I'd add my vote for the Harbor Freight roller. I bought one a couple
of years ago, and it works as advertised for soft metals. You still
have to be able to turn the crank, but you won't get the percussion
effects that you got from hammering.
I could flatten about one foot of 14 ga copper wire into a ribbon
about 6 feet long and less than 1/4" wide and maybe 0.005" thick in 3
passes within about 2 minutes. In blacksmithing, we would call this
"fullering" since we lengthen the work, but don't widen it much. If you
want move the metal equally in all directions, this isn't for you.
The tool costs about $190 new and comes with 3 or 4 embossing dies
which may be of interest to you.

Pete Stanaitis
---------------------------

rolfsing wrote:
I've been making simple stuff for years, hammering away at 16-20 guage
silver wire. I've got a neck injury now and every time I pick up the
hammer, I set myself back about 2 months in my healing. I hate to give
up my jewelry making - any ideas about how I could flatten wire
without using a hammer? Are there any hand cranked tools or electric
flatteners that aren't for industrial use?
thanks in advance... !