How to Make Wooden Bracelets

Wooden bracelets can be all shapes and colors.

Wooden bracelets are naturally beautiful and can be made in a variety of styles and sizes. Creating your own bracelets is usually very economical and easy; however, bracelets can also be formed from expensive wood and require expert techniques to achieve. Start with an easy project and work your way up to something more complex.

Things You'll Need

• Wooden beads
• Elastic bead cord
• Scissors
• Super glue
• Bead cord
• Clasp
• Wood
• Jig saw
• Dremel tool (optional)
• Wood files
• Sand paper
• Drill with bits
• Wood carving tools
• Sharp knife
• Paint
• Jump rings
• Two jewelry pliers
• Clamps
• Hole saws
• Pencil

Instructions

1. 

   Unusual features in wood can make beautiful jewelry.

   Decide on the kind of wood you will use for your bracelet. Choose a harder wood for bracelets, such as bangles, which might crash against things. Consider the cost of the wood you choose. Choose a cheaper wood if you are a beginner, then move to more expensive types as you gain experience. Carve soft woods by hand for more practice before using the more difficult hard woods. Make snug-fitting bracelets from any hardness of wood.

2. 

   Wooden beads come in all sizes and finishes.

   Make a bracelet from wooden beads and elastic bead cord. Thread the elastic through the beads, tie a secure knot and cut the ends leaving 2 inches extra. Consider using nonelastic bead cord and a clasp instead. Tie the thread to one side of the clasp, leaving a 2-inch tail. Thread the cord through the beads and tie the cord to the other side of the clasp, leaving 2 inches. Put a drop of super glue on the knots and thread the loose ends back through the beads to hide them.

3. 

   Wooden pieces can be linked together in ways similar to this.

   Create flat wooden shapes with a jig saw or dremel tool and link them together with jump rings. The most popular are squares, rectangles, circles or ovals that are about 1/8-inch thick. File, sand and drill holes in the sides that are large enough to accept your metal jump rings. Paint, carve or leave the pieces blank. Use jewelers pliers to twist your jump rings open and closed to link the pieces together and link them to a clasp.

4. 

   Bangles can be flat, domed or finished in a variety of ways.

   Cut bangles by clamping two pieces of three-and-a-half-inch square wood to your workbench. They can be any thickness. Cut a hole two-and-a-half to two-and-three-quarters-inches in diameter in the top piece using a hole saw. Use a larger hole saw to cut one-quarter inch, or more, around the first hole. You will now have a rough bangle. Make as many bracelets as you like, using the bottom blank of wood to protect your table. File, sand and decorate your bangles using paint or by carving.

5. 

   Carving can be easy or difficult.

   Carve a bracelet from soft wood and work your way up to harder woods as you gain experience. Plan your design, sketch it onto the wood and carve using a very sharp knife or tools made for the purpose. Begin by creating the rough shape of what you want, then refine the details until you are ready to file and sand the wood. Do not create thin areas, or you may break your bracelet while working on it.

Tips & Warnings

• The knots you make can be hidden with metal covers made for that purpose. Find them at a crafts or jewelry supply store.

• When cutting a bangle it can be difficult to line up your two cuts exactly. The thicker your bracelet, the more leeway there is for mistakes.

• Interior bangle sizes are: large = two-and-three-quarter-inches, medium = two-and-five-eighths-inches and small = two-and-a-half-inches.

• While you may want to stain or chemically finish your bracelet, most wood will take on additional beauty as it is exposed to body oils. Some plastic, non-oil finishes, will flake off after only moderate use.

• Be careful when carving and using power tools.

• Be cautious when making the final cut on your bangle. The bangle will usually "stick" to the inside of your hole saw and may go flying out as the saw slows down.

• Do not make jewelry from poisonous species. Poisonous plants can carry the poison or irritant in their wood and harm the wearer.

References

• Janka hardness

Resources

• Crafting Jewelries in Wood
• Making Wooden Beads