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Post by 1dave on Dec 29, 2013 15:45:07 GMT -5
Jump rings are a snap to make.
Choose the gauge of wire you want: round, half hound, flat, triangle, square, twisted, braided . . .
Pick the size mandrel you want. I like to use a drill bit from a set so you can easily make more of any size if needed. I keep my extras in labeled small pill bottles.
(one blessing of getting old - you can collect lots of pill bottles)
Tight spiral wrap the wire on the mandrel, slip them off and cut apart with snips.
Anyone willing to add photos of the jump rings they've made?
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Post by Jugglerguy on Dec 29, 2013 18:40:57 GMT -5
I just learned how to do this a couple days ago when a friend gave my daughter and I a jewelry making lesson. She had a couple of tools to make it easier. She had a board with a crank attached. There were different sized rods that attached to the crank (like your drill bits). There's a hole in the rod that you stick the wire through and cranks to make a spring-like coil. Then it goes in a holder with a slot on top. She uses a Foredom to cut in the slot to make a bunch of rings all at the same time. Here's something similar to what she had. I just ordered this gizmo to do the same thing cheaper. She pointed out that you have to make sure to use the flat side of the wire cutters so that both sides of the jump ring are flat. |
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Post by Pat on Dec 29, 2013 20:21:30 GMT -5
I make mine on a mandrel, but in about 4" coil lengths. Then I put them in a holder, and zip across them with my Dremel super-duper Koil Kutter (by David Arens), and voila! I have a pile. Will take photos tomorrow. After that, I put them in the little vibrating tumbler with a drop of Dawn and water to give them a lovely shine and to remove any little burs. My winder was made by a machinist friend. Here is a link to what I have. I've never had trouble with it. desiredcreations.com/howTo_TLKoilKutter.htmI should add that I have a Dremel dedicated to making jumprings, so I don't have to install and remove the Koil Kutter for other work. |
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Dec 30, 2013 0:37:44 GMT -5
That's a pretty cool looking tool Pat. I don't make enough rings to warrant it but it looks great
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Post by 1dave on Dec 30, 2013 14:48:30 GMT -5
That's a pretty cool looking tool Pat. I don't make enough rings to warrant it but it looks great Usually 3-4 at a time is more than I need, but if I was making chain mail to protect my skin . . . The index drill bit set is nice because each project seems to need a different size. |
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Post by Pat on Jan 1, 2014 14:02:05 GMT -5
This is the windy thing made by a machinist friend. The C-clamp holds it on well.  IMG_1919 by Pat6489, on Flickr Here is the mechanism that holds the mandrel. I use anything round as a mandrel. The leather fingers are to protect my fingers that are holding the wire. Pulling the wire towards me and a little to the left gives even, close coils. The flat nose pliers are to make the right hangle bend necessary to to bend the wire to insert into the chuck. Wire cutters...  IMG_1925 by Pat6489, on Flickr Closeup of wire inserted into the chunk. You can see the wire inside. It is loose. I cut off both ends prior to cutting the coil into rings.  IMG_1924 by Pat6489, on Flickr I bought this set of mandrels from the maker of Koil Kutter. I highly recommend it. Never a problem. To move the coil into rings, I use this Koil Kutter: desiredcreations.com/howTo_TLKoilKutter.htm IMG_1920 by Pat6489, on Flickr Here's a pile of round. I rarely use it because the set above has about anything I would need. I use 16 and 18 gauge sterling, argentium, copper and red brass mostly. If you click on my banner, you will see what I use the rings for. I never thought I'd like making rings for chain maille jewelry, but I do.  IMG_1926 by Pat6489, on Flickr Ring storage drawers. Silver on the right, and other on the left.  IMG_1915 by Pat6489, on Flickr This is how I label them:: gauge, ID (inside diameter), metal  IMG_1916 by Pat6489, on Flickr Hope this helps. |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 35,999
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Post by jamesp on Jan 1, 2014 14:16:00 GMT -5
Now that is a professional set-up. Impressive Pat.
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Post by 1dave on Jan 1, 2014 15:11:06 GMT -5
Pat did you ever try specialty wire like twisted or braided?
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Post by Jugglerguy on Jan 1, 2014 15:32:49 GMT -5
That twisted chain mail necklace is cool, Pat. I can see why you have such an impressive jump ring maker.
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Post by Pat on Jan 1, 2014 15:49:47 GMT -5
1dave I haven't tried making jumprings of twisted or braided wire. I can make twisted wire as such though. I need oval rings to connect parts. I bought Rio's?, but the ovals were actually lens shaped. I could wind the wire, but could not get it off the mandrel. Tried covering the mandrel with tape or with paper. Still couldn't get the coil off. Since I need comparatively few oval rings, I make a round ring, then turn it so the opening is on the long side when I squish it with a pair of modified pliers. It works. I would like to know how to make oval coils that came off the mandrel!
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Post by radio on Jan 1, 2014 15:52:38 GMT -5
The only problem with nippers is that one side of the jump ring is deformed.. If I'm doing just a few for my Sterling projects, I use my jewelers saw with a 3/0 blade so both ends are square. My Wife makes lots of chain maille items such as bracelets, necklaces and headdresses so we bought the Ringanator ![]() . The pic is stolen from the internet. I use a cordless drill on our setup as it seems to have more torque than a corded drill. I even bought a Milwaukee corded drill for it, but my Bosch cordless outdoes it hands down |
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Post by radio on Jan 1, 2014 15:53:55 GMT -5
![]() photobucket strikes again! Don't know why images won't show up in the post! |
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Post by 1dave on Jan 1, 2014 15:58:33 GMT -5
Pat Is your wire annealed to dead soft?
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Post by Pat on Jan 1, 2014 16:03:16 GMT -5
1dave, I don't know. Will check. It is as it comes from rio (usually). It works. Know any tricks for making an oval ring coil?
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Post by radio on Jan 1, 2014 16:03:58 GMT -5
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Post by 1dave on Jan 1, 2014 16:22:43 GMT -5
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2014 16:35:28 GMT -5
Just signed up for Flicker and it only posts a link?!?!?! sorry for my fumbles   Did I fix it? |
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rxscram
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2011
Posts: 483
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Post by rxscram on Jan 1, 2014 16:44:20 GMT -5
For those who make armor and jewelry with hundreds or thousands (or tens of thousands, in my case) of jump rings... I highly recommend www.theringlord.com. Huge variety of sizes and types of wire, coils, and/or rings. |
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Post by Pat on Jan 1, 2014 17:58:47 GMT -5
1dave looks like all rio wire is sold dead soft, so yes. I start with dead soft.
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Post by radio on Jan 1, 2014 19:02:03 GMT -5
Just signed up for Flicker and it only posts a link?!?!?! sorry for my fumbles Did I fix it? Sure did! Thanks! Now tell me howdjadoit?!?!?! The Ring Lord has pretty good rings at decent prices, but when you reach a certain point, it definitely pays to buy a good jump ring machine and make your own. We use copper, brass, enameled colored copper, niobium, aluminum, titanium and stainless, so needed the best machine we could get |
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X - Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's rocks
- O Henry
