How to bend
Wire Into A Spiral
Copper Wire Spirals #1
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be long before Christmas so I thought
I'll get a head start on some personal
gifts
the jewelry have given has been well
received and I've always been intrigued
by spirals so that's where I'll start my
first idea was to come up with some
clever way of quickly making spirals and
something that doesn't require a
machinist some way we could do this in
our home shop as you can see I've made
many attempts and only a few have worked
out what I've retreated to is probably
something that's been done for 10,000
years
here I'm using 8 gauge copper wire that
comes in the cable the wires about 1/8
inch in diameter
I understand strands from the cable and
then anneal the copper wire if you want
to know more about annealing click the
link above
the strands have cooled I clean them up
with some steel war now this is a 5/16
inch bolt which I have cut off and
ground out a groove or slot
put that bolt in a washer
and this is a two inch square of 18
gauge do with the hole drilled in the
center
it could be larger or smaller it acts
like a table to support the spiral
because the slot is less than the
thickness of the copper wire I flattened
the end so they can be inserted into the
groove by hammering the ends they become
hard again so I will kneel each end
using the needle nose to make as tight a
band as possible
insert the flattened end into the slot
to begin wrapping the copper wire the 8
gauge wire even though it's been
annealed is still fairly stiff it tends
to want to wrap over the proceeding loop
using this washer and a short piece of
pipe I can force it down
if you'll notice I'm putting tension on
the wire while at the same time
continuing to wrap the wire this
repeated flattening out of the spiral is
a bit cumbersome but it does work
I have to keep reminding myself that
this is not a production line I'm just
interested in making a few gifts
this is pretty good now I just have to
get it off the bolt without disturbing
the spiral a few hammer taps with this
block of Steel and I think I've got it I
have a new idea that will make this a
bit easier so look for another video in
a few days
you
