Rolling mills make quick work of fold forming. They can help create sharper, more crisp edges on your folds.
Using a Rolling mill to make a squared wire.
Wireworkers can use rolling mills to roll wire into a smaller gauge wire. You can also recycle scrap into ingot and then into wire, or to turn wire into a different shape of wire. Most people think of these tools as sheet metal rollers, but really they are just as versatile when it comes to working with metal wire.
Tapering Wire
ROLLING A TAPER: Wire can be forged into a graceful tapered end which can be used in many ways (spirals or tendrils etc). The rolling mill provides a short cut version. Anneal the wire to be tapered. Begin rolling at the first groove and roll as far up the wire as you wish the taper to extend. Move to the next groove along and roll part way up the wire, leaving part of the first rolled section unchanged. Continue rolling until the wire tapers in a series of 'steps'. Once you have rolled the taper continue refining the taper with a hammer on an anvil. Smooth the ridges between the steps with the hammer, turning the wire as you work to round out the squared off edges. If you wish squared taper, do not turn the wire. Once the ridges are smoothed out, file, sand and polish the tapered wire. If you wish to shape the taper, anneal and pickle before sanding and polishing.
Wire Lamination
TWISTED WIRE LAMINATION: Twisted and braided wires of different metals, soldered together, can be rolled to created squared decorative wires.
Maintaining the Tools
Soft Cloth
SimiChrome
Wooden Dowel
SimiChrome
Wooden Dowel