source for 2mm aluminium wire

[Mindabout]

Hi All,

I'm a bit lost - I'm making jewellery for an upcoming exhibition - have the designs ready to go but can't source some of the materials I need.

I am looking for 2mm round aluminium wire - my usual metal supplier doesn't stock aluminium and I've gone through the yellow pages and made a lot of phone calls but it seems no aluminium suppliers stock wire. I have made the prototype using coloured (painted) aluminium I got from a craft supplier. I don't want to use coloured aluminum for the final piece as I don't want the colour to flake off nor do I like the difference in colour where I cut the wire. I will be polishing the aluminium to a bright finish.

I'm also a bit lost on another piece - I've made the prototype in brass but there's a lot of metal in it - would cost heaps to make in silver and I doubt anyone would buy it for what its worth. I bought some titanium (not knowing much about it) and now I realise that cutting it by hand I will still be going in 6 months time. I'm thinking of using aluminium now but as it is soft I'm concerned that some of the components will scratch each other. The components are all the same and flat (with some sharp, triangular tips) and I'm wondering about getting someone to stamp them out of sheet for me - sounds expensive, anyone know much about this? And, any ideas on what metal to use? Preferably nothing with copper (green skin) and nothing with nickel (allergies) in it....

All suggestions and ideas will be appreciated.

P.S. I'm in Brisbane but happy to buy from a supplier anywhere in Australia.

[DJ’s Timber]

You could try a aluminium welding workshop where they manufacture boats and bullbars etc. They could supply some of their welding wire

[Barry_White]

Why not use stainless steel wire. My daughter makes a lot of jewellry and uses this all the time. She usually sources this from fishing tackle shops because they use it in fishing traces and seem to get it much cheaper.

You could also try here http://www.beadworld.com.au/Products.aspx?categoryID=354

[China]

Try your local welding supplier for aluminium tig / oxy welding rod

[Grahame Collins]

Aluminium TIG filler filler wire comes in
1.6mm diameter
or
2.4mm diameter
or
3.2mm diameter

somewhere around 900mm long

On top of that there are a few different grades.I assume you will require a grade which is ductile. Can't help with that though.
Try a few welding supplt outlets.The filler I use for tig is not that dear, around $18 to $20 a KG.

Grahame

[cub3]

With regards to the Titanium. Try

http://www.queenslandgaskets.com.au/waterjet.htm

Regards

Dennis

[Boyd Guard]

Hi, see your power line company, they use all types and sizes of single strand wire for binding conductors to insulators on the power poles.

[Metal Head]

Hi All,

I'm a bit lost - I'm making jewellery for an upcoming exhibition - have the designs ready to go but can't source some of the materials I need.

I am looking for 2mm round aluminium wire - my usual metal supplier doesn't stock aluminium and I've gone through the yellow pages and made a lot of phone calls but it seems no aluminium suppliers stock wire. I have made the prototype using coloured (painted) aluminium I got from a craft supplier. I don't want to use coloured aluminum for the final piece as I don't want the colour to flake off nor do I like the difference in colour where I cut the wire. I will be polishing the aluminium to a bright finish.

I'm also a bit lost on another piece - I've made the prototype in brass but there's a lot of metal in it - would cost heaps to make in silver and I doubt anyone would buy it for what its worth. I bought some titanium (not knowing much about it) and now I realise that cutting it by hand I will still be going in 6 months time. I'm thinking of using aluminium now but as it is soft I'm concerned that some of the components will scratch each other. The components are all the same and flat (with some sharp, triangular tips) and I'm wondering about getting someone to stamp them out of sheet for me - sounds expensive, anyone know much about this? And, any ideas on what metal to use? Preferably nothing with copper (green skin) and nothing with nickel (allergies) in it....

All suggestions and ideas will be appreciated.

P.S. I'm in Brisbane but happy to buy from a supplier anywhere in Australia.


Hi Mindabout,

Did you have any success in getting the wire you required?.

My wife who also makes jewellery (a hobby) gets most of her materials off EBay;).

Regards
David

[Mindabout]

Thanks for the replies folks.

Just thought I would let you know how I went. I decided not to pursue the 2mm aluminium wire as I don't know what type of aluminium I need and time is running out.

I had ordered some 2mm sterling silver wire for another piece and have now realised that sterling is too hard for that piece - I've gone and ordered some fine silver for that one. So now I'm going to use the sterling silver wire for the piece I had been going to make in aluminium. The cost is too much... but, I'm pushed for time and the wire is there. If I don't get anyone interested in buying it for a reasonable price I can melt it down later and reuse the silver.

As for the other piece requiring some type of sheet metal. I have found a local supplier for aluminium sheet and will get some time off work during the week to pick some up. I will do some trials with it and if it is a no go I'll go back to my silver supplier and order enough silver for the job... again, I can melt this down later if I make it in silver and no one is interested in buying it for what it is worth.

Now, to respond specifically to some of your posts:

There were some good suggestions for sourcing aluminium wire... hopefully before the next project comes up I will have time to research and buy samples and figure out the type of aluminium that is right for this kind of job and these suggestions will be useful to do that.

There was also the suggestion to use stainless steel wire. I have never been able to find 2mm stainless steel wire - have only been able to source 2mm as cable and that is of no use to me. Barry_White - does your daughter find stainless steel in fishing tackle shops in such diameters or are you talking about smaller diameters? I have played a little with stainless steel in the past but found it quickly blunts my tools and even when annealed springs back a fair way after you bend it. Would be interested in experimenting with some more... but, does anyone here know of tools (files, cutters, jewellers saw blades etc) that don't go blunt quickly when using stainless steel?

Metal Head you mentioned your wife gets most of her materials off ebay. I am wondering - are these one of lucky finds or does she go through webstores operating through ebay? I have never used ebay before but may do so in the future. With suppliers though I'm only interested in buying from those that I can go back to again and again to get the same stock items. It is often the case that I don't have long to work on something so I am trying to establish some standard suppliers who hold everything I need and regularly have those things in stock. It is really hard though - other jewellers don't like to share who their suppliers are and many of them aren't listed in the regular phone books.

I guess this brings me to a question I would like to ask everyone. Do you find that finding suppliers for certain items can be like wading through treacle, even though you can see clearly that people in industry have no trouble laying their hands on the exact same materials you need and can't source?

[Harry72]

Do you have any pictures of your work that we could see?

[Metal Head]

Hi Mindabout,

My wife gets most of her items from overseas via Ebay, so if speed is paramount then this won't be the way to go:confused:. However, with the people she deals with are very reliable and they post the items generally asap once the money has arrived in their account(s).

Regards
David