Mixed Metal Sampler Bracelet 3

by Judy Larson

Category: Metalwork
Technique(s): Filing / Finishing, Hole Punching, Texturing, Butane Torch Techniques, Design
Skill Level: Beginner

This is part 2 of making the bracelet links for the Mixed Metal Sampler Bracelet. If you haven't done part 1, go back and start there.

Materials

18 Gauge Half Round Half Hard Copper Wire

H11-18HRH

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
Price: $0.63
Gold Club Price: $0.47

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16 Gauge Round Half Hard Copper Wire

H11-16H

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
Price: $1.26
Gold Club Price: $0.94

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Tools

Deluxe Soldering Kit

G15-5

G15-5
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $116.97
Gold Club Price: $87.73

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3rd Hand Clamp with 4.5 Inch Tweezer

SOL-524.00

SOL-524.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $16.90
Gold Club Price: $12.68

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6 Inch Precision Diamond Hobby Tweezers

G10-25

G10-25
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $4.57
Gold Club Price: $3.43

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Copper Solder Paste, 1/2 ozt, Soft

SOL-824.10

SOL-824.10
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $9.95
Gold Club Price: $7.46

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7 Piece Mini TruStrike Hammer Set with Stand

HAM-520.70

HAM-520.70
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $140.54
Gold Club Price: $105.40

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Euro Tool Metal Hole Punch Pliers, 1.8 Millimeters

PLR-133.50

PLR-133.50
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $11.98
Gold Club Price: $8.98

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Steel Bench Block 4x4 Inch - Pack of 1

G17-10

G17-10
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $21.95
Gold Club Price: $16.46

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5/8 Inch Double Rubber/Nylon Head Hammer - Pack of 1

G3-26

G3-26
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $4.97
Gold Club Price: $3.73

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Multi Angle Cutting Jig

VIS-512.00

VIS-512.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $84.95
Gold Club Price: $63.71

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Soldering Tripod

SOL-730.00

SOL-730.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $13.95
Gold Club Price: $10.46

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Instructions

Step 1:

PREPARING THE BRACELET LINK PIECES-Part 2

Each of these bracelets will be a reflection of you. Use letter stamps of your initials as a Makers' Mark on the back of at least one link for each bracelet. Consider stamping the back of all the toggles to make sure your Makers Mark will be on very bracelet.

Step 2

It is not necessary to clean up the link edges until each link is finished. However, since the surface needs to be clean to have a good solder join between the link and embellishments, lightly sand both front and back of each link and washer. After brushing off the sanding dust, wipe the side to be soldered with an alcohol pad to remove oils. Try not to touch the surface after that.

Step 3

Hold a 20 gauge 2mm ID jump ring with a pair of #3 tweezers. Place a small amount of past solder inside the jump ring. Place the jump ring down onto a corner of a textured link. Repeat for all corners. Repeat for all links in all the sizes.

Step 4

To make a basic copper "O" ring link, place small dots of paste solder around one side of a copper washer. Center the washer over the hole in the "O" ring toggle link, solder side down. Add jump rings on the two corners in the same manner as for the plain links. Repeat for all the toggle "O" ring sections.

Several of the bracelet designs use brass washers instead of copper so you may wish to wait to attach a washer during bracelet construction. Many different design options will work with this toggle shape.

Step 5

One-inch-long T-bars can be made with one or two layers. They can be stamped or hammered. The design possibilities are endless. Even heavier narrow base metal pattern wire can be used as a decorative T-bar.

Place the solder on the wider base piece and add the decorative elements on top. When adding extra decorative pieces, it may be easier to make them too long, solder them in place, and cut the excess off afterwards.

For single layer metal strip T-bars, use a Mini TruStrike Designer/Texture Hammer to texture the edges of the strip. For the basic two-layer T-bar, use a Mini TruStrike Sharp Texture Hammer to texture an 1/8" wide added metal strip after it is soldered on. After making a T-bar base, round the ends and file and refine so there are no sharp edges.

Several of the bracelet designs have unique T-bar designs so you may wish to wait to attach embellishments during bracelet construction.

Step 6

Place all the pieces on a firing surface. There will be soldering smoke, so take proper precautions. At the very least, wear a mask, set up solder fume extractor, and have a fire extinguisher handy. Use a torch head on a butane canister for soldering. Heat around the outside of one piece at a time until you see a flash of silver when the solder flows. Immediately remove the heat and move to the next piece. Continue until all are done. Wait for the pieces to cool naturally before moving on to another set of links.

