Copper wire jewelry DIY. Copper wire jewelry making. How to make copper wire jewelry? Does copper wire tarnish? What is the best gauge wire for jewelry making?
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Bare (Raw) Copper Wire
Solid copper wire is also known as raw copper wire or bare copper wire: there is no plating or coating over the copper. Leave the copper bright and shiny, or oxidize it to create an antiqued look.
Copper is a non-precious metal that is quite malleable. Copper wire is a great metal for jewelry making! Copper has been used in jewelry, coins and ornaments for thousands of years – a copper pendant was found in northern Iraq that dates back to 8700 B.C.! It is still very popular and you can find many tutorials on how to make copper wire jewelry diy.
Copper can be combined with other elements such as tin and zinc to make strong alloys such as bronze and brass, which are also available as wire!
Copper jewelry wire is much less expensive than wire made of precious metals such as silver and gold wire. Copper wire is a great metal for beginners.
Even experienced professionals can use copper wire as a test wire to try out their ideas before working on final gold or silver jewelry.
I often buy copper wire from hardware stores. I buy electrical wires of the thickness I need. Typically, 1mm wire is sold as two or three core electrical wires. Already at home, I use a knife to remove the coating from the wires to get the copper wires. This copper wire is the best choice for copper wire jewelry diy.
I usually get a thin 0.4 mm wire from power, welding cables.
You can also buy copper wire in handicraft stores. Copper wire is also available online. If you want “real” copper wire, then make sure that it’s labeled as “bare”, “raw” or “pure”.
The polished copper jewelry wire itself has a warm gloss. Add it to silver or gold jewelry, or let it shine on its own. Copper wire is perfect for bead jewelry. Never tried copper jewelry wire before? Try it! You are welcome to use my tutorials on how to make copper wire jewelry diy.
Does copper wire tarnish?
Copper wire darkens over time and becomes covered with a natural patina. It may turn black or green in some places.
Maintaining the purity and gloss of base metals such as copper can be tricky. Many artists have tips and tricks they use to clean and brighten copper.
Usually, after patinating and polishing the copper, I cover the entire product with a special colorless varnish.
How to oxidize copper wire jewelry?
I prefer to use natural copper wire, which gives me the ability to patinate the copper and give it a vintage look. Thus, you will be able to make awesome copper wire jewelry diy.
You can patinate jewelry with sulfuric liver, in ammonia vapors, or you can buy ready-made special solutions for patinating. Please note that solutions for different metals are also different. You can sometimes see all-purpose patination solutions in stores that are suitable for multiple metals. Be sure to read the instructions for the solutions.
How to polish copper wire jewelry?
You will need tools to polish your copper jewelry. I use a sander with special felt attachments. I also use polishing pastes.
After polishing, the product must be washed in running water and soap. In order to clean the jewelry well, I use a toothbrush and liquid soap.
Then I dry the jewelry. And then coat it with varnish.
What is the best gauge wire for jewelry making?
Use copper wire of suitable thickness.
I make jewelry out of 1 mm (18 gauge) wire for frames (base) and 0.4 mm (26 gauge) wire for weaving.
You can use 0.8 mm (20 gauge) wire for frames (base) and 0.3 mm (28 gauge) wire for weaving.
The different shapes of wire.
ROUND WIRE
Round wire is the most common among crafters. It has many different sizes. It is the most versatile type of wires. You can use it for literally whatever you want. It is used in all popular wire jewellery making techniques. It also can be used for making your own findings.
D-SHAPED WIRE
SQUARE & RECTANGULAR WIRE
BEADED WIRE
Сopper wire jewelry tutorials free.
Check out my free step by step instructions on how to make DIY copper wire jewelry. Patinated all jewelry in ammonia vapor. Then it was polished and covered with a special varnish. Click on the images for tutorials on this site.
