Studio
Chain link jewellery starts with a large coil of wire. All my Jewellery is crafted from solid, non-plated materials.
Sterling Silver
Stainless Steel
Solid Copper
Wire is wound upon a mandrel into coils. Selecting the diameter of these mandrels is very important to properly sized rings!
Stainless Steel Coils
Jump rings are made by cutting along the length of the wire coils. Rings for jewellery making are cut by saw, removing material for a clean finish when closed.
Shiny!
19g 7/32" ID
Time to start weaving!
We will need a pair of pliers in each hand, and a small tray can be helpful. In general, pliers with snort noses and smooth jaws work best for most projects.
Xuron Chisel Nose -Light blue Handles
Speedwox Short Nose- Dark Blue
TRL Armourers Pliers- Short Nose
Parallel Pliers
Rings are opened, woven into pattern, and closed flush.
The right pressure keeps the ring from damage or slipping out.
It can be a pain to go back in a chain and fix a mistake, taking care to maintain the pattern is paramount!
Good closures take practice, and each material is different. Thicker and smaller rings also take more effort to bend.
When the desired length is reached, a clasp and attachment point are added to each end.
Chose a stainless steel fold-over clasp for this project. Also worked in a safety-break point with a singular 18g ring.
Very small chains are micro-welded. This adds strength but more importantly, the chains will still be smooth after years of wear.
Micro TIG/Pulse Arc welding uses electrical energy to create a plasma discharge. The high-temperature plasma, in turn, melts metal in a small spot
A Tungsten electrode delivers and concentrates the energy. A clean, sharp tip is important
Inert shielding gas protects the weld from oxygen contamination
Magnification helps get welds in right place
Into the polisher for a few hours......
Ready to be found by you!
