|
|
|
| |
• Bead Baubles and Jewels - Beading Lesson (408) • |
| |
Making Your Own Wire Rings & Clasps
by Katie Hacker
Sponsored by: Beadalon®
When using colored wire in your wire-wrapped jewelry designs, you might want to make jump rings and clasps that match your wire color. There’s a special tool that makes creating your own jump rings a lot easier. This method ensures that you’ll get even, consistent jump rings.
The mandrels come in different sizes to make coils in a variety of diameters.
To make a coil, insert the wire end into the small hole on the jump ring maker base. Place your finger inside the large hole on the base and turn clockwise while holding the mandrel and wire in your other hand. To turn the coil into jump rings, remove it from the mandrel and use diagonal cutters to clip the rings apart. To make split rings, cut every other ring.
To make your own wire clasp, cut a 6” piece of 20 or 22-gauge wire. Fold the wire in half and use chain nose pliers to press the folded end together. About 3/4” away from the fold, use round nose pliers to make a loop on one wire. Wrap the loop and the other wire together. Use chain nose pliers to bend the doubled wire in half to form a hook. Cut off the extra wire that’s protruding from the loop. Kink the end of the doubled wire to prevent jump rings from sliding off the end too easily.
|
|
|
|
|
