How to Bend Wire

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Co-authored by Marvin Woo

Last Updated: December 16, 2022 References

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This wikiHow will teach you several methods on how to bend wire, all with different goals and outcomes.

Steps

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1
Make sure you have the right tools.
- The simplest method of bending wire is by hand.
- For more precise and comfortable bending, use pliers.
Thicker wire may require larger tools and specialized machinery. ^{[1]
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Method 1

Method 1 of 8:

Making 90 degree bends

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The easiest method is to use square pliers with sufficiently wide jaws.
Start by marking down where you want the bend, taking into account a small error as making a corner-like sharp bend into a piece of wire is not easy. Most likely the wire will have a slight curve at the 90 degree angle.
4
Grip the wire, taking into account a small error. To prevent the wire from developing marks from the pliers, wrap a piece of cloth around the wire or grip the wire with 2 small glimpse of wood on either side of the wire. ^{[2]
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- Another option would be to grip the wire with pliers made of a softer material than the wire but finding pliers like that can be difficult as strength and durability are important aspects of pliers.
Use a block of wood to ensure even bending.
8
Another option would be to make yourself a jig for checking the wire for 90 degree angles.
- The simplest method to make one of these is to drill 2 crossing holes through a piece of wood. By cutting the wood at 90 degrees through the centers of the holes, you will end up with 2 pieces of wood with crossing grooves.
- You could make the grooves by hand if you're confident in your abilities of cutting precise grooves.
- A third option would be to use some sort of saw to make the grooves. For example a bandsaw or table saw.

Method 2

Method 2 of 8:

Bending wire to specific angles

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^{[3]
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Research source} There are various printable protractors available on the internet, allowing you to make one to suit your needs out of wood or plywood for example. ^{[4]
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Research source}

Method 3

Method 3 of 8:

Making regular curves

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There are several options for making templates.
3
Consider a french curve. A french curve is a template made out of metal, wood or plastic composed of many different curves. It is used in manual drafting to draw smooth curves of varying radii. ^{[5]
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- The shapes are segments of the Euler spiral or clothoid curve.
- There are printable templates of french curves available on the internet if you wish to make one yourself.
4
Consider making a template with a compass. A compass can easily be used to draw circles and curves. ^{[6]
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- Draw the necessary curve or circle onto a piece of paper.
- Cut the paper along the line you drew.
- Now, you could use the paper as a template or make a sturdier version by gluing the paper to a piece of wood or plywood and cutting the wood along the line.
There are specialized machines for bending wire and tubing.

Method 4

Method 4 of 8:

Making irregular curves

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Specific templates will be required as irregular curves follow multiple circles.
3
Bend the wire according to the template.
- You could freehand the curve if precision is not required and the wire is malleable by hand.

Method 5

Method 5 of 8:

Straightening wire

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3

Straighten short wires with needle nose pliers or lineman pliers. Gently work at the wire in small sections at a time. These handy tools are great if you need to manipulate the shape of wires that are on the thicker side.
4
Straighten thicker and stronger wire on an anvil or similar surface. The hammer needs to be made of a softer material than the wire, otherwise there is a risk of flattening or damaging the wire. Wood or brass is a good choice.
- Start from the end of the wire. The straight starting section will be your baseline for the rest of the wire.
5
Straightening thin and soft aluminium or copper wire is easiest with 2 pieces of wood and a vice.
- Sandwich the wire in between the wood and secure it in the vice, don't apply too much pressure. The straightening is done by pulling the wire through the 2 pieces of wood.
- Another option is securing one end of the wire in a vice and then pulling along the wire with 2 pieces of wood.
6
Straighten thin steel wire by pulling it through a row of nails.
- Start by securing a U shaped arch into a piece of wood. This arch can be made out of a sufficiently strong staple or a nail. The arch should have just enough distance between the wood to allow the wire to pass through underneath it.
- Hammer nails into 2 straight lines with the width of the wire being the distance between the lines.
- Pull the wire through the row of nails.
- Repeat if necessary.

Method 6

Method 6 of 8:

Making nooses

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1
Use pliers with round jaws. The conical jaws will make it possible to make nooses of varying diameter.
- Square pliers can be used to make square nooses.
Cut off the excess with wire cutters , a specialized chisel or a hacksaw.
Make necessary adjustments to the noose.

Method 7

Method 7 of 8:

Making spirals

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1
Use a vice.
- For turning spirals in a vice, a cylindrical metal stick or rod is used. The rod has a slit on one end, matching the thickness of the wire and a lever for turning it on the other end.
- The rod is secured between 2 hardwood blocks with grooves according cut in them according to the grooves.
- The diameter of the rod dictates the diameter of the spiral.
- An alternative method would be to use a threaded rod with a slit and some nuts. The nuts would be turned onto the rod and fastened in the vice. The rod could be turned by turning 2 nuts onto the rod and tightening them against each other, after that the rod could be turned with vice grips, pliers or with a suitable wrench.
- A lathe with a metal or wood cylinder in it could also be used in place of the rod. The wire could be wound onto the cylinder by turning the lathe by hand or at very low RPM. Optionally, the wire could be guided through a stack of 2 pieces of wood to straighten the wire.
2
Turn the rod and wind the wire onto the rod. Adjust the threading density and spacing according to what kind of wire you need.
- This can be difficult if the wire is thick or strong.

Method 8

Method 8 of 8:

Making rings

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Leave enough space over the vice so that you don't cut into it.

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Tips

Keep in mind that metal will harden when deformed, reducing its plasticity. If you bend a piece of wire over and over again, it will eventually snap. This property can be used to cut wire without tools.

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When buying wire for projects, take into account the contents of the alloy. Not all metals have the same properties, for some alloys most of these methods don't work at all.

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Warnings

Be careful while bending the wire by hand as it might hurt your fingers. Make sure to wear proper safety equipment like gloves and protective glasses.

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Things You'll Need

Pliers
Wire
Marker or pencil
A vice
Wood
Nails
Hacksaw

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

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How to Bend Wire

Steps

Making 90 degree bends

Bending wire to specific angles

Making regular curves

Making irregular curves

Straightening wire

Making nooses

Making spirals

Making rings

Expert Q&A

Tips

Warnings

Things You'll Need

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References

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