Sheet Metal Jewelry. Making metal jewelry. Pendant made from copper sheet and copper wire. Handmade jewelry. Free tutorial.
To create a pendant, we need sheet metal up to 1 mm thick. We also need wire. It is important to use an appropriate wire thickness.
I use different wire of different thickness while making jewelry. I use 1 mm (18 ga) wire for the frames. I also need 0.4 mm (26 ga) thick wire for the weaving.
You can create sheet metal jewelry of any shape. You can also use any pattern while weaving. In this tutorial, I want to show you the very idea of how you can combine different materials and techniques in one jewelry piece.
You can choose metal depending on your budget and preferences. But try to avoid iron in the composition. It means that metal should be non-ferrous.
You can use copper or sterling silver. But silver alloy should be mixed with a small amount of copper. Thus the metal will be stiffer. Another great option is brass. It is an alloy of copper and zinc. This alloy is soft enough to form the shape however you like. You can cut and shape a piece of jewelry very easily.
The copper sheet is perfect for cutting out shapes. Thus you can form the components. It allows you to make bracelets, pendants and many more. The copper sheet is being bent very easily. You can also shape and hammer it. It is perfect if you want to form and shape the jewelry.
This is a Sheet Metal Jewelry. The pendant is made from copper sheet and copper wire. Let’s get started.
It is better to use graph paper. It will help you to make designs symmetrical. It is important to sharpen up the straight lines. You can use a ruler for this. Then cut the pattern out. But leave a little bit of space around the outer edge of the pattern. Next, we need a glue stick. Just apply it to the back of the pattern. Don’t forget to coat the edges as well. Next, we are going to stick it to the metal. Press the pattern to the sheet metal. Just smooth out the whole surface. And don’t forget to smooth out the edges.
Next, we will need metal shears. First, let’s cut out the pendant from copper sheet metal. You should be careful in case you are using a thin metal. Pay attention to sanding the edges. They are extremely sharp. So, don’t hurt yourself. While you will be sending the edges, they will become dull. Thus it will be safer to handle them. And don’t forget to remove the sharp corners that are poking out. You can just clip them with metal shears. It would be nice to sand them after that.
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Next step is to work with interior shapes. At first, we need to create a divot in the metal. It is very easy to do. Just take a carpenter’s hammer and punch a metal right in the center. We do it for a special reason. Drill bits are always sliding when the surface is smooth. Thus, we should correct it. Divot will help us to keep the drill bits still. So it won’t skate on the surface anymore.
Then drill holes along the edge of the metal plate. The intervals should be equal. The holes will serve for attaching the wire.
Next, we will drill a hole. This hole is for the file. And it should be placed right where we will make a round hole for the bead.
Next step requires a bench pin. Put the sheet metal on it. The glued template should be on it as well. This sturdy piece of wood is very helpful. It has a V-cut. It supports the metal on both sides of a cut. Thus it helps to pierce sheet metal.
Next, take the saw frame. It is important to secure the blade near the handle side. But don’t secure it on the other side yet. The hole that we have drilled in the metal before will help us right now. Just thread the saw blade through this hole. Now, you can secure the saw blade in the frame. Now, the blade is inside the hole and it is secured. So, we can start cutting.
We can use any wire weaving method. Attach the wire to the plate as it is shown in the photo. Next, weave around the edge of the metal plate.
We will use a gas burner to make balls at the end of the wire.
Video tutorial.
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Be sure to grind the balls at the ends of the wire.
I added a wire on the bottom of the pendant to secure the natural stone bead.
Next, make an eyelet for a cord or chain. Place the remaining ends and the weavings on the metal plate.
Arrange the wire weaving on the plate as you like. You can create any wire pattern.
I love making antique jewelry. In order to make such a look, I patinate the metal and then polish it. Metals can be patinated with special solutions.
For polishing, I use electrical machines with felt attachments. I also use polishing pastes.
To prevent the copper from darkening over time, you can varnish the entire decoration.
Sheet metal can be widely used to create jewelry. As you can see, sheet metal works well with wire and stones.
How do I attach cabochons without a hole to sheet metal? Check this out here!
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