24 gauge should get you close.

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Jim

Thanks I will try it

I am also trying to make the hoop ear rings(the snap down style) I need help I can not find the supplies...I want to add gold filled beads to them can you please help me

Hi - I just registered to this site and saw the topic on twisted wire. I am a novice at jewelry making but one of the books I have shows several pieces made from "twisted" wire. Based on the conversation you've been having here should I understand that twisted wire is something you do yourself as opposed to purchasing twisted wire? If that's the case, do you just twist it by hand or is there some little device for doing this? If you can purchase it, can you tell me what vendors might sell it? Thanks!

Sheree... do a google search for "round spacer beads gold filled" and you'll find plenty of sources.

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Jim

demaggio,

You can buy or make your own twisted wire. Sometimes the premium that is charged when you buy it makes it worth doing yourself. You can twist it by hand. You take a length of wire, double it in half. Put the two wire ends next to each other in a vice. Put a screwdriver through the loop, pull tight and twist until you like the way it looks. Remove it and trim the ends.

You can do it faster buy forming a little hook that you can put in a flexshaft or variable speed drill chuck. Put the hook through the loop of wire (in the same spot you would put your screwdriver if you were doing it by hand) and then slowly let the drill/flexshaft do the work of twisting the wire. Stop when you like the results.

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Jim

Thanks Jim - your directions are very clear. I appreciate it.