Entry 3: Metal and wire work

Metal and Wire work with Glenda H.

Piano wire ~ £22 (make sure to get plated or music quality; comes in various gauges)
23-24 gauge for wings
cannot solder to itself, you need fuse wire and solder

Take care if soldering with a solder that contains lead

Flux, acid chemical, put onto fuse wire, flux makes fuse flow (say that ten times fast)

when making wings you can attach them by putting a button hole and case in a corset and then sliding the wing base into it.

for 3 denominational wings the base needs to be appropriately shaped, but be careful not to over construct as well.

Can also use wire for

• head dresses
• tiara
• under prop for collar

Ali-flat- for very large crins. To join together needs to be pop riveted

comes in different thicknesses

Brass Shim-thin metal

tin foil is a version of shim 

can use acrylic paint to dim down

Flints- theatrical merchant 

http://www.flints.co.uk/welcome.html

To make a pattern 

1. draw an outline of your actor onto paper
2. Then draw the wing shapes that you want onto the same paper, taking into consideration how they will attach
3. cut pieces of piano wire to appropriate size and straighten and tape to paper
4. attach together with fuse wire
5. heat up fuse wire and piano wire then spread flux (note: 40 watts is ideal for solder iron)
6. apply solder to metal (not to the iron!), you can use the tip of the iron to help it flow