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+--- Thread: IOVI OPTIMO MAXIMO! Wire Inlay is Easier Than You Think! (/showthread.php?tid=9691)
IOVI OPTIMO MAXIMO! Wire Inlay is Easier Than You Think! - Matt Lukes - 06-16-2007
Salvete Omnes,
Having difficulty sleeping as usual last night, I was looking around on the Internet for information on doing wire inaly work on metal to see if I could find anything to clarify how the undercutting of the edges is done and see if I had the right idea or not, and not only did I discover that I did, but that actual engraving of the major lines isn't necessary at all- simple punches are all that are necessary, making the whole thing FAR easier. Here's my simple tutorial on doing wire inlay:
Tools- concrete nails make great repousse/chasing tools, which also work perfectly for doing wire inlay. Here's a photo of the three I used on my test pieces:
![[Image: Tools.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v351/Panzerknacker/SPQR/Tools.jpg)
To shape them, I simply heated the ends of nails with a propane torch, hammered them a bit, did some grinding and polishing, then hardened and tempered them again with the torch (heat to blood red, quench, polish, then apply heat until a golden yellow color reaches the end and quench again).
The 'main' one (right) looks rather like a flat screwdriver- the width is about 0.5mm. The secondary one (middle)is pointier with the same width, and I used it to deepen the line (easier with a narrower tip), and last is the chisel (left)- ground to a sharp edge.
The steel is simple 18ga cold-rolled sheet. I placed a test bit on my anvil and started with the main 'screwdriver' punch and a 32oz. hammer. I kept the trailing edge of the punch in the end of the previous strike's groove to keep the line straight and continuous, and when I was done, I went back and smoothed it all out.
![[Image: PDR_0149.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v351/Panzerknacker/SPQR/PDR_0149.jpg)
Then I took the more pointy punch and went over the line again to deepen it (not a strictly necessary step per se, it's just what I determined was necessary to create enough space for the 22ga. brass wire I intended to use). Being more pointy, it was necessary to go over the line a couple of times to even out the depth.
![[Image: PDR_0152.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v351/Panzerknacker/SPQR/PDR_0152.jpg)
Re: IOVI OPTIMO MAXIMO! Wire Inlay is Easier Than You Think! - Matt Lukes - 06-16-2007
Next I placed the sheet steel against a stop- just a bit of steel bar in the hardy hole of my anvil, but really anything that will keep the steel from moving will do- and began undercutting with the chisel. The chisel is placed at 90-degrees to the line and roughly 45-degrees from the horizontal and struck gently moving along each edge.
![[Image: PDR_0156.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v351/Panzerknacker/SPQR/PDR_0156.jpg)
It may not be super-easy to tell, but there is a little raised section along the edges of the line
![[Image: PDR_0157.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v351/Panzerknacker/SPQR/PDR_0157.jpg)
Once both edges are undercut, I lay the shaped section of wire in place
![[Image: PDR_0158.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v351/Panzerknacker/SPQR/PDR_0158.jpg)
Re: IOVI OPTIMO MAXIMO! Wire Inlay is Easier Than You Think! - Matt Lukes - 06-16-2007
Again with the 32oz. hammer, I started striking the wire (on the right side here)
![[Image: PDR_0160.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v351/Panzerknacker/SPQR/PDR_0160.jpg)
All the way along to give it an initial set, then again to flatten the steel edges and even the surface
![[Image: PDR_0161.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v351/Panzerknacker/SPQR/PDR_0161.jpg)
Finally with some emery cloth then finer sandpaper (or a file/disc or belt sander if necessary) and it's done
![[Image: PDR_0165.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v351/Panzerknacker/SPQR/PDR_0165.jpg)
The wire is now solidly in place- I can't even pry it up from the ends. This particular wire, as I mentioned, is 22ga, and the line here is about 1mm in width, but finer lines could be made simply with thinner wire and narrower tools. Curved tools can be made to make certain shapes easier to punch, or just the use of the narrow-tipped one I used secondarily can make curved shapes easily enough.
Re: IOVI OPTIMO MAXIMO! Wire Inlay is Easier Than You Think! - Matt Lukes - 06-16-2007
It didn't take long to do the short section I've shown above, and although an intricate pattern will take a while to do, it's not technically difficult. Here're another couple of test pieces I did- a copper wire in brass, and three other brass in steel bits, including one major curve:
Re: IOVI OPTIMO MAXIMO! Wire Inlay is Easier Than You Think! - Matthew Amt - 06-16-2007
Woo hoo!! You da Man, Matt! How much for an Oberammergau pugio scabbard plate? (Someone had to ask!)
Congrats, and keep at it.
Matthew
Re: IOVI OPTIMO MAXIMO! Wire Inlay is Easier Than You Think! - Magnus - 06-16-2007
Hey, that looks easy enough for even a simpleton like me to do. Thanks for the tutorial matt.
Re: IOVI OPTIMO MAXIMO! Wire Inlay is Easier Than You Think! - Icelandic - 06-17-2007
That's awesome
I reaffirm everyone else's thanks--simple and yet quite intriguing
Re: IOVI OPTIMO MAXIMO! Wire Inlay is Easier Than You Think! - sulla felix - 06-17-2007
Genius - laudes from me Matt!
Re: IOVI OPTIMO MAXIMO! Wire Inlay is Easier Than You Think! - Robert Vermaat - 06-17-2007
Wow - thanks for the tip!
Re: IOVI OPTIMO MAXIMO! Wire Inlay is Easier Than You Think! - Gaius Julius Caesar - 06-18-2007
hmmm, I thought the Obergammerau was a neilio-with the metal decorartion raised above?
Cool info Matt, maybe one day I might try that....
Re: IOVI OPTIMO MAXIMO! Wire Inlay is Easier Than You Think! - Dan Howard - 06-18-2007
Laudes from me too. Bloody marvellous.
Re: IOVI OPTIMO MAXIMO! Wire Inlay is Easier Than You Think! - sulla felix - 06-18-2007
I imagine that silver wire inlay is even easier because the wire is softer and therefore easier to shape into the groove?
Re: IOVI OPTIMO MAXIMO! Wire Inlay is Easier Than You Think! - Matt Lukes - 06-18-2007
Gratias tibi ago fratres- I was so pleased that this worked-out so well that I just had to share :wink:
I don't know that silver is appreciably softer than soft brass wire, but even if it is, it really wasn't a lot of work hammering the brass wire, so I doubt any difference would be appreciable.
Re: IOVI OPTIMO MAXIMO! Wire Inlay is Easier Than You Think! - Matt Lukes - 06-18-2007
Quote:Woo hoo!! You da Man, Matt! How much for an Oberammergau pugio scabbard plate? (Someone had to ask!)
Congrats, and keep at it.
Matthew
:lol: Ye gods- trying to do that pattern in inlay would be murder...
Re: IOVI OPTIMO MAXIMO! Wire Inlay is Easier Than You Think! - Crispvs - 06-18-2007
Well done Matt!
So much for several month's worth of incompetently trying to emulate Erik Koenig with engraving chisels. I think I might try your method instead!
Silver is softer than brass by the way. I checked with the School of Jewellry in Birmingham's Jevellry quarter and was advised by the engraving tutor to practice with copper wire, which he said was about the same in it terms of softness as silver, whilst brass, of whatever type, being an allow, was considerably less pliable and thus less suited to hammered inlay.
Crispvs