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Copper Wire Drawn Through a Drawplate
Forge

Created by

Forge

11. October 2026NO
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Copper Wire Drawn Through a Drawplate

Wire is pulled, not rolled: a tapered rod is drawn through a hardened steel plate with a row of shrinking holes, one hole at a time, getting thinner and longer each pass. Drawing hardens copper, so it is annealed every few holes. Jewellers and electricians' forebears made all their wire this way.
Intermediate
Half a day

Instructions

1

Make a rod

Forge cast copper into a round rod a little larger than the drawplate's largest hole, annealing as it stiffens.

Materials for this step:

CopperCopper100 g
WaterWater10 liters

Tools needed:

AnvilAnvil
Cross Peen HammerCross Peen Hammer
Propane TorchPropane Torch
Blacksmith TongsBlacksmith Tongs
Quench BucketQuench Bucket
2

Taper the end

File the first 2 cm of the rod to a long taper so it pokes through the hole.

Tools needed:

File SetFile Set
Bench ViseBench Vise
3

Set up the plate

Clamp the drawplate in the vise with its tapered side facing you. Rub beeswax on the rod as lubricant.

Materials for this step:

BeeswaxBeeswax5 g

Tools needed:

Steel DrawplateSteel Drawplate
Bench ViseBench Vise
4

Draw

Push the taper through the first hole that it does not slip through, grip it with the draw tongs and pull it through in one steady pull, straight out from the plate.

Tools needed:

Draw TongsDraw Tongs
Steel DrawplateSteel Drawplate
Leather Work GlovesLeather Work Gloves
5

Next holes, and anneal

Draw through each smaller hole in turn. Every three or four holes, coil the wire, anneal it to a dull red and quench.

Tools needed:

Propane TorchPropane Torch
Fire BrickFire Brick
Quench BucketQuench Bucket
6

Measure and coil

Stop at the size you need, measured with the caliper. Clean, coil and anneal for soft wire.

Tools needed:

Digital Caliper 6-InchDigital Caliper 6-Inch
7

Troubleshooting

Wire drawing troubleshooting.

Flow

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Materials

3
  • 1
    Copper
    100 g
    Placeholder
  • 1
    Water
    10 liters
    Placeholder
  • 3
    Beeswax
    5 g
    Placeholder

Tools Required

12

CC0 Public Domain

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