Jump rings are tiny metal rings made out of wires like brass, copper and sterling silver. They're used in various ways such as joining necklaces to their clasps, creating earrings and making maille. If you use a lot of jump rings it's more economical to make them yourself. The process of cutting jump rings is fairly straightforward and begins with wrapping a dowel with the wire of your choice.
Instructions
Wire Cutter
1) Slip the coiled wire off the dowel or metal rod the wire was wrapped around to form the coil.
2) Take the wire cutters and snip through just one or two rings of the coil making sure the cutters are cutting at a right angle to the wire.
3) Check the cut on the first couple of jump rings to make sure the ends match up perfectly. This ensures the jump ring will be strong when it's closed after being added to a necklace or
Sawing From The Outside In
1) Take a dowel and drill a hole in the end of it. Stick the end of the wire in the hole and start wrapping the wire around the dowel until a 1-inch coil is formed.
2) Clip the wire that is stuck in the end of the dowel. Slide the coil down the dowel to the opposite end. Lay it on the top of the notched bench pin--a piece of V-shaped wood slotted into a metal holder that clamps to the jeweler's bench.
3) Position the coil at the very end of the dowel and hold it at the tip of the V-notch in the bench pin. Slowly pull the jeweler's saw with the 2/0 blade down at an angle to cut a groove in the end of the dowel. Slide the wire coil up to that groove and start sawing through the coil at an angle. Don't saw straight up and down otherwise you will cut the coil in half.
Sawing From The Inside Out
1) Pull the wrapped coil of wire off the dowel or medal rod that the wire was wrapped around. Tape a strip of masking tap to one side of the coil to keep the wires locked together.
2) Release one end of the jeweler's saw blade from the saw. Thread the blade through the coil. Reattach the end of the jeweler's saw blade to the saw.
3) Set the coil upright in the V-notch of the bench pin. Slowly start cutting through the wire coil with smooth up and down movements of the saw.
Tips & Warnings
Be careful when sawing with a jeweler's saw. The blades have very fine teeth that can cut skin badly.
Instructions
Wire Cutter
1) Slip the coiled wire off the dowel or metal rod the wire was wrapped around to form the coil.
2) Take the wire cutters and snip through just one or two rings of the coil making sure the cutters are cutting at a right angle to the wire.
3) Check the cut on the first couple of jump rings to make sure the ends match up perfectly. This ensures the jump ring will be strong when it's closed after being added to a necklace or
Sawing From The Outside In
1) Take a dowel and drill a hole in the end of it. Stick the end of the wire in the hole and start wrapping the wire around the dowel until a 1-inch coil is formed.
2) Clip the wire that is stuck in the end of the dowel. Slide the coil down the dowel to the opposite end. Lay it on the top of the notched bench pin--a piece of V-shaped wood slotted into a metal holder that clamps to the jeweler's bench.
3) Position the coil at the very end of the dowel and hold it at the tip of the V-notch in the bench pin. Slowly pull the jeweler's saw with the 2/0 blade down at an angle to cut a groove in the end of the dowel. Slide the wire coil up to that groove and start sawing through the coil at an angle. Don't saw straight up and down otherwise you will cut the coil in half.
Sawing From The Inside Out
1) Pull the wrapped coil of wire off the dowel or medal rod that the wire was wrapped around. Tape a strip of masking tap to one side of the coil to keep the wires locked together.
2) Release one end of the jeweler's saw blade from the saw. Thread the blade through the coil. Reattach the end of the jeweler's saw blade to the saw.
3) Set the coil upright in the V-notch of the bench pin. Slowly start cutting through the wire coil with smooth up and down movements of the saw.
Tips & Warnings
Be careful when sawing with a jeweler's saw. The blades have very fine teeth that can cut skin badly.
