Controlling wild wires easily!
Holding a bunch of wiggly wires can be a challenge and if you read all the books, they all suggest using tape to hold the ends. UGH! All you get it sticky ends when you are done. I am WAY to lazy to take Goo Gone or Goof Off and a cotton swab to unsticky my wires. Lets find an alternative that may work better for you.
In my classes I use a 3 1/2" hemostat that has had the teeth ground down and then they have been dipped in a plastic coating called Plasti-Dip. Tool Magic will work too but I find it leaves a smudge on my wires and is more expensive than Plasti-Dip. Plasti-Dip is available in hardware stores and is typically used for coating the handles of metal tools.
I use the 3 1/2 size hemostats because they are easier to work around and they are not so heavy that they bend the wires. The hemostats also provide an added benefit of seeking out the flat sides of the square wire for me! Plus if that doesn't convince you of their worth, they are easy to re-position at a moments notice!
To dip your tools, stir the Plasti-Dip or Tool Magic well, either outside or somewhere with good ventilation, and dip the jaws into the liquid. Let them sit, jaws pointing down, for 15 minutes and then dip again. Once they have sat for 24 hours, they are ready for use. I rarely have to re-dip my hemostats except maybe every year or so.
You can also coat your flat nose pliers to eliminate tool marks! You will need to redip them more often than the hemostats.
If you are not wanting to use hemostats, try using the blue painters tape for holding your ends together. I use them on wires that are over 15" long in addition to having my hemostats on them! It's all about control!
Happy Wrapping!
Char
In my classes I use a 3 1/2" hemostat that has had the teeth ground down and then they have been dipped in a plastic coating called Plasti-Dip. Tool Magic will work too but I find it leaves a smudge on my wires and is more expensive than Plasti-Dip. Plasti-Dip is available in hardware stores and is typically used for coating the handles of metal tools.
I use the 3 1/2 size hemostats because they are easier to work around and they are not so heavy that they bend the wires. The hemostats also provide an added benefit of seeking out the flat sides of the square wire for me! Plus if that doesn't convince you of their worth, they are easy to re-position at a moments notice!
To dip your tools, stir the Plasti-Dip or Tool Magic well, either outside or somewhere with good ventilation, and dip the jaws into the liquid. Let them sit, jaws pointing down, for 15 minutes and then dip again. Once they have sat for 24 hours, they are ready for use. I rarely have to re-dip my hemostats except maybe every year or so.
You can also coat your flat nose pliers to eliminate tool marks! You will need to redip them more often than the hemostats.
If you are not wanting to use hemostats, try using the blue painters tape for holding your ends together. I use them on wires that are over 15" long in addition to having my hemostats on them! It's all about control!
Happy Wrapping!
Char