Step 7

Pickle, rinse, and dry all the links. Note: Since these pieces are all copper, it is not necessary to use super pickle for this step.

Step 8

Use a soft steel or brass brush to burnish both sides of each of the pieces. If a jump ring pops off, resolder it onto the link, pickle, rinse and dry the link as before.

Step 9

The links are most likely no longer as flat as they could be. Check how flat each is by placing the link on a bench block. Press the link into the block with your fingers. Use soft jaw pliers to flatten each piece further, if needed.

Step 10

Punch a hole inside each of the jump rings using a 1.8mm hole punch. Save all those little punches. Place them right side up on a bench block and lightly hammer each a few times. They make great embellishments on the bracelets. And bonus, most of them have solder on the back of them from solder flowing inside the jump ring. Most of them could attach during the next soldering without the use of more solder.

Step 11

Make sure all the pieces for each bracelet are separated in resealable plastic bags. Remember, there is one set of links that will be missing a toggle section. Those links can be used to replace "goofs", make extra links of a particular design, or to add your own designs to.

Step 12

Place the "O" ring toggle link on a bench block. Dividing the washer into fosur quadrants with an ultra fine point retractable Sharpie makes it easier to use the Mini TruStrike Sharp Designer Hammer to hammer even lines that radiating out from center.

Step 13:

How to Finish a Basic T-bar:

Using 18 gauge or 16 gauge copper wire to bend "U" shapes on the smallest step of a 6-step plier, which is approximately 2.5mm in diameter. Don't worry about the length. Copper is cheap so cutting off a bit later is no problem. Use an ultra fine point retractable Sharpie to mark each 3/16" long.

Step 14

Place a "U" shape in the 90-degree section of the miter jig and vise making sure the marked lines just barely show. Tighten the jig to hold the "U" in place. Use a flush cutter to trim off the excess wire. Use a file to flatten the cut wire ends

Step 15

After the front of the T-bar has been embellished, the loop can be added. All the T-bars have a loop attached to the back in the same manner.

Use a regular Sharpie to mark the center of the back of the T-bar. Place the loop next to the bar and mark the bar outside where the loop will sit. For some reason, the copper solder does not like to flow over Sharpie marker-it will but it doesn't like to.

Push the embellished front of the T-bar down into a magnesia soldering block to hold it level. Place a small amount of paste solder on either side of the center line. Heat around the outside of the T-bar until the solder flows. Immediately remove the heat. Allow the T-bar to cool on the soldering block.

Step 16

Use the third hand tweezers to hold the loop in place, centered on the flowed solder on the back of the T-bar. Heat around the T-bar, avoiding the loop, until the solder flows up and around the cut ends of the loop. Allow to cool a bit before removing the tweezers of the third hand.

Step 17

Pickle, rinse, and dry all the T-bars. Any T-bars constructed using mixed metals should be pickled in super pickle.

Step 18

Use a soft steel or brass brush to burnish the T-bars.

Reviews

Judy Larson

My philosophy has always been "I will never live long enough to learn everything I want to learn, go everywhere I want to go and see everything I want to see!" So, what I make and how I create it is always changing and evolving. I was born shortly after WWII to parents who grew up during the Depression. They always had a "we can do it, we can make it" attitude which rubbed off on my two younger brothers and me. My brothers are amazing and can make and do ANYTHING! When I was a little girl, my mother gave me an old carved cigar box, which I cherish, filled with pop beads, wooden beads and yarn for stringing. That was the beginning of my jewelry making journey.

On a visit to the Grand Canyon when I was a young woman, I was fortunate enough to help a Native American silversmith sand cast my first silver bracelet and bezel set a large turquoise nugget on top. I was in love, hook, line and sinker! While working full time and having a family here in northern Minnesota, my artistic endeavors slowed down but never stopped. I am an artist, scrapbooker, seamstress, woodworker and jewelry artisan. Now that I am retired, I am able to indulge in all my hobbies. However, there just never seems to be enough time in the day to do it all, but I try!

I have been teaching community education beginner and intermediate jewelry making classes since my retirement. Many of my students have been bitten so hard by the jewelry making bug that they say I have turned them into monsters-they just can't get enough. Making jewelry, seeing something take shape from small bits and pieces, is so rewarding that I hope it brings out the "monster" in you, too!