Metal-Based Wire

Whether you're creating a tiara or propping up cut flowers, we've got the wire for you!

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Lacemakers Wire 0.2mm Product code: LMW

	Quantity	Price	Equivalent Individual Price
	120m of the same design	£1.95

Coloured Wire Product code: CLW06

	Quantity	Price	Equivalent Individual Price
	1	£2.50
	10 packs of the same design	£15.95	£1.60 36% saving
	Custom MixA custom mix of your choice of colours or designs.of 10 packs	£19.95	£2.00 20% saving

Silver Plated Wire Product code: SPW

	Quantity	Price	Equivalent Individual Price
	1	£2.50
	10 packs of the same design	£15.95	£1.60 36% saving
	Custom MixA custom mix of your choice of colours or designs.of 10 packs	£19.95	£2.00 20% saving

Brass Wire Product code: BRW

	Quantity	Price	Equivalent Individual Price
	1	£2.50
	10 packs of the same design	£15.95	£1.60 36% saving
	Custom MixA custom mix of your choice of colours or designs.of 10 packs	£19.95	£2.00 20% saving

Copper Wire Product code: CPW

	Quantity	Price	Equivalent Individual Price
	1	£2.50
	10 packs of the same design	£15.95	£1.60 36% saving
	Custom MixA custom mix of your choice of colours or designs.of 10 packs	£19.95	£2.00 20% saving

Gold Plated Wire Product code: GPW

	Quantity	Price	Equivalent Individual Price
	1	£5.75
	5 packs of the same design	£18.75	£3.75 35% saving
	Custom MixA custom mix of your choice of colours or designs.of 5 packs	£22.95	£4.59 20% saving

Frequently asked questions about the collection: Metal-Based Wire

Q: Do you sell black antique (gun metal) wire wire at 20 gauge (0.8 mm) for beading like the ones above?
A: No, I'm afraid we don't sell a black antique or gun metal wire, the closest we have is our opaque black 0.6mm wire www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Coloured-wire/bo4202?sid=4092#item4092

Q: Hello, I was wondering which type of wire I would need to wrap around beads of gemstones in spiral effect to add them to pieces such as necklaces. Thanks
A: Definitely one of these metal based wires, depending on the colour you want, perhaps 0.6mm silver plated wire www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Silver-plated-wire/bo4196?sid=2947#item2947 it's easy to shape with pliers but strong enough for most uses.

Q: Hi I'm looking for the best silver plated wire to make a ring with? Will probably have double wire on the ring itself but will need to be flexible enough to make a spiral…
A: I'd suggest 0.8mm silver plated wire www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Silver-plated-wire/bo4196?sid=2947#item2947 since it's flexible with pliers and should hold its shape well. You can even experiment with hammering it in places to make it flat.

Q: Hi! Could you please tell me what kind of wire (and also the gauge) I should use to make a wraped wire sea glass ring? Thank you
A: Any of these metal based wires would be good, the gauge kind of depends on the size of the sea glass and what you think would look right beside this. For a dainty look, try wrapping with 0.4mm silver plated wire www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Silver-plated-wire/bo4196 for something a bit more chunky try the 0.6mm or 0.8mm. This wire is great and very versatile, you can even hammer it in places to flatten it out.

Q: Hi, Do you sell 16g in copper and 20g wire in silver for coil making please?
A: As far as I'm aware 16 gauge is 1.2mm and 20 gauge is 0.8mm. We only sell copper wire up to a thickness of 1mm, you can find all our copper wires at: www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Copper-wire/bo4195. You can find our silver plated 0.8mm wire at: www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Silver-plated-wire/bo4196

Q: Hi, I want to actually create the hairband for a tiara using wire rather than a ready-made base. Can you please tell me what gauge of wire is recomended and how I would create some tension on the hairband.
A: If you use a really thick wire like 1.2mm, or 1mm www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Silver-plated-wire/bo4196?sid=2947#item2947 then you'll need pliers and a bit of strength to bend the shape you want and since the wire is really rigid once shaped it should have enough tension to wear it as a tiara. Once you've used a thinner wire to wrap around decoratively it should be super strong!

Q: Hi, I've been using silver plated copper wire to make tiaras with but have noticed that the wire discolours and goes a rusty shade,totally ruining the tiara.I want to sell my designs as they are different from others out there but I need a kind of wire that I'm confident in. My dad suggested stainless steel wire but can you suggest any please.
A: I know that you can find tarnish proof wire out there, it's pretty much the same as what you will have been using but shouldn't ever tarnish. If you google 'tarnish resistant wire' you should get lots of results. I think Bead Smith make a popular no tarnish wire.

Q: Hi, my name is Nicola Mulryan and I am writing from Norway. I'm looking for a heavy memory wire that I can use together with heavy beads. I need to be able to buy it in a roll so I can cut it up to the length I need. The wire is to be used for bracelets. I did buy a wire from another internet shop but it is too thin and not heavy enough to use with the beads. I need to wrap the wire around so that I have about 3-4 rows when the bracelet is finished. What would you recommend?
A: I'd recommend our Beadalon memory wire www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Heavyweight-memory-wire-bracelet/bo7684?sid=2834#item2834, which is the thickest that we sell. It should hold whatever shape you bend it into and comes in a whole big coil, rather than cut up individually. You can use it with heavy glass and metal beads without making a difference to its shape.

