DIY products have been all the rage in recent years. Among them, jewelry and accessories made of stones have been rapidly growing popular among crafting enthusiasts and children alike.
Variety is a huge factor among stone accessories. There are multiple ways to customize and decorate them yourself in your home, and you’ll need a couple of tools to do so.
Among them, the most important one is a gauge wire. Finding the best gauge wire for wrapping stones is important as it ensures the stones stay in place and do not fall off.
Gauge wires hold the gems properly, but they also are the best crafting option due to their high flexibility. The combination of these features is why gauge wires are the top-pick among DIY enthusiasts.
Best Gauge Wire for Wrapping Stones Reviews of 2022
Here are the reviews of seven gauge wires that are top-picks among crafting aficionados and children for making stone accessories. Go through the product review, their advantages, and disadvantages to get an idea of which item will fit your requirements the best!
1. BENECREAT Tarnish Resistant Silver Coil Wire
Very few gauge wires are as big in length as this item by BENECREAT. This 26-gauge wire is enough to cover as much as 66 yards, and one purchase will help you make as many stone accessories and jewelry as you want for a long time!
This product’s build material is of exceptional quality, as copper is the primary ingredient in manufacturing it. Having this element in the item ensures that you will be easily able to bend the wire to your needs and shape it accordingly without worrying about the productbreaking.
Many gauge wires tend to be pretty thick to make sure it can have a decent level of strength; this is a wrong choice for making jewelry as they ruin the aesthetics. You will never have to worry about this issue when using this unit as they have a thickness of only 0.4mm.
Users typically need a variety of gauge wires to make different types of DIY accessories. However, this item is ideal for making beaded chains, ear wires, jump rings, and various other jewelry components that eliminate all additional expenses.
Most gauge wires tend to lose their coloring over time, which eventually ruins the jewelry’s overall texture and makes it look rusty. On the contrary, this product has a silver color, which will be irremovable due to a coating to resist tarnishes.
Although this product might seem like a nifty tool to have around your workstation, it does have a certain drawback which might frustrate and annoy you. This wire offers little to no resistance when bent, which creates the risk of users overdoing it.
Highlighted Features:
- Can cover up to 26 yards
- Uses copper for high flexibility
- Total thickness of 0.4mm
- Coating to prevent tarnishes
2. Paxcoo Jewelry Beading Wire
The majority of gauge wires for wrapping stones are pretty one-dimensional in aesthetics as they are available in only one color. One of the perks you will get when using this product is six different color options that can help you select the one that goes best with your jewelry.
A praiseworthy feature of this unit is the exceptional level of strength it contains. It can easily hold on to whichever component you think can brighten up your jewelry or make it look prettier without the risk of getting torn.
Paxcoo outdid themselves whilemaking this item as they’ve left little to no room for error when it comes to portability. This wire is exceptionally light with a minimal diameter of only 0.5mm, and each of the rolls can cover around 11 yards, making them easy to carry.
Most gauge wires can only containsolid, sturdy materials due to their hard exterior, limiting their usability to rock jewelry only. This item is exceptional in this regard because the unitdoesn’t dig into the material’s holding, making it perfect for delicate accessories like floral crafts.
There aren’t many drawbacks to discuss when it comes to the disadvantages of this product. The only noteworthy flaw of this item is its extremely low thickness, which can be a big problem as it will hinder the wire from holding materials properly.
Highlighted Features:
- 6 different color variety with each purchase
- Low chances of tearing up
- Each roll has a total length of 11 yards
- Compatible with delicate components
3. uGems Sterling Silver Wire
Many DIY enthusiasts tend to make the wiring look as scarce as possible in their jewelry. This product will be the perfect choice for them asits silver color, and extremely thin structure barely makes the itemvisible once the accessory is complete.
Gauge wires, in general, might sound like an expensive affair as it can be quite costly and most of these products are only available in large amounts. However, if you’re a newcomer to making DIY crafts, then this item will be perfect for you as it has a mere length of 5’.
Carrying entire rolls of gauge wire might seem like a difficult task because it can be quite bulky. This product can prove to be a saving grace in this regard as it is very light, with each rolls weighing only 0.32 ounces, making it an excellent option for portability.
Very few gauge wiresareas durable and flexible simultaneously as this item due to its premium structure. This product’s primary build material happens to be silver, which makes it significantly hard while also letting you bend the productquite easily without snapping off.
There is a significant defect in using this product that you will become aware of when you purchase it. Unlike other wires, this one doesn’t come with twist ties, and you’ll have a massive mess in your hands as soon as you take it out.
