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Buying Jump Rings Part 2: Avoiding the Pitfalls

By on July 22, 2016
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by Judy Ellis, Wirejewelry.com

Wire Jewelry Article for July 22nd, 2016

Buying Jump Rings Part 2: Avoiding the Pitfalls

by Marilyn Gardiner

Today we continue with Part 2 of Marilyn’s Series - Buying Jump Rings: Avoiding the Pitfalls

Marilyn Says:

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The Next Question:

I want to find a tutorial for a new project and buy the rings in bright aluminum.

The Tutorial:

I’ve searched around, and I see a pattern for the Barrel Weave: CLICK HERE to see the pattern. (courtesy of M.A.I.L)

The tutorial gives the AR but not the ring size or gauge. I do know I need SWG for the aluminum rings. (The tutorial does say that the size for Barrel is the same as for Byzantine. )

The Math:

  • The tutorials tells me that the AR=3.5
  • Now I need to decide how delicate/heavy I want the rings to be. I think I’d like 18 SWG, just like that first Byzantine Bracelet I made.
  • Looking in the charts I see that gauge measures WD=1.22 mm.
  • We also know that AR = 1D/WD
  • So therefore, ID = AR x WD
  • ID = 3.5 x 1.22 = 4.27 mm
Outer Diameter and Inner Diameter

Outer Diameter and Inner Diameter

The final task is to find out what this means in inches…

  • I look at the Conversion Chart: CLICK HERE
  • Scan down the mm column looking for 4.27
  • Aha! I see that the closest sizes are 5/32 and 11/64.

A Source for the Aluminum Rings:

I wonder if they sell rings that size? I check on a popular website HERE or HERE and find that the closest ring size in 18 gauge SWG with an AR=3.5 is 5/32—and the notes say that this is the size for Byzantine. Perfect!

P.S. Surprise! Go back now and check the ring size I used for my first Byzantine Bracelet.

I hope that you have enjoyed this 2 Part Article from Marilyn. If you haven’t had a chance to read Part 1 – CLICK HERE! For read more of Marilyn’s posts – CLICK HERE!

Happy Wrapping!

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