Jump ring mass production

[Patstone]

Hi, I have a commission for a jumpring bracelet and need hundreds of jumprings so I would like to make them myself to save costs. I have watched a video on "You Tube" from Rio Grande, which has a tool for making jumprings en masse, I would love one of these tools but dont seem to be able to find one, not sure what its called either. They also use a Foredom pendant motor flexi shaft for cutting with a saw blade, which I have, but they also have a guard to fix on it, which I dont have but would like. Does anyone know where I can buy one of the jumpring blocks and the saw blade guard attachment. I have looked on the Foredom site, but cant find one there either. This is the link to it:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACPMQeepcFU
Thank you in advance
Pat

[Dennis]

Hi Patstone,

The tool is called a Koil Kutter, http://www.longcanyon.com/Resources/KoilKutter.htm and if you put it into the search box here you will find out what people say about it. Quite recently George said that the cut was too coarse for her, and that she preferred to use a very fine saw blade 8/0 instead. For yourself you might settle for 0/6 as they are quite fragile. If she is around she might join in later. She is our Maille Guru. Dennis.

[mizgeorge]

There are a number of mass production options - the original jump ringer http://www.riogrande.com/MemberArea/...xt=jump+ringer or pepe jump ringer (available from Sutton Tools) http://tinyurl.com/6bx78kt - both of these require a foredom. Or you can get a koil kutter from Dave Arens (email only, replace (at) with @) gemstonesetc(at)gainbroadband.com, which can be used with a foredom, dremel or proxxon, and is thus far more affordable.

However, none of these are particularly cheap, and would be pretty hard to justify unless you're looking at tens of thousands of rings, rather than hundreds. You certainly wouldn't save any money against buying them in.

I still think the best cut comes from using a jewellers saw with a fine blade (as Dennis says, 6/0 blades will do the job well and are easy to source). Given that you still have to spend the time making the coils in the first place, it's really not that much slower by the time you've set everything up. If you haven't already got a Knew Concept sawframe, this might be a more versatile, and far less costly investment?

[Dennis]

For the second time this week I put in an error. It should have said 6/0. Soon I shall need a carer. Dennis.

[mizgeorge]

When you're ready for volunteers Dennis, you can put my name at the top of the list

[Patstone]

There are a number of mass production options - the original jump ringer http://www.riogrande.com/MemberArea/...xt=jump+ringer or pepe jump ringer (available from Sutton Tools) http://tinyurl.com/6bx78kt - both of these require a foredom. Or you can get a koil kutter from Dave Arens (email only, replace (at) with @) gemstonesetc(at)gainbroadband.com, which can be used with a foredom, dremel or proxxon, and is thus far more affordable.

However, none of these are particularly cheap, and would be pretty hard to justify unless you're looking at tens of thousands of rings, rather than hundreds. You certainly wouldn't save any money against buying them in.

I still think the best cut comes from using a jewellers saw with a fine blade (as Dennis says, 6/0 blades will do the job well and are easy to source). Given that you still have to spend the time making the coils in the first place, it's really not that much slower by the time you've set everything up. If you haven't already got a Knew Concept sawframe, this might be a more versatile, and far less costly investment?

Thanks George and Dennis too, I am not very good at making jumprings, I wind them tightly around a wooden dowel and then put in a vice and saw through them but somehow the ones in the middle dont get cut and i have about 10 in the middle that I have to snip, then file to get them ready for soldering, I just thought it would be easier in the long run to get a tool that will do it for me. I already have a Foredom drill but I will have to get the chuck handpiece as I have a quick release one at the moment. I have asked hubby if I can have my xmas pressie early but it fell on deaf ears, well I suppose it is only July !!!!! Anyway done the manual way, where am I going wrong, they always come out the right shape apart from the ones that dont cut through. Many thanks for your help AGAIN. Pat

[mizgeorge]

Pat, I use an electric screwdriver to wind my coils quickly, and I use old knitting needles, nails and punches as mandrels as they're easier to release the wire from that wood.

As for cutting, I never use a vice. For sturdier coils, I just saw on my bench pin, allowing the cut rings to gather on the blade as they fall. For skinny coils or higher gauge wire, I simply hold the coil between my thumb and forefinger and cut in my hand. Very quick and surprisingly easy to do. I tend to keep coils ready in most of the sizes I use a lot, and just cut the rings as I need them.

Dave does sell the individual components for the koil kutter system, though I know someone who bought just the arbour and machined an aluminium block to hold their coils, and subsequently said it took so long to do that they wished they'd bought the complete kit!

Hand cutting rings does take a little bit of practice, but is a skill that's really worth mastering in the long run if you can persevere.

[ps_bond]

Machine Mart do a fairly cheap set of parallel punches that have proven to be fairly useful for my jump ring needs - http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/pr...ers-scrapers-p

I've just noticed they're doing a cheap doming block & punches now too...!

[Patstone]

Machine Mart do a fairly cheap set of parallel punches that have proven to be fairly useful for my jump ring needs - http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/pr...ers-scrapers-p

I've just noticed they're doing a cheap doming block & punches now too...!

Hi Peter
Thanks for the info, I dont have a problem getting the jumprings the right size, just cutting them en-masse. I seem to use a lot and have a bracelet to do as a commission, which is all jumprings, similar to chain mail and I thought it may be easier for me to buy a tool that will cut them as thats where I have the problem. George has told me how she does hers, so I will give it a go, most of my jumprings are 0.90 or 1.00mm thick wire. It sounds a bit risky to me cutting them in your hand, look out A & E I am on my way. Hahaha.
Pat

[mizgeorge]

At 1mm Pat, you should have no problem cutting them on a bench pin, provided they're not too big - anything much about an AR of 5 (ie 1mm wire with a 5mm ID) will be tricky to keep stable during cutting. There are other tricks - some people wrap the whole coil in masking tape before cutting, and others prefer to thread the blade through the coil and cut from inside. Neither of these works for me (too sticky and too lazy!) but I know some swear by both methods.