Technorati Tags: Make Jewelry, Make Necklaces

Technorati Tags: Make Jewelry, Make Rings

Technorati Tags: Make Jewelry

Coils of wire can be made on mandrels of various sizes and shapes. The simplest is the coil of round rings made of round wire. There are many uses for the coil. When sawed into rings it may be made into a chain. By pulling the wire on both ends to stretch the coil, an open wavy coil results, which may be curved or bent to follow a line for decoration. The open coil may also be flattened into a decorative band of overlapping rings. A cone shaped coil can be made on a round pointed mandrel (knitting needle). These may be used for pendants to give movement and interest to a design and are sometimes used as a fringe for an edge.

The jig

Select a round steel mandrel the diameter of the coil de¬sired. Place between two blocks of soft wood parallel with the grain of the wood.  Press the blocks between the jaws of the table vise to form a groove in each block. Remove the mandrel from the blocks, and file a groove at a right angle to the groove made by the mandrel.

Coiling the wire

Place the mandrel between the blocks in the groove letting the end extend beyond the blocks about 1/2 inch. Hold the blocks in the jaws of the table vise tight enough to hold the blocks but loose enough so the mandrel will turn and move out of the groove as the wire is coiled. Make a few coils on the end of the mandrel.   Clamp the mandrel and coils in the jaws of the hand vise. Hold the loose end of the wire in the filed groove during the coiling process to guide the wire and to keep the coil even. Use the hand vise as a handle to turn the mandrel to form the coil.

The blocks holding the mandrel are held in the bench vise. The protruding end of the mandrel is held in the hand vise, and the coil is formed by turning the hand vise. The wire is held taut and is guided by the left hand.

Round Wire Coils

Technorati Tags: jewelry coils, jewelry wire, make coils, Make Jewelry, round wire coils

Often a design calls for a twist of given length, sometimes a tight or loose twist. To determine the length to cut the wire is important. The gauge of the wire as well as the number of twists the wire is given will determine the length of the finished piece.
When round wire is used, two or more lengths are necessary for the twist. A rope-like effect may be obtained by twisting a single length of flat or square wire. All wire should be annealed.

Twisting wire 18 gauge or lighter

Measure the amount needed for the twist. Loop the wire length in the center, and insert the two loose ends through the hole in the spool. Hold the ends in the jaws of a table vise. Insert a small steel rod through the loop of wire, and pull the wire taut. Hold the spool firmly against the rod. Turn the rod to twist the wire.

Twisting wire 16 gauge or heavier

Hold the looped end of the wire in the jaws of the hand vise. Clamp the loose end in the jaws of the table vise. Turn the hand vise to twist the wire.

To determine the length

In cutting the wire for a definite length of finished twist, the following examples have been given of two round wires of different gauges and lengths.

18 gauge, 26 inches, twisted 50 times, gives 11 1/8, inches
18 gauge, 26 inches, twisted 75 times, gives 9 5/8 inches
18 gauge, 14 inches, twisted 50 times, gives 5 1/4 inches
20 gauge, 14 inches, twisted 50 times, gives 4.7/8^ inches

Twisting fine wire

Twisting heavier wire. The wire is annealed. It is held taut while being twisted but will break if it is twisted too tightly.

Technorati Tags: jewelry wire, Make Jewelry, wire jewelry, wire twisting

A flat coiled unit is usually made of round wire. It may be the foundation of an article and is often used for decoration, either as a single unit or several combined to make a pattern.

The wire ends of the unit may be turned under at right angles to form staples so that it can be used as a decorative stud on leather or fabric. The unit may hang as a pendant or several may be linked together to form a chain.

The jig
14 gauge or heavier metal sheet. Saw a 1 inch disk or larger. Drill a hole in the center of the disk the size of the mandrel which determines the size hole in the center of the coil. File a notch in the edge of the hole the size of the wire to be used for the coil.

Coiling wire 18 gauge or lighter

Cut a wire length, and insert the end and mandrel 1/2 inch through the hole in the disk, and the wire in the notch. Bend the annealed wire around the mandrel, and hold both the wire and the mandrel in the jaws of the hand vise.  Wind the wire to make the coil by turning the vise. Keep the coil flat with the thumb of the left hand while coiling.   Each ring must touch the ring just made and lie flat on the disk. Place the hand vise in the jaws of the table vise.   Insert the end of the mandrel in the hole of the setting tool. Tap the end of the setting tool to flatten the coil.   Repeat this operation often to keep the coil flat.

