little rings.

[medusa]

I've been asked to make a kind of bail to fit onto a 10mm diameter collar. They want it to be like a sliding tube with a degree of weight to it, so I thought I'd try using some 1.7 x 5mm rectangular wire. I have made simple rings in the past and generally just get the circumference cut, solder the ends together and then form on a mandrel, but I'm having problems getting the two ends to meet up properly because of the small size. Is there a better way of approaching this? I could buy a length of tube with a 12mm interior diameter, but I'm not sure that will give the hefty feel they are after. any suggestions?

[Goldsmith]

How about a coil of round wire. 1.5mm. round wire wound around a 10mm. or larger drill shank five times, then flux and solder with hard solder. File the ends flat and you would have a 7.5mm wide, 12mm. ID. tube like bail that looks like a compressed spring.
As for your rectangular wire method do you use binding wire to hold the ring shape together. If the ends do not meet perfectly when bent round, just bind them tightly together then cut through the join with a piercing saw and then flux and re bind before soldering.
Good luck
James

[Dennis]

A truly difficult task Liz, because of the small internal diameter. One way, although wasteful, is to buy a goodly length of rectangular wire, say about 8.0cm. Then, clamping one end against a suitable rod in a soft jawed vice, bend it manually and keep repositioning until it is ready to cut off the spare. It will need annealing several times and finally forcing shut with the vice.

Another idea would be to settle for a square tube instead, because you can make that much more easily, using calipers and graph paper to ensure squareness.

Alternatively you could go for silver tube from Argex. http://www.argex.co.uk/search.php?nobox=&scat=&stext=Silver+Tube&stype=&sprice=&pg=4.
You can either create the illusion of heftiness by making your bail a little wider than needed, or maybe solder the 11.0mm o/d inside the 13.0mm.
As the fit is not exact you would need to re-size the outer one slightly, or flare the ends if the inner one to create a better fit. They also sell thicker tubing on page one which is intended for rings and could be re-sized.

Well, now it's your turn. Dennis.

[mizgeorge]

I find these sorts of sizes fairly easy to make with a well annealed piece of rectangular wire. I bend both ends inwards with bailing pliers (consistent size along the length) which makes a sort of modified D shape, then solder the ends and reshape on a small bezel mandrel.
This one was a little thinner (1.2mm x 6mm wire), but you'll see the sort of size I mean - the ID of the finished ring was, from memory, 9mmm.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8206/8284708207_d8442e8076_n.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mizgeorge/8284708207/)
very special commission (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mizgeorge/8284708207/) by mizgeorge (http://www.flickr.com/people/mizgeorge/), on Flickr

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8345/8284709031_3efcf917d7_n.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mizgeorge/8284709031/)
very special commission (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mizgeorge/8284709031/) by mizgeorge (http://www.flickr.com/people/mizgeorge/), on Flickr

[medusa]

James, The coiling method sounds like it would work for me and look nice as well, will have to see what the client thinks of it because I can get it done in the next couple of days. try as I might, I couldn't get the ends to join even with binding wire, but what you described doing was basically what I was trying to do, so at least I was on the right track!

Dennis, square tube wouldn't work at all, unless you mean I should round it after on a mandrel? I worry that bending something that thick and yet small, as per your first suggestion, would end up with me not getting a good flush fitting to solder shut. If the client doesn't like James' idea, then I'll go for tube.

George, That is a lovely bangle! I'm guessing (having just had a look online to see what they are like) that it's better to get the one size rather than the multi-size bail pliers?

[mizgeorge]

I just use these type - http://www.cooksongold.com/Beads/Beadsmith-Multi-Step-Ring-Looping-Pliers-prcode-999-CB8F

Mine are the Eurotool version, but they do the same thing. The protected second jaw means you get a great grip and don't mark the 'good' side as you make the bends.

[medusa]

Oh! bargain! Cheers, dears!