Did you know the best stainless steel gauge for wire filigree is 16-gauge? Yes, 16-gauge stainless steel wire is sturdy and still strong enough to hold a soldered joint when your doing a stained glass ornament or sun catcher. 16-gauge stainless steel is our gauge of choice around Crystal Wand Creations.
It is an easy wire to bend into a nice filigree shape and it holds its shape remarkably well. If you heat it real well after applying a good amount of flux it will take its first round of pre-solder well; however, it really should be pre-solder twice in order to get a good bond on any solder joint.
This takes a lot of time and patients. This picture is of a piece I just completed for a local doctor. The size of this piece is approximately 14 inches tall x 18 inches wide. The wire filigree on the inside of this piece is all formed by hand. Each piece is cut and bent, and pre-soldered twice, then soldered on every joint.
Doing wire filigree is truly something you either love or hate. Because no one in their right mind would stand around all day long bending wire into "curly Q's" if they didn't truly love it!
