# What's it called?



## Droogs (15 Dec 2017)

Been trying to think of the name for a bit of metal bashing kit. It looks like an old clothes mangler and is used to sort of flatten metal wire, Looking to get one if I can remember the pineappling name


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## Rorschach (15 Dec 2017)

Rolling Mill


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## Phil Pascoe (15 Dec 2017)

http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-To ... gL9vPD_BwE


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## hawkeyefxr (25 Dec 2017)

A roller


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## dickm (25 Dec 2017)

Can't recall the maker, but according to jewellry-making daughter, the best rolling mills by far are made in the UK. She had to import her's to the US at considerable cost.


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## t8hants (25 Dec 2017)

You will have to consider what you want to roll in your machine, are you wanting to reduce a sections thickness, or roll up sheet, or even roll section into rings and circles.
There are different types of rolls for each of the above.


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## Droogs (25 Dec 2017)

looking to thickness round wire into rectangular wire for inlay into wood. Can't believe how much these things cost


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## RogerP (25 Dec 2017)

To make square rod section brass I have drawn round brass rod through a square hole in sheet metal. Works surprisingly well.


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## t8hants (25 Dec 2017)

Another method my BinL uses as a jeweller is the use of a draw plate, whereby you pull a wire through a reducing hole to decrease the diameter. It may be possible to use the same method to change the section. 
if you know of any manufacturing jewellers they may be able to help.
Works with silver.


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## Inspector (27 Dec 2017)

Would any of these work. Metals for hobbyists.

http://www.ksmetals.com/32.html Half way down the page.

http://www.ksmetals.com/29.html

Other option is to find sheet stock and take it to a good metal shop and have it sheared to size if you need longer lengths.

Rolling wire to size is going to harden it so you have to have a way to soften it to bend it.

Pete


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## J-G (27 Dec 2017)

AS Pete as intimated, once you 'work' metals you need to 'aneal' them again before more working. This only involves re-heating and quenching but needs to be accounted for.

You haven't mentioned what materials you want to use but you may well find that what you need is available 'off the shelf' from https://www.scientificwire.com/acatalog/all-bare.html.


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## Droogs (27 Dec 2017)

I've used the scientificwire.com stuff in the past for small projects. But about to go into "production" as it were and will need a couple of kilometers over the next 12 months. I have a large supply of HD copper and a supply of both brass and silver wire available. The copper is round though and I need rectangular/square for pietra dura work and general wire inlay. Will see if I can get 2nd hand over the next month or just bite the bullet.


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## TFrench (30 Dec 2017)

This may help - place round the corner from my work sells jewellery making stuff:
http://www.proopsbrothers.com/shaping-and-forming-41-c.asp
I could go in and get extra pictures for you if it helps?


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## johnbaz (4 Jan 2018)

It's not an English wheel by chance? They put sweeping curves inb sheet metal 


*EDIT-*Ooops!! I just read through more posts, Obviously not an english wheel!!


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## MusicMan (4 Jan 2018)

Droogs":3cg5wgr5 said:


> I've used the scientificwire.com stuff in the past for small projects. But about to go into "production" as it were and will need a couple of kilometers over the next 12 months. I have a large supply of HD copper and a supply of both brass and silver wire available. The copper is round though and I need rectangular/square for pietra dura work and general wire inlay. Will see if I can get 2nd hand over the next month or just bite the bullet.



Hi Droogs,

A rolling mill will give you two flat and parallel sides, but the other two will be rounded. If you are after really rectangular wire (I'm not sure), then this will have to be made by drawing through a rectangular hole in a hard plate (i.e. a draw plate). If you need to reduce it a lot, you need a progressive set of holes. For example 

http://www.proopsbrothers.com/jewellers ... 1410-p.asp

or

https://www.cousinsuk.com/category/draw-plates

You anneal the whole wire first if not already soft, just heat to red heat then cool (either in air or by quenching, it doesn't matter, though quenching may remove some of the oxidation). Then file the start to give a lead in then pull away. If it is too soft to pull without breaking, I would make the lead-in by hammering, which will re-harden the start. Lubrication makes a big difference. There are special soaps you can use

https://www.condat-lubricants.com/produ ... ing-soaps/

but worth trying whatever soap is in your bathroom first. 

I'd guess that you could go at several m/min, so doing 2 km wouldn't take more than a few hours. For efficiency wind direct on to a drum.

The treatment is the same for all the metals though the forces needed will be different. It must be drawing brass (70/30) not machining brass (60/40) but if it is wire that you have, it will be.

Keith


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