Coiling wire 16 gauge or heavier

Insert the wire end and mandrel through the hole in the disk.   Hold as described above. Place a hand vise in the jaws of the table vise. Hold the loose end of the wire in the right hand, and wind on the disk.

The setting tool

Saw a short length of hard wood rod (a broom handle). File one end smooth and flat and finish with sandpaper. Drill a hole in the center larger in diameter than the man¬drel and deeper than the length of the mandrel.

Technorati Tags: coiling wire jewelry, Make Jewelry

Wire may form the foundation of a piece of jewelry, or it may be applied as a decoration. It is often twisted to add lightness to a design, and can easily be formed into coils or line units of decoration for flat or curved surfaces. Twists and coils of wire can be made of round, half round, or square wire.

Keep the 14 gauge or heavier wire in coils. Wire of a lighter gauge may be wound on spools. If kinks occur in the lighter gauge wire they can be removed by holding the wire ends firmly and the length taut while drawing it over the edge of a wooden bench, or block of wood.

THE JIG

Many of the wire units, coils, and twists shown in this book were made on jigs. The word “jig” is a mechanics’ term given to a device which is used to guide a tool or a material. A jig makes the forming of an article easier during construction and makes the finished pieces mechanically more perfect. When a design re¬quires duplication of parts, a jig is often used. The one shown here was made on a block of wood with nails spaced and ham¬mered into the wood, the nail heads sawed off, and the ends made smooth so the wire units may be formed and removed easily.

Wire unit made on a jig and some of the ways it can be used

Ends turned under to make slides for belts

Drops for necklaces

Visit our other posts to learn more on how to make jewelry.

Technorati Tags: jewelry wire work, make jewelery, wire work

Following are the basic processes for all jewelry making.

Cleaning and filing keep the metal in condition for sawing and soldering which are construction processes, and for wire working which is a decorative process. Polishing and lacquering are finishing processes which bring out the technique of construction, and if well done, enhance the beauty of the article.

Sawing

Sawing with a jeweler’s saw blade set in a jeweler’s saw frame is used for metals which are too heavy in gauge or too intricate in pattern to be cut with shears. This type of saw can be used for straight, curved or angular lines which often form the outline and shape of the design. The saw blade comes in several different sizes. The coarsest used in this book is # I and the finest #0.

The thickness of the metal must be greater than the distance between the teeth of the blade to prevent the metal from becoming wedged between the teeth, and the saws from bending and breaking.   For example, saw 18 gauge metal with a # 1 saw blade.

Transferring the pattern to the metal

Transfer the traced pattern with carbon paper and a hard pencil.  Scratch the traced design into the metal.  Wipe the metal with a damp cloth to remove the carbon lines. 

Setting the blade in the frame

The worker should be directly in front of the V in the bench pin with the shoulder about 3 inches above the bench top.  With the frame in a horizontal position, place the upper arm of the frame in the V of the bench pin. Hold and press the handle against the body and clamp one end of the blade in the lower jaw. Press the frame, clamp the loose end in the upper jaw. Release the pressure. The blade must be taut.

Sawing the pattern

The right arm holding the saw frame vertically should be directly in front of the bench pin. Use the full length of the blade when sawing straight or curved lines.   For angles use the center of the blade with short strokes in one place to make a space in which to turn the blade.

Place the blade in the lower jaw, teeth pointing down toward the handle and away from the frame. Press the arms of the frame toward each other while inserting the blade in the upper jaw.

Saw with a vertical stroke, the blade always perpendicular to the metal.
 
Check out our other posts for more information on jewelry making processes.

Technorati Tags: jewelry making, Make Jewelry

Filing is used to smooth rough edges, to level irregular surfaces and remove excess solder. The files most commonly used for jewelry work are needle files which come in a variety of shapes designed for various contours and angles. Large files from four to six inches in length come with a tang to be fitted into a wooden handle.

These files are used for larger areas or when a greater amount of metal has to be filed away. They can also be used for finishing an edge as they come in both coarse and smooth cut. It is good to have an assortment. Only a few are shown.

Clean the metal with pumice powder.

Place the metal on a steel surface plate.

Tap with a mallet to straighten.

Rub the file lightly with chalk; this helps to keep the teeth from becoming filled with metal filings. Hold the metal firmly. Put the pressure on the forward stroke, remove the pressure on the back stroke to keep the cutting edge of the teeth from becoming dull.

Clean the file at intervals. Remove the burr on the filed edge with a scraper or coarse emery cloth.

Check out our other posts to learn more about filing jewelry and how to make jewelry.

Click here to Start your own Jewelry Booth

Technorati Tags: file, filing, filing jewelry, Make Jewelry, making jewelry