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Coiling Wire for Jump Rings

by Judy Larson
Jewelry making rarely comes with strict rules, and that's exactly what makes it so creative. In the first part of this four part series, Judy Larson shares a look at different methods and tools for coiling wire into jump rings, along with insights on why certain approaches work better for specific materials. It's a helpful reminder to stay open to new tools, techniques, and safe experimentation at the bench.

The following steps and information for coiling wire to later cut into jump rings gives you an idea of different methods and tools used to make coils and my reasoning for using or not using each.

Jump to Each Lesson in the Jump Ring Series
  • #1 Coiling Wire for Jump Rings
  • #2 Cutting Coil into Jump Rings
  • #3 Opening & Closing Jump Rings
  • #4 Closed Jump Rings Soldering vs Fusing
    • Instructions
    Very seldom are there strict rules in jewelry making. There are many methods to accomplish almost any task.

    New tools are constantly appearing that can change how certain tasks are done. They may or may not make the job easier or faster.

    It pays to keep an open mind and try new things, while always following safety precautions.

    Since I work mostly with Argentium silver and fine silver, my approach may differ from those who use base metals, sterling silver, or gold.

    The following steps for coiling wire to cut into jump rings will show different methods, the tools involved, and my reasoning for using or avoiding each one.
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - , General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, Coiling Wire For Jump Rings
    Purchasing Jump Rings vs. Making Your Own
    When I only needed a few jump rings, I didn't mind buying them. But as I used more, I realized it was time to start making my own. This way, I would always have the size and type I needed to finish a design, while also keeping costs down.

    Cost became the biggest factor once I started exploring chain maille. The difference in expense between using purchased jump rings and handmade ones for dense chains, like Byzantine, was huge.

    Yes, the tools required to make jump rings can add up.

    But they pay for themselves quickly.
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - Purchasing Jump Rings vs. Making Your Own, General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, Purchasing Jump Rings vs. Making Your Own
    Making Coils For Jump Rings
    Some companies list jump rings by outer diameter (OD), while most use inner diameter (ID). It's important to check your tutorial to know which measurement you need when ordering or making jump rings.

    Most chain maille books and tutorials provide the jump ring ID and the quantity needed for a project. Unfortunately, they rarely include how much wire or coil length is required to make that number of rings.

    There are charts online that estimate how many feet of wire will create 100 jump rings at a given ID.

    Search for "feet of wire per 100 jump rings," and you'll find several printable charts to use as a guide.
    Hand Coiling vs. Machine Coiling
    Purchased jump rings are machine-made, so repeat orders will usually be the same size. The only exceptions are when a company changes equipment or suppliers. Even then, the difference is typically so slight that most people won't notice.

    When making your own coils, sizes may vary. This is especially true if you switch between dead soft and full hard wire. Dead soft wire coils tighter, so the interior diameter ends up slightly smaller compared to rings made with full hard wire.

    Wire gauge also affects wrapping. Heavier gauges are harder to coil tightly around a mandrel. Metal type matters as well: copper is softer than sterling silver, and fine silver is softer than both sterling and Argentium, making them easier to wrap tightly.

    Hand-coiled wire (featured image) is usually less tight and less uniform. This happens because it's wrapped by hand instead of a tool.
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - Hand Coiling vs. Machine Coiling, General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, Hand coiled wire
    Machine-coiled wire (featured image) is more consistent. A drill or other coiling tool keeps the tension even, resulting in tighter, uniform coils.
    Pro Tip: Coils for jump rings made when your hands are tired towards afternoon are generally a bit looser on mandrels than if made earlier in the day.
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - , General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, jumps rings on drill or other coiling tool
    Wire coiled on mandrel pliers (featured image) is also more precise. The mandrel provides stability, so the rings come out cleaner and more consistent than hand-coiling.
    Pro Tip: Even when wire is labeled dead soft, some artists will anneal it to make it easier to wrap tightly around a mandrel.
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - , General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, wire coiled on mandrel pliers
    Mandrels For Coiling Wire
    A wide variety of items can be wrapped with wire to make coils. Knitting needles, plastic or metal tubing, multi-step round pliers, Wubbers mandrel pliers (round, oval, square, and triangle in different sizes), 3- or 6-step barrel pliers, purchased mandrels, pens, pencils, dowels, and even lipstick tubes can all be used.

