Wirebending 101

[RetainerDesigner]

Hello all!
Long time no chat! I apologize for not being here much but the business and 2 young boys was taking all my time. I know, no excuses!

Anyway I need your guys' input.
I have been asked to teach a Wire-bending 101 course by my State's laboratory association at their upcoming conference and expo. (DLAT.org for more info)
What I will be teaching is basic wirebending techniques from the begining, starting with how you hold the pliers, how to bend the wires over the pliers and so forth. but I will offer more one on one teaching if anyone more advanced shows up.

The following is kinda what I was thinking to cover considering I wont be able to teach someone how to bend a labial bow in the 3 hours allotted to me. (if there is someone that can learn to bend a libial bow in 3 hrs I will hire them right there on the spot!

How to hold the pliers
How to hold the wires in the pliers
how to bend the wire around the pliers
how to bend the pliers around the wire.
how to bend a 90 degree bend
how to bend a loop

supplies:
beaks (139) serrated or non-serated?
three prong lab pliers
other pliers for demonstration purposes
.030 wire for actual wire bending
other wire sizes for demonstration purposes
wire bending worksheets ( where they have to bend a wire to the predrawn lines on a paper while keeping it flat


Any other things you guys can think about?

I will also send them home with videos of me bending a labial bow and other clasps. plus worksheets and other information. so that they can practice more at home.
I have also started a podcast where I will dedicate the next few episodes to wirebending so they can continue to practice till they can prefect the labial bow and simple clasps. I will also show them where to purchase books and videos for more education. and of cousrse direct them to this wonderful site and you wonderful people.

BTW, Pricsilla from JBC and Company will be in the class to help teach!
She will also be giving a presentation awerign questions about the ortho lab business! more info : DLAT Home Page
What do you guys think?
Plier choices?
Wire size choices?
How did you guys learn yourselves?

Thank You in advance!

 

[rkm rdt]

How did you guys learn yourselves?



Paper clips and bandaids.

 

[AJEL]

Have them bring with a blue,red & black sharpie & #1 pencil, PM me your address I have 30lb of dead soft practice wire in 12" stick form.
Be known I am removable not ortho, but in the 70's I did a lot of ortho adams, arrow,ball, coffin hangers, hawley, with dead soft & markers & can teach the theory and have them do it in less than 2 hrs. When they get live wire it is another concern.
I asked an oldtimer at Standard lab Andy Black in 69 to show me. The way I learned hawley was mark where U want the wire with ##1 pencil, then use bird beak & Adnerson or Waldron to hold the wire & bend with finger (Andy thought the 3 prong contribute to wire breakage) mark bend hold mark bend until U get to the 90 coffin bend up over interproximal then move lingual with a tear retention loop, U bend as U go & never go back it messes up anything U have done, & follow the #1 pencil mark. Or U could just show them how to use one of those pre=made thingies.

 

[JohnWilson]

Have them bring with a blue,red & black sharpie & #1 pencil, PM me your address I have 30lb of dead soft practice wire in 12" stick form.
Be known I am removable not ortho, but in the 70's I did a lot of ortho adams, arrow,ball, coffin hangers, hawley, with dead soft & markers & can teach the theory and have them do it in less than 2 hrs. When they get live wire it is another concern.
I asked an oldtimer at Standard lab Andy Black in 69 to show me. The way I learned hawley was mark where U want the wire with ##1 pencil, then use bird beak & Adnerson or Waldron to hold the wire & bend with finger (Andy thought the 3 prong contribute to wire breakage) mark bend hold mark bend until U get to the 90 coffin bend up over interproximal then move lingual with a tear retention loop, U bend as U go & never go back it messes up anything U have done, & follow the #1 pencil mark. Or U could just show them how to use one of those pre=made thingies.

Totally agree with this statement, I have had several different quality of 3 prongs over the years and everyone cause stress needlessly on wire. The ones from great lakes are the best!

I am glad they make them because god knows I have had my share of repairs that come back to the lab from clients that think they know how to use a pair of these pliers.

 

[RetainerDesigner]

Have them bring with a blue,red & black sharpie & #1 pencil, PM me your address I have 30lb of dead soft practice wire in 12" stick form.
Be known I am removable not ortho, but in the 70's I did a lot of ortho adams, arrow,ball, coffin hangers, hawley, with dead soft & markers & can teach the theory and have them do it in less than 2 hrs. When they get live wire it is another concern.
I asked an oldtimer at Standard lab Andy Black in 69 to show me. The way I learned hawley was mark where U want the wire with ##1 pencil, then use bird beak & Adnerson or Waldron to hold the wire & bend with finger (Andy thought the 3 prong contribute to wire breakage) mark bend hold mark bend until U get to the 90 coffin bend up over interproximal then move lingual with a tear retention loop, U bend as U go & never go back it messes up anything U have done, & follow the #1 pencil mark. Or U could just show them how to use one of those pre=made thingies.

I wish I would have started this thread this sooner, the dead soft wire is a great idea! I was going to start the class with learning how to make a 90 degree bend using the ortho wire, and how you have to over-bend the wire to get the angle you want because the memory or springiness of the ortho wire. But the ones who come that are past that point and want to learn how to make the labial bow; the dead soft wire would be a great place to start!
You also remind me that I need to bring pencils! and felt tip pens (its what I use to mark the wire) Thank You for your input!
P.S. What is a coffin bend?

 

[RetainerDesigner]

Totally agree with this statement, I have had several different quality of 3 prongs over the years and everyone cause stress needlessly on wire. The ones from great lakes are the best!

I am glad they make them because god knows I have had my share of repairs that come back to the lab from clients that think they know how to use a pair of these pliers.

Yes you have to be careful with he 3 prongs! My great lakes ones have a wonderful groove in them that makes smooth bends.One time I noticed that I was getting a lot of wire breakage on the top of the hawley (wilson) loop. I was thinking I had bad wire, or I had rough three prongs. Then I realized all the breakages were all coming from the same office! I had to call them and tell them to sand the rough edges off all their 3 prongs. and that solved it!

 

[AJEL]

Question of a coffin spring, I think they use RPE much more accurate, It was a strong spring that when I took the course had to be done smoothly a kink made it weak, & no heat tempering. Think of a reverse quad helix only removable using adams & acrylic on the lingual of the posteriors.

 

[Belladente]

Hi there

This is my first post on a forum ever!!! so here we go

I teach at an international training college in Perth Australia. We print several geometric shapes on an A4 sized paper( about six shapes arrow, + sign ,lightning bolt, square, tri-angle etc) and get the students to practice bending those shapes exactly. When they place the wire on the paper their shape should be passive !!!!!
Once they have mastered this we then have a map outline of Australia with very sharp bends and corners which they then have to bens the wire to, also passive.
We use a 0.6 mm welding wire (cheap and readily available at hardware stores) we have half round, adams and three prong pliers available to the students.
We found this is a very good way to get their dexterity up.

Hope you find this helpfull.

Happy easter every body.