Tutorial on Silver Wire Inlay Part 2
Use a round rod of some kind to bend the wire around and get it as close to the shape of your design as possible before trying
to install it into the cut. I use a tapered rod so that I have many sizes to choose from without changing rods.
Use a smaller gouge to cut the smaller curves. If there are several small pieces that are the same size, you can cut them
all at one time as long as they do not touch each other.
Here I am using a small drill nit to bend the wire around.
Use tweezers to handle the very small pieces of wire.
When installing a very wiggly line, be sure to bend the wire as close as possible to the design. If you put a small drill
bit against the wood when bending the wire you will get a nice smooth curve. Leave the wire long until you have laid most
of it in the opening. Once you have it just barely in the opening, place a flexible piece of metal over it and gently tap
it into place. If it doesn't go in without bending, don't bother trying to straighten it out. Pull it out and start all
over again.
Leave the wire a little higher than the surface of the wood, about .015 or .020 of an inch, you will file it down later.
When putting in loops, of course they do not cross over each other, so do one circle at a time. When cutting the end of the
wire, cut it on a little bit of an angle so that it will actually cut into the piece that you are joining. Make sure that
when you continue the circle the line is perfectly lined up with the last piece or you will not get the effect that you are
looking for.
Now that the entire design is inlaid, wet it with water, this will make the wood swell and tighten around the wire. I just
use a q-tip around the immediate area. After the wood is thoroughly dry, file down the excess wire, using a file or piece
of emery paper. Remember, leave the wire a little high so that the finish you put on the wood will not cover the wire.
If the wood becomes dirty after filing or sanding, just use a pencil eraser and rub the dirt off.
Now rub the whole design gently with 0000 steel wool to smooth everything out and to polish the wire.
Now do the same thing to the other side and you are ready for the stain and finish. The stain will really make the wire stand
out, the darker the stain, the more contrast you will have.
The finished product! Now that wasn't really that hard, was it?
View additional photos of the Gun Makers Hall Rifle.
The end of wire inlay part two.
Part three will be cutting out and inlaying tiny leaves, flowers and vines.
