Making 10mm bracelet links

[adrianykw]

Hi everyone,

Another beginner question. I’m trying to make some links for a bracelet. The links are circular and ~10mm diameter; I plan to make them from rectangular section silver wire (1mm x 2mm). See image below.

What is the best way of making these links? My plan was:

- twist with some half round pliers (will this work if the link is 10mm?)
- cut with saw
- solder
- make round on a mandrel

Thanks,

-Adrian

[Dennis]

Hi Adrian,
The best way to make these links is to anneal the wire and wind it round a clamped mandrel under tension.

For 1.0mm wire and an outside diameter of 10.0mm, you can use the stem of an 8.0mm drill bit, a large knitting needle, or anything else you might have in the house.
However, I worry about the wire size you have seleted. For a bracelet you need about 1.5mm, or even 1.7mm.

It is best clamped in a vice and the wire kept stretched with heavy pliers, because square wire tends to twist and not remain flat when made into rings. This can be corrected if you re-anneal and put them in a vice which has added fibre jaws.

Do your best not to mark your rings with pliers or a hammer. My picture shows some square wire bracelets. Dennis

[adrianykw]

Thanks Dennis. I didn't realise that 2x1mm would be too thin. What wire thicknesses have you used in the image you attached?

[Dennis]

No it was late at night, so it din't register that you were using rectangular strip.
2.0 x 1.0mm, should be OK, but it is not listed under rectangular wire.
You could probably get Cookson to cut it from sheet, but the guillotine will leave a pinch mark (similar to a bevel) along each edge. That could look quite good, provided you know it's coming.
The alternative of cutting it yourself is too challenging, and the last option is your own draw bench. Dennis.

[misspond]

Bellore Rashbel do 1 X 2mm rectangle wire. I make rings from 2 X 2mm wire and just make them like I do other rings, make sure it's annealed (this is the most important part really) and then wrap around a mandrel and cut with my saw. Should be easy enough to do. The wire will likely come coiled up and you can anneal the whole coil if need be to avoid "working" it too much and making it harder to wrap.