There are many ways to create a wire bracelet, but this tutorial is the simplest and quickest by far. Follow this step-by-step guide, and in less than an hour, you are ready to rock your new custom-made wire armlet.
The first thing you need to do is to prepare the materials. For this project, you need pliers, a 12-gauge copper wire, hammer, anvil, and elbow grease.
Now that you have everything prepared, you can do the following steps:
Cut the 12-gauge copper wire at ten inches. However, the copper wire, in this measure, is hard to trim, so you need to anneal it.
Place the wire on a firebrick and run the torch throughout its length to anneal the cord. Rotate the cable multiple times until it turns red and starts to change its color. Soak it in fresh water the moment you are done with annealing.
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Bend the cord in the middle into a hairpin. Use pliers when doing this task. Beat the crooked side with a hammer to create a beautiful broad outline on the curve.
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Pull the wire apart sidewise, perpendicular to the curve you made to make a wave shape.
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Annealing and bending the wire with pliers are likely to leave marks on the cable. Thus, you need to sand the cord. Use a good sheet of sandpaper wrapped around the stick and a smooth-edged file to smoothen the surface of the wire.
Get a round shaft with the same size of your wrist. Wrap the wire around the mandrel to give it a circular shape. Make sure the ends are overlapping each other around an inch.
Use bail making pliers or round-nose pliers for making half-loops on wire tips. Make the loops upright with one another, lining the first tip with the cord and the opposite end off to the other side. Use a hammer to beat the outer ends for a nice flare.
The armlet is soft in this state because of the beating, sanding, and bending it receives. Thus, you need to solidify it and add a little bit of shine to it. Use a tumbler and put the bracelet in it. Add a bit of Dawn detergent and some steel shots. Once you remove the wristlet from the tumbler, the accessory should be spotless.
Apply to one or two thin coats of microcrystalline wax to your new bangle to keep it shiny and charming.
Voila! Your wire bracelet is finished. It is up to you whether you want to wear this armlet as it is or put some beads to it. Let your creativity flow and enjoy decorating your new accessory.