Wire
In order that a wire may be drawn, it is necessary that the metal should be ductile. Gold, silver, steel, iron, copper, and their several compounds have this property. Iron is prepared by heating the rods and re-rolling down to a size suitable for the draw-plate, consisting of an oblong piece of hard steel pierced with conical holes, progressively smaller and smaller. the pointed end of the metal, being passed through one of them, is forcibly withdrawn by strong pincers, or by means of a reel which contains the wire to be drawn, from which it is forcibly unwound by a conical drum having a hook to receive the previously reduced end of the wire after it has been passed through the draw-plate. The drum is made to revolve by suitable machinery. For some very fine and accurate purposes jewelled holes are prepared in the plates consisting of rubies and similar hard stones. See TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE WIRE.