How To Draw Wire and Small Tubing. Make Custom Wire Sizes and Shapes In The Home Shop.

                                 A Wire Drawing Plate for round wire.



The ability to draw custom wire sizes and shapes is valuable to the mechanic, craftsman, and artist. The wire drawing plate is clamped upright in a vise, and the existing large stock wire is ground to a point on one end, inserted in the smallest hole that will snugly accept it, then pulled with a pair of pliers, or vise grips, through successively smaller holes, until the correct diameter is reached. This removes all local kinks and creates great uniformity, as well.

The metal will harden after a few pulls and must be annealed by coiling, heating to red, then let cool to room temperature without quenching. The pulling of the wire itself should be smooth and in one motion, no stopping. Soap can help this process along. Pull the wire across a cake of soap, or a soap coated cloth. It is sometimes difficult to get the wire started, but once it starts its very easy to keep pulling. You will gain length as you draw the wire, so keep that in mind.