    If it's round, you can probably wrap it.

    Since most tutorials list jump rings in millimeter interior diameters, I prefer metric mandrels. I own a set of standard US mandrels but rarely use them.

    When I need jump rings for a specific project, or to replenish my stash, I pull out the mandrels and drill.
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - Mandrels For Coiling Wire, General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, A myriad of items can be wrapped with wire to make coils
    When exact sizes aren't a concern, or only a few jump rings are needed, Wrap-N-Tap pliers are an excellent option.

    Even when the wire is held tightly, the tool won't damage the metal thanks to the soft plastic tube on the opposing jaw.
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - , General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, mandrels for coiling wire
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - , General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, Mandrels For Coiling Wire
    It is difficult to achieve uniform-sized rings when hand coiling, especially with larger rings.
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - , General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, Mandrels For Coiling Wire
    Wrapping heavier gauge wire, such as square wire, is also challenging. Even with a tool, it can be hard to coil the wire tightly and neatly.
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - , General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, mandrel's for coiling wire
    Coiling With A Drill
    Set the drill to twist counter-clockwise. Insert a mandrel into the drill and tighten the chuck.

    Insert a wire length (or work from the coil) between the jaws of the tightened chuck. If the wire is thin, it can sometimes be inserted between the mandrel and the jaw before tightening.
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - Coiling With A Drill, General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, insert mandrel into the drill
    Pull the wire toward you.
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - , General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, pull wire towards you
    Gently pull the trigger to slowly turn the mandrel and wrap the wire around it. After several turns, you can increase the speed. Hold the wire so the wraps stay snug against one another.
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - , General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, turn mandrel and wrap the wire around it
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - , General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, turn mandrel and wrap the wire around it
    I wear a leather glove so I can coil with the drill to the end of the wire without worrying about cutting my thumb with the wire tail.
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - , General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, leather glove coiling with the drill
    If you are not wearing a protective glove, use soft jaw pliers to finish off the wire end.
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - , General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, use soft jaw pliers to finish off the wire end
    Remove the coil from the mandrel on the drill. There will be a wire tail that can be trimmed off.
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - , General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, remove coil from the mandrel
    Another option, especially with precious metal wire, is to straighten the wire tail and bend it around the mandrel. This might give you just enough length to cut one more jump ring from the coil.
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - , General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, straighten the wire tail and bend it around the mandrel
    Coiling With A Specialty Plier
    Many drills cannot hold larger mandrels. This is where specialty pliers become especially useful.

    When coiling wire on a specialty plier, always start from the outer end of the jaw and work inward. This keeps the coils more consistent in size and prevents you from having to stop when you reach the end of the jaw.
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - Coiling With A Specialty Plier, General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, Coiling With A Specialty Plier
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - Coiling With A Specialty Plier, General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, coiling with a specialty plier
    Keep a variety of short lengths of plastic tubing on hand to slide on the plier jaw opposite the coiling side to help prevent marring the wire.
    Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - , General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, different lengths of plastic tubing
    Jump to Each Lesson in the Jump Ring Series
  • #1 Coiling Wire for Jump Rings
  • #2 Cutting Coil into Jump Rings
  • #3 Opening & Closing Jump Rings
  • #4 Closed Jump Rings Soldering vs Fusing
    • Judy Larson's Coiling Wire for Jump Rings - , General Education, Jump Rings, Jump Ring, Making Jump Rings, close up of jump ring between two pliers

    Materials

    Wire - Wide variety of gauges, tempers and metals
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    Tools

    20 X 15 Inch Padded Work Mat
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    5 1/2 Inch Nylon Flat Jaw Pliers with Replacement Jaws
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    Lindstrom Multi-Purpose Shear, 5-3/4 Inches
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    Basic Sawing Kit
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    Optional Tools
    The Quad Jump Ring Former
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    • Category: General Education
    • Technique(s): Making Jump Rings

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