It’s been a while since I’ve updated on new tools so I decided to go through two of my purchases and explain how and why I use them. I’ve had this for quite a while but I don’t think I’ve shown it off before so feast your eyes on my new draw plate.. isn’t it pretty!
I use this along with my other new toy, a draw tongs.
I use my roller for changing the diameter of wire which is great if I’m working with square or half round wire but the roller can’t adjust round wire. So here’s where my draw plate and tongs come in.
Once I have the wire nearly down to the diameter I want on the roller I use my draw plate to make it round and reduce the size further. The draw plate sits in the vice with the numbers facing outwards and then I feed the wire into a hole at the back.
The wire should sits snugly into the hole then I draw the wire out using my tongs. I keep doing this down through the different size holes until the wire is at my desired thickness.
This all sounds lovely and relaxing but believe me you can work up a sweat even with the most beautifully annealed wire dragging it through the draw plate.
In my early years as an apprentice I would nearly land flat on my arse at the other side of the workshop trying to draw down a long piece of stubborn wire. Thankfully my technique has improved and now it’s less of an athletic endeavour!
I found a great silversmith and jeweller based in Birmingham, Becca Williams who shares my obsession for tools. Have a look at what she’s created using her new heart shaped cutters.