How to Make a Brass Pendant
You can make a custom brass pendant with brass wire. By using wire, you can easily bend and shape it into anything imaginable. You can start out with a heart design, bend a few French curves on the inside, weld it together and hang if from a chain. You can bend the brass wire into an initial, or even a word. By using a small mini-torch, you can do it at home. It's safe and affordable.
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Things You'll Need
- Brass wire, 1/8-inch diameter or bigger
- Diagonal pliers
- Hammer
- Brass soldering paste
- Mini torch
Instructions
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1
Clip off a 6-inch inch piece of brass wire with diagonal pliers. Bend it into any shape you like. It doesn't matter if it's not perfect. Small imperfections give pendants character. Use your imagination and create something abstract. For example: bend it into a swirl, and then use the remaining wire to bend around the swirl into a heart. Clip off any remaining loose ends.
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2
Place the pendant flat on a piece of wood. Use a small hammer to tap on it to flatten it out.
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3
Squeeze a small amount of soldering paste from the tube. Use a toothpick to smear a small dot of the paste at every intersection where the wire is touching another piece of wire. The dot should be no bigger than 1/8-by-1/8-inch. If the intersection is longer than 1/4 inch, place another dot of solder.
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4
Place goggles on your eyes. Light the torch. Hold the torch 6 inches from the surface of the pendant.
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5
Sweep the flame over the pendant. You will begin to see the paste melt slightly. Continue sweeping the flame until the paste turns bright silver and runs down into the wire joints. When this happens, remove the flame and shut it off. Wait 20 minutes for the pendant to cool.
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Tips & Warnings
The solder will leave a slightly silver color where it melts. Use a small paintbrush and brass colored enamel paint to paint over the soldered places if you desire.
Always wear goggles and don't breathe excessive fumes from any torch or solder. Use in a well-ventilated room.
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty Images
