Welcome into our element workshop where we meet Stephen Smee and Kanthal material expert, Torbjörn Frankén who walk us through everything you need to know about forming wires: How to form a 9.5 Kanthal® APM wire element, what to think about when forming a coiled heating element, and how to know the difference between Kanthal® (FeCrAl) and Nikrothal® (NiCr). Put short: DIY forming by the experts!

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Key takeaways:

Nichrome alloys form even easier than FeCrAl alloys.

No preheating is required but be sure to bring them both into room temperature one day before forming.

Check with a magnet if the wire is a FeCrAl.

Wire spinning can be dangerous once the end leaves the feeder. Take precautions!