Swanstrom Spiral-Forming Pliers

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Swanstrom Spiral-Forming Pliers
Use Swanstrom spiral-forming pliers to easily create perfect wire spirals for necklace, earring and other designs—
even widely spaced or double spirals—with plenty of wire left at the end for adding beads and other omponents.
For ease of use, these pliers incorporate Swanstrom signature features (such as Soft-Touch™ ergonomic handles,
Scrivet® joints and anti-glare finish). Made in the USA and available exclusively from Rio Grande.
Overall Length: 7.50" (190mm)
Large
hole
Small
hole
Jaw angle
adjusting screw
Jaw angle
locking screw
Patent Pending
Creating a Sprial Component
Adjusting the Pliers to Match the Wire Thickness
Jaw angle
locking screw
1. Loosen the jaw angle
locking screw (located on
top of the pliers) with a
hex wrench. Lay a piece
of wire between the
forming plates and lightly
close the handle (just
enough to hold the wire
between the two plates).
Tighten the jaw angle
locking screw.
2. Adjust the forming plate
parallelism by turning the
jaw angle adjusting screw
(located on the side of
the pliers). Once the jaws
are parallel, tighten the
jaw angle locking screw.
Jaw angle
adjusting screw
800.545.6566
The spiral forming
plates should be perfectly parallel to each
other for best results.
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Forming the Spiral
Small
hole
1.
Make a 90° bend in the
wire 2–3 inches from the
end. Open the pliers and
insert this short end into
one of the two holes in
the forming plate and
up and out through the
knob. The long length
of the wire should
extend out between the
forming plates.
2.
Close the pliers and run
the long length of the
wire back along the plier
handles. Hold the wire
down firmly with your
thumb and turn the knob
clockwise form the spiral.
Please Note: For best
results, begin by applying
firm thumb pressure as
you start the spiral and
less as you finish.
Large
hole
Swanstrom Spiral-Forming Pliers
Add Spacing to Spiral Components
Forming the Spiral (continued)
3.
Open the pliers and
carefully remove your
formed spiral from
the hole in the upper
forming plate.
Making a perfectly formed
spiral like the one shown
here may take some practice.
Experiment with the amount
of thumb pressure you apply
on the wire and the speed at
which you turn the knob. We
recommend practicing with
copper before moving on to
precious metals.
1.
To add some space
between your
spirals, begin by
bending a length of
of wire in half.
2.
Form a 90º bend in
the wire (at the bent
end) and repeat
steps #4 and #5
from the front page.
3.
Open the pliers—
you now have a
double-wire spiral.
4.
Carefully remove the
double spiral from
the forming plate.
5.
Using wire cutters, clip
the remaining wire
at the bent end of
the double spiral and
carefully separate the
two spirals.
The two separate spirals
you’ve created will not
be a matching pair. To
make matched pairs,
you need to make two
sets of double spirals,
then match one spiral
to another from each
double spiral set.
Forming a Twin-Spiral Component
1.
2.
After making the first
spiral, leave a few inches
of excess wire at the end
(the size of the second
spiral depends on how
much excess wire you
leave). Form a 90° bend
at the end of the excess
wire and insert it into
the appropriate size
hole, keeping the first
spiral outside of the spiral forming plates.
Close the pliers and
turn the forming knob
counter-clockwise. When
complete, open the pliers and carefully remove
your twin-spiral component. Again, practice will
improve your technique.
A World of Wire-Making Possibilities!
6.
Combine these spiral-forming pliers with other innovative Swanstrom tools to greatly increase
your wire-working capabilities! Use the Swanstrom ear wire forming pliers (#111-199) and create a
perfect spiral at the end of a French ear wire. Or use Swanstrom’s wire-looping pliers (#111-154
and #111-149) to create loops for adding beads and other components at the end of your spirals.
Wire-Looping Pliers
Small #111-154
Large #111-149
Small Kit #111-132
Large Kit #111-131
Ear Wire Forming Pliers
#111-199 Small kit includes
accessory set with four
different-sized pins and
spiral plate.
800.545.6566
©2011 The Bell Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
www.riogrande.com
Sharing your passion for making jewelry.
Products. Service. Know-how.