How to Make a Bracelet Using Silver Jump Rings
Using jump rings to make a bracelet is a simple and fun way to make a semi-precious metal bracelet and it is a good place for a beginner jewelry maker to start. Jump ring bracelets are good as a stand-alone piece of jewelry or they can be used in a couple of different ways as charm bracelets or woven like cloth into a more sophisticated design.Silver jump ring bracelets can be assembled with a minimum of tools and not much money. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Silver jump rings
- 2 pairs of smooth pliers
- Polishing cloth
- Spring ring clasp or lobster claw clasp
- Steady surface to work on
Instructions
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Start the Bracelet
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Use a bracelet gauge to measure the length needed. These gauges are usually metal with standard and metric measurements. The number of jump rings needed will be determined by the length of the bracelet and by the size of the jump ring. A standard size bracelet is 7 inches long including all clasps.
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2
Choose the size and shape of jump ring you want to use and figure out how many you will need. For a 7-inch bracelet, including the catch and using 5 millimeter sized rings, it would take about 32 jump rings.
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3
Choose which kind of clasp you want for the bracelet closure. A lobster claw clasp gives a little more flair and length. You may need to use one or two less jump rings. The spring ring clasp is round like the jump rings and would blend in and add a little less length so you may need to add a jump ring or two for just the right length.
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4
Use a headband magnifier to increase the visual size of the jump ring to make it easier to see the opening, Then you will know exactly where to place the pliers; this will avoid putting too many tool marks on the jump rings.
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5
Secure one jump ring in the end of the pliers held in one hand and use the other hand to hold the second pliers to pry open the ring. Twist the jump ring ends in opposite directions until the opening is just large enough to add the next jump ring. Spreading them apart will weaken the ring. Have extra jump rings on hand in case of breakage.
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6
Close the jump ring in the same way you opened it, then open the third ring and add it to the second ring that was just attached. Add the silver jump rings in this way until you reach the length needed to add the clasp.
Finish the Bracelet
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Go over each jump ring to tighten and then add the clasp that usually comes with its own jump ring for attaching to bracelets and other pieces of jewelry. If it is not there, use one of your own in a smaller size. You can change it later if you want.
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Polish the chain as you are making it to rid it of oils and dirt and to buff out tiny scratches. Give it a final polish when the bracelet is finished.
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9
Hold one end of the bracelet firmly in one hand while using the other hand to wrap the polishing cloth around the chain tightly at the same end and pull it down the full length of the chain. Do this several times, turning the chain a little bit each time until the entire chain is polished.
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Tips & Warnings
If you use unsoldered jump rings, it will be easy to add or take away rings for making the bracelet shorter or longer.
Add charms using a smaller silver jump ring to dress up the bracelet.
Using a large enough jump ring or an oval jump ring, it would be possible to twist the ring, or every other ring into a figure-8, using the pliers, for a pretty effect.
Experiment by adding extra rings for a more substantial bracelet.
If you are making this bracelet as a gift, take photos of the assembly steps as a memento.
A bracelet made with soldered jump rings may be a little more secure but if the bracelet gets caught on something the metal may bend instead of give way.
Hold the pliers securely to prevent slipping and possibly scratching your hands or the metal.
Do not use an electric or battery operated wheel type polisher on a chain. It could get hung up in the wheel and cause damage to the metal, to the polisher or to you.
Resources
- Photo Credit Lesa Brooks
