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How to Tin Copper Wire
Tinning wire is a fairly basic skill that will become second nature the more you do it. Knowing how, will allow you to use copper wire instead of always having to buy pre-tinned wire in the right gauge. This gives you more freedom to create your projects at your leisure since you can obtain plain copper wire from many different sources.
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Like many things, once you know how to tin copper wire, it will seem super simple. Some instances where one would use copper wire are: for adding hooks to our stained glass projects, as reinforcement or even for decorative elements.
Watch the video to see just how easy it is to prepare bare copper wire for use in your next stained glass masterpiece!
Here's a list of supplies used in the video:
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Hola Gracias por tus consejos y lo didáctico q lo haces!!
Es el 1° vídeo q veo, de estañar el alambre!!! Mientras lo miraba, pensaba ¡Cuántos vídeos me habré perdido!!!!!
Nuevamente gracias por compartir tan generosamente tus conocimientos!!!??????
Thank you for leaving your comment, Monica. I’m glad you enjoyed the video. 🙂
Samantha, I have used pre tinned wire in projects and have trouble getting it to patina to black. If I tin my own it works better. But I would love to save time by using the pre tinned when poss. Any suggestions to gett?ing a good black patina on pre tinned wire? Or is that just not going to happen?
Hello Ruth. Perhaps the wire you’re working with wasn’t created for stained glass? The solder on the pre-tinned wire needs to compatible with the patina used. If the solder coating doesn’t have the right components, the patina won’t react with it. I’d suggest trying to find another source for wire or perhaps try a different patina. I’ve had lead-free solder in the past that doesn’t turn black with my patina, but some do. Maybe your wire was tinned with a lead-free solder? If you did purchase it from a stained glass supplier, I would suggest contacting them to see if they can recommend a patina that will work with it.
Don’t you have to stretch the wire before even cutting, tinning, etc.?
Perhaps you’re thinking of lead came? Lead came definitely needs to be stretched before using it. However, copper wire doesn’t really give, therefore no stretching is necessary.