Q: hi. can this be fused with glass in a kiln?
A: It might work but the problem you will have is this is plated wire so the plating may come away from the base metal if it is heated, both metals will react to heat differently. If you do experiment with this please let me know what happens and you can even post any of your creations up on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/beadsunlimited

Q: Hi. I've been asked by my friend to make her wedding necklace and ear-rings which is amazing so i want to get it right. I'm making a 3 strand "floating" beads necklace with some delicate pearls and 4mm bicones. What is the best gauge wire to use and which size crimps? Many thanks
A: That sounds lovely! We only have crimps in one size, they can be found here - www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Crimp/bo4025?sid=7030#item7030 or if you wish to use sterling silver, here - www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Crimp-STS/bo4341?sid=4133#item4133 As for the wire, if you are making a floating necklace with crimps I assume you would be using beading wire rather than bendable sculpting wire, so the gauge isn't all that relevant - most beading wires are a similar thickness and ours can be found here - www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Beading-Wire/c434.

Q: hiya, i really like the idea of making either a shamballa bracelet or a wire bangle, where can i get aluminium wire, and do you have a tutorial on making the shamballa bracelet, thanks, a loyal customer.
A: we've just started selling shamballa style beads, you can find them all at: www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/shamballa-beads we will be posting up a shamballa bracelet tutorial soon on our blog www.beadbarmy.com/category/tutorials/ I'm not sure where you can get aluminium wire, I've seen it on other craft sites, we used to sell it but it wasn't very popular, so we discontinued it, sorry.

Q: I am making necklaces with wire loops holding the beads togther. I have been using eyepins but would like to use the rolls of wire, which thickness wire both in silver and gold plated do I need to use to get the same strenght as the eyepins?
A: Our eyepins are a thickness of 0.7mm so you could use the 0.6mm but I think this might bit a little too soft so I would recommend using the 0.8mm thickness.

Q: I am quite confused about the different sizes of wire, I am just starting out. I want to make a necklace and earrings. Please help me, its silver wire I want to use. Thank you
A: You could make a necklace and earrings out of any of the wires we sell, and they could all be completely different. The metal based wire here that varies in size is mainly for sculpting, it's good for tiaras and bending into shapes. If you are thinking of stringing the beads, making an illusion kind of necklace, or a piece with many strands, you would want beading wire instead - www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Beading-Wire/c434 Why not have a look at our projects for some ideas? This Amber Ramble set is an example of how you could use the metal based wires - www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Amber-Ramble/bo7327?sid=8615#item8615

Q: I have recently become interested in wigjig designs but not sure what type/gauge of wire to use. Would really like to get started, and use some of the items on offer, if applicable.
A: It would be best to use 0.5mm to 0.8mm wire as anything thinner will get too squashed and anything thicker will be too hard to bend. You're in the right place though as any of these metal based wires will be ideal.

Q: I'm looking for a bendable wire that can easily be shaped and reshaped? its to go inside a tie up headband
A: Any of these metal based wires would be ideal, they're sculptural, so you can bend and re-shape them easily. The thicker the wire the harder it is to bend but then it will keep its shape better.

Q: I'm making some wire headbands. I notice the shop brought ones have wire which has a plastic coating to it? I would be needing some fairly thick and flexible. Any ideas? Many thanks.
A: You could always try using a tiara band www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/home/search.php?searchfor=tiara+base&searchbutton=Search and turning it around to use as a headband. They will bend out with a bit of dexterity and a pair of pliers. Otherwise all the thick metal based wires that we have, like our silver plated wire www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Silver-plated-wire/bo4196?sid=2947#item2947 are round wires, but you can always hammer them flat and then sculpt them. It would leave a beaten look which might be quite nice.

Q: Is there a conversion I can use to know what gauge converts to what mm wire.
A: You'll probably be able to find a conversion chart online somewhere but we don't have one I'm afraid. In the meantime though 18 gauge is approximately 1mm thick and 20 gauge approximately 0.8mm. If you view the details of our wire the gauge is shown as well as the measurement.

Q: Making tiara for panto, what gauge wire should I use?
A: Well you could use one of our ready-made tiara bases: www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Tiara-base-SP/bo5232?sid=2843#item2843 for the base. 1.0mm wire is great for the sculptural parts and 0.4mm is a good thickness for attaching one to the other. Take a look at this project for some tips on tiara making: www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Clematis-Tiara/bo7331?sid=8619#item8619

Q: Please can you tell me where I can purchase black tiara bases and wire for a gothic tiara?
A: We sell black wire here - www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Coloured-wire/bo4202 and as for tiara bases, you may be able to find a supplier via our links page here www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/home/links.php

Q: Sorry this may sound as though I am being a bit dim but is the higher the gauge number the finer the wire, i.e. is 28 gauge thinner wire than 24 gauge?
A: Yes that's right, the higher the gauge the finer the wire. All of our wires are shown with their actual measurement though to make life easier!

Q: what is the best wire for making a tiara
A: For the intricate wrapping around and around the base you'll need a 0.4mm or 0.6mm wire.

Q: What is the best wire to match your antique gold fittings? I am looking for a 0.6 or 0.8 plated wire.
A: The brass wire www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Brass-wire/bo4194?sid=2879#item2879 would be the closest match, it's not quite as dark as the antique gold findings but it's the nearest in our range.

Q: What type of wire do I need to make heart shapes with buttons threaded through the wire. Thank you.
A: I'd suggest some of these metal based wires, depending on the colour you want. I guess the thickness of the wire would depend on how big the holes in the buttons are, perhaps 0.6mm silver plated wire www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Silver-plated-wire/bo4196?sid=2947#item2947 it's a good all-rounder.

Q: Which gauge wire would be best to make a bead cage with? It needs to be able to hold a stones of various sizes (i'd be making the bead cages in different sizes.)
A: You'd need a fairly thick wire so that it would hold its shape. I'd have thought our thickest gauges of silver plated wire should do the trick, they can be found here - www.beadsunlimited.co.uk/Silver-plated-wire/bo4196

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