Highlighted Features:
- Slim build with silver coloring
- Total weight of 0.32 ounces
- Use of silver as primary build material
- Extremely durable with high levels of flexibility
4. BEADNOVA Craft Wire Jewelry Beading Wire
Gauge wires often tend to be either aesthetically pleasing or purely functional. Nonetheless, you can have the best of both options with this unit as each purchase comes with five different colorful rolls while having an extraordinary level of sturdiness.
Copper is the main ingredient that goes into manufacturing this product by BEADNOVA. On top of that, an application of a generous amount of enamel coating is made to ensure the color doesn’t wash away while preventing the possibility of tarnishes.
In terms of performance, this product is undoubtedly way ahead of its competitors because of its efficiency. With a thickness of 0.4mm and a length of 10m, this size is perfect for bending it to make any type of jewelry and beading accessories.
Among all the options for gauge wire in the current market, this product is considered the best gauge wire for wrapping stones. This assumption is mostly because of the vast possibilities of crafting with this item, which ranges from rings to wire wrapping jewelry items.
There are very few flaws to identify in this product; however, there is a significant drawback to using this item. Unlike other gauge wires, there is no stiffness to this unit, and the wires tend to pop off the moment you try to take any part of it out.
Highlighted Features:
- Cutting pliers are included with purchase
- Each purchase provides 5 rolls with different colors
- Wires are soft and tempered for easy bending
- High durability because of copper
- Tarnish-resistant due to enamel coating
5. Darice Craft Non Tarnish Silver Wire
Gauge wires tend to be available in spools, creating a mess if you handle it carelessly. Thankfully, you’ll never have to worry about this when purchasing this unit as it comes in a very user-friendly package that drastically reduces the chance of the wire spilling out.
Durability is not an issue at all with this product, as you’ll never have to worry about it snapping off due to its high-quality materials. When manufacturing this item, the use of copper by Darice ensures that you will never have to be concerned about the wirebreaking apart when making jewelry.
Although this product comes in a small, portable packaging, you will be surprised by the its total length. This item has a full extentof 15 yds, which can help you make as many DIY products as you want for a couple of months, at least.
Many gauge wires tend to ruin the DIY accessories over time by losing shape or having its colors fade away. However, this unit has good longevity and doesn’t lose its aesthetic silver color since it is anti-tarnish, and the curving agent helps the unithold shape.
There isn’t much to complain about this item, and most of the issues it has are negligible at best. One that might seem like an inconvenience to many crafting enthusiasts is how dull the wire’s silver color is compared to other ones in the market.
Highlighted Features:
- User-friendly packaging for portability
- Use of cover to prevent the wire from damaging
- One purchase can last for months due to long length
- Anti-tarnish feature to prevent color degradation
6. Beadalon Artistic Craft Wire
Most wires run the risk of being flimsy as they aren’t made of pure manufacturing materials and are a mixture of various components. However, this gauge wire is as sturdy as it gets due to pure, unfiltered copper, which makes it very strong.
Artistic wires tend to be available as single purchases, which will have you run back and forth to the hardware store every time you run out. Thankfully, this unit by Beadalon is available in up to packs of three, which will provide you comparatively more value for its price.
On top of the wire having a pure copper body, it is also tempered, making it perfect for making a wide variety of accessories. Tempering the product allows it to bend easily and be more flexible without the risk of breaking apart, which will help you make items like ear wires and pendants.
The use of enamel coating is a common practice in the manufacturing process of gauge wires to avoid tarnishes. This unitdoesn’t have any layer and maintains to retain color quality while also letting it darken over time.
Although this productis unique and will give an artsy vibe to your DIY stone accessories, it does have a significant drawback. Tarnishing is an issue that is bound to hit this itemsince it doesn’t have any coating on, which may ruin the aesthetics of the jewelry over time.
Highlighted Features:
- Use of bare copper for additional strength
- No coating lets it darken over time
- Tempered for greater flexibility
- Available in packs of 3
7. Bare Copper Wire For Jewelry Making
Many people tend to mix up stone jewelry with stone accessories and buy gauge wire with rigidity. What you will need for making rock jewelry are products that are soft and won’t hurt your skin like this one by Copper wire USA.
Even though most copper wires tend to be available in spools, there is no variety in the wire sizes. However, this product will offer you an assortment of four sizes from which you can choose the option which best fits your needs.
Gauge wires can be frustrating to use as they tend to come off easily, and you might have to spend hours to tie them up nicely. On the other hand, this item is self-tying, so you can simply wrap them, and they’ll stay in place without getting untied.
It’s tough to make out the specifications of gauge wires as they tend to be very vague. However, this product has a stellar labeling on the spool, so you can be aware of all of its qualities by just reading the sticker on top of the packaging.
