: What gauge wire should I use for stitching and how long should the individual
: pieces be.

The instructions I've read call for 18 gauge copper wire. I searched high an d low in tbe electrical departments in hardware stores and never could find bare wire in that size. I finally found some small rolls of copper and aluminum wire in 18 gauge in a Sears Hardware store, not in the elctrical dept, but in the area with glues, rope, strings, picture-frame hangers and such. I think a 100 foot roll of either was under $1.25.

While I was looking for that, I found some really BIG electrical cables ( size 0 or 00 gauge) which are used for feeding electricity into a house. These are made up of lots of thinner wires. I bought a 6 foot length at about 80 cents a foot. Once I slice off the single layer of insulation I can just untwist all the strands and cut off whatever lengths I need.

The reason I've heard for copper is that it cuts easier should you hit a piece with a plane. (Don't ask me why you would use a plane without being sure you had pulled all the wires. I don't understand this.) Seems the same should apply for aluminum wire. The ultimate in "easy to cut" though would be to use cable ties. Soem people have used them, and they seem to be happy with their choice. There are thin ones in 5 to 8 inch lengths which should be ideal. You could probably get along with a handful of long ones, and a lot of 4 to 5 inch ones. Last time I bought small cable ties they were about 3 cents each -- a pack of 100 for about $3, but I've seen better prices since. Since they tighten without twisting they retain their strength, and you can use the ratcheting action of the cable ties to help pull things together. Backing them off is a bit more difficult, though. I think most people would just cut them and replace with another fresh cable tie that is looser.

Get your wire or cable ties first before you drill any holes. Drill as small a hole as you can get away with. You want it just a bit larger than the wire or cable tie.

Good luck with your project.

PGJ