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New Copper Bangles With Silver Wrap Bead


I had a break recently and took the opportunity, once I'd caught up with lots of other things, to make some new stuff.

I wrote a post a while ago about making metal wrap beads in copper with the thought of doing a sterling silver version and that's one of the things I did in my break.

I had the idea of having a set of three bangles with three beads on just one of the bangles and the other two plain with a hammered finish. Then I decided it would look a bit more contemporary {to me anyway!} to have just one bead on each of the three bangles.

I started with some silver sheet I put through the rolling mill until it was about 0.25mm thick. I used the wrap bead template I made myself......


...and cut three lengths for the beads. I used the smaller size this time. I made three bangles using 3.25mm copper wire that I textured with a hammer. I then flowed some solder onto the the silver sheet on the side that would later become the inside of the bead.
Then I soldered the wide end of it to the bangle.



Once I'd attached the end of the silver sheet to the bangle I used pliers to fold the end down so it sat close to the copper.


I then started to wrap the silver sheet around the copper bangle and form the bead.



Despite the silver sheet being very thin at 0.25mm there was still a fair amount of tension in it meaning there were gaps between the layers as the silver sprung back when I let the end go.

 I annealed the silver and pulled and squeezed the silver wraps to get them a bit closer together before I soldered the bead wraps together using the solder I'd flowed along the inside length earlier.


Bit of a blurred picture but you get the idea :D

I needed to sand the edges of the silver beads as they were a bit sharp in places due to the gap thing going on.

 I'll need to find a better way to wrap the silver bead so the layers sit close together. Maybe I need to be a bit more forceful and use my pliers or mallet to force the silver sheet into a tighter wrap. Or maybe I just need to anneal the silver a bit more before I wrap them - it needs some experimentation and knowing what I'm like, will bug me until I get it right!


The shiny finished version before oxidizing.


Being cleaned up with wire wool before going into the tumbler for a polish.


Finished! 

These will appear in my Etsy shop and on my website very soon.













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Comments

  1. Miss Val's CreationsFriday, August 12, 2016

    Oh I love! It is neat seeing how you created the wrap around the bangle. They have such a great look.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Divya NFriday, August 12, 2016

    Wow it gorgeous, I love copper bangles (usually with a worn in patina) but in this design I somehow like the shiny version better as it looks really luxurious

    ReplyDelete
  3. Feeriee13Saturday, August 13, 2016

    They're so beautiful! The silver beads add an interesting detail, love the texture and the patina!!

    Awesome work!!

    Laura xo

    ReplyDelete

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