Even though this item might be a very convenient thing to have, it does have a huge issue. The wire body quickly tarnishes within a short span of time and ruins the brightness of the product.
Highlighted Features:
- Soft for wearing on skin
- Self-tying for quick fastening
- Available in 4 different sizes
- Specifications written on the spool sticker
What to Consider Before Buying Gauge Wire for Wrapping Stones
Hundreds of options litter the market when it comes to gauge wire for wrapping stones. However, to really know which one is worth the purchase, here are a few factors you need to be aware of.
Build Material
It is essential to know what kind of ingredients go into the manufacturing process of gauge wires. These essentially determine how premium the item is, the level of its durability, its flexibility, and how much user-friendly it is.
Usually, a mixture of elements goes into making gauge wires, which tends to tamper its qualities and decrease its sturdiness. It would be best if you looked for options that are made of purely one component as it makes the overall product harderand increases its strength.
Typically, the perfect option for you will be the gauge wires made of pure silver and leather. Also, try to find one that is tempered and has an enamel coating for it to be more flexible and tarnish resistant.
Packaging
Packaging might seem like something that has very little to do with the quality of the product itself. In reality, it actually plays a massive part in making the itemuser-friendly, its convenience in the application, and its portability in general.
Gauge wires are usually available in spools that give it a very retro look and allow you to see the wire easily. However, they are tough to carry around and hard to manage as they can have the contents falling apart at the slightest mishap.
It is highly commendable to find gauge wires available in plastic packaging or as an assortment within a box. It makes carrying them around very easy and hassle-free while perfectly preserving the contents and preventing them from falling out.
Length
Each wire has a varying difference in length and the purpose dictates which option will be best for you. Choosing a length option depends on the size and volume of the projects you normally tackle and how regularly you find yourself needing gauge wire.
If you’re running a small business on DIY crafts and get a load of orders to handle every week or so, it’s best to buy the larger gauge wires so that you don’t have to buy new ones often. On the other hand, if you’re a DIY enthusiast, go for smaller lengths so that you can easily carry them around.
How to Wire Wrap Stones for Beginners
Wrapping stones can seem like a complicated and daunting process in the beginning. But once you actually look into the techniques, you will realize how simple it is to execute.
Here are some simple methods you can use to wrap stones with wire.
Coiling
Coiling is a simplistic yet universal method for wire-wrapping stones. Cut two pieces of wires of different lengths and start coiling the larger one around the smaller one.
Continue wrapping the wires as tightly as possible. You will easily be able to create the coiled aesthetics that are so trendy for stone jewelry.
Pendant Making
Wrapping stones to make pendants with gauge wires are relatively straightforward. Cut up three to four long strips of a thick wire and a portion from a somewhat thinner wire.
Ensure that the thicker wires don’t overlap each other while you’re wrapping them up with the thin piece. Once you complete coiling, flatten them up with your pliers and snap the excess portions off.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which type of gauge wire is the best pick for wrapping stones?
In the case of making stone jewelry, the most popular pick among gauge wires is the 20-gauge one. If you’re looking to embellish your accessories, then it’s best to go with a 26-gauge wire.
There are loads of different gauges among wires. Experiment with them and make sure they have an adequate level of flexibility when using.
2. What are some products I should consider buying alongside gauge wires?
You should have a full set of tools for making DIY stone accessories alongside gauge wire. Therefore, it’s best to do an inventory check before leaving for the hardware store.
There are a couple of tools that can make using gauge wire easy for you. They include wire cutters, pliers, markers, rulers, needle, and gauge.
3. How thick should a gauge wire be?
The thickness of the wire depends on the type of project your planning to complete. Thick and thin wires are both essential to have around, depending on your niche.
If you’re going to make stone jewelry, then it’s best to use gauge wires with as little thickness as possible to wear them comfortably. On the other hand, if you’re going to make a rock decoration, then go for thicker wires as they’ll be able to hold the component’s weight better.
4. What is the process of increasing flexibility of gauge wire?
Tempering is the most common process of heightening the overall flexibility of the gauge wire. Using this method makes the wire easy to bend and ensures that it doesn’t snap off while doing so.
5. How does coating help improve gauge wires?
Using coating on gauge wire applies a layer of protection over the item. It ensures that the quality of the color doesn’t fall over time and retains an excellent level of brightness.
Final Words
Selecting the right wire for making DIY accessories might seem like a complicated task, but now you’ll know how to find the best gauge wire for wrapping stones easily. All you have to do is to keep an eye on a few factors, and you’ll never end up with a bad purchase.
Now all that’s left is to head over to the hardware shop and get the perfect product for yourself. Making DIY decorations and jewelry will never be more comfortable and funnier than ever!
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