Jumbled Lacy Chain | Contemporary Wire Jewelry

Jumbled Lacy Chain

by Judy Larson

Category: Contemporary
Technique(s): Butane Torch Techniques
Skill Level: Beginner

Do you want a chain that is not heavy but takes up a lot of real estate? One that is light and airy, but bold at the same time? This one may be for you!

Materials

16 Gauge Round Half Hard Argentium .940 Silver Wire

H19-16H

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
Price: $10.37
Gold Club Price: $7.78

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Sterling Silver Figure 8 Lobster 12x20mm - Pack of 1

K3-90

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $10.96
Gold Club Price: $8.22

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Sterling Silver Jump Ring Open (.051) 16ga. 8mm Heavy - Pack of 10

K11-35

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $8.62
Gold Club Price: $6.47

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Tools

Silver Solder Paste Medium SS70 - 1/4 T.O.

SOL-822.15

SOL-822.15
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $18.95
Gold Club Price: $14.21

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Silver Solder Paste Soft SS65- 1/4 T.O.

SOL-822.10

SOL-822.10
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $16.95
Gold Club Price: $12.71

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Blazer Big Buddy Turbo Torch, White

TRCH-8012

TRCH-8012
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $40.00
Gold Club Price: $30.00

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Solderite Soldering Board, Hard, 12 Inch by 12 Inch

SOL-420.30

SOL-420.30
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $34.95
Gold Club Price: $26.21

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Steel Bench Block 4x4 Inch - Pack of 1

G17-10

G17-10
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $21.95
Gold Club Price: $16.46

Out of Stock

Euro Tool Four-Face Hammer

HAM-372.04

HAM-372.04
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $23.95
Gold Club Price: $17.96

Out of Stock

Single 3rd Hand with Tweezer and Base

HOL-165.00

HOL-165.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $18.97
Gold Club Price: $14.23

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NATURE'S TOUCH CITRIC PICKLE, 2LB PLASTIC JAR

CLN-163.00

CLN-163.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $17.95
Gold Club Price: $13.46

Out of Stock

Pickle Pot, 16 Ounces

CLN-584.00

CLN-584.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $31.95
Gold Club Price: $23.96

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Thumlers Tumbler Model MP-1 Rock Tumbler Kit

G34-101

G34-101
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $119.11
Gold Club Price: $89.33

Out of Stock

10 Piece Diamond Needle Files - 140mm X 3mm

G14-8

G14-8
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $13.57
Gold Club Price: $10.18

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Instructions

Step 1

Read through the tutorial before starting the project. Follow all safety precautions pertaining to the tools and supplies being used and the space you are working in.

Make coils on the appropriate mandrels and cut the 16 gauge round wire jump rings. I used the U. S. measurement mandrels. The approximate metric measurements are in parenthesis next to the U. S. measurements. 18 gauge twisted square wire approximates the diameter of 16 gauge round wire.

The number of rings needed depends on the chain length that is desired. Below are the approximate number of rings used in 16½" necklace as well as a 6¾" bracelet with an extender. A few more or less will be used depending upon the length of chain you desire.

Small Rings: 9/32" (7mm) Necklace-18 Bracelet-10 to 15 (three are used for the extender chain)

Medium Rings: 23/64" (10mm) Necklace-35 Bracelet-13 to 15

Large Rings: 17/32" (13.5mm) Necklace-18 Bracelet-7

Step 2

Close half of the medium jump rings. There are an odd number of jump rings. The extra medium jump ring will be used on the end of the chain opposite the closure finding. Place the rings on a clean Solderite board. It will take a long time to fuse or solder each ring using a small butane torch. Use a butane torch head on a butane canister to fuse the seams together. If using twisted square wire rings, place a bit of medium paste solder under each seam and heat until the solder flows. Clean and refine the solder joins on each ring. Pickle the rings if necessary.

Fusing: Place the 16 gauge rings on the Solderite board, openings all facing the same direction. To fuse, move the flame around the ring. Carefully heat each until the wire surface goes from dull to very shiny and slightly molten. The seam will connect and fuse. Immediately remove the heat. Cool the rings slightly before removing them from the soldering surface. Hint: Practice on two small rings so you can see the stages progress.

Judy Larson's Jumbled Lacy Chain - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, jumbled lacy chain necklace

Step 3

Texture the plain soldered rings. Texturing expands the size of the rings, so it was decided to use a domed hammer just a bit at noon and 6 o'clock on each ring. Using this hammer creates a smooth surface to catch the light. Using a different hammer face can add even more dimension with a unique look.

Step 4

Add a medium ring to each fused or soldered medium ring. Close the rings. Raise the Solderite board by placing on top of a magnesia soldering brick. Place the units around the edge of a raised Solderite board as shown, with the fused or soldered twisted wire ring hanging down. Fuse the seam on the ring on the Solderite board. If the rings will not hang on the board as shown, use a third hand to hold a ring unit in place.

Fusing only part of a ring: Carefully heat only half a ring until the wire surface goes from dull to very shiny and slightly molten near the seam. The seam will connect and fuse. Immediately remove the heat. Allow to cool before removing the link to see if the seam fused. Turn the link over and heat again, if necessary.

Step 5

Texture the added medium jump ring, if desired.

Step 6

The only concession to uniformity in connecting the rings was to lay out the mobius links so the rings were all nestled in the exact same way.

Step 7

Open all the large jump rings. Add two sets of mobius rings to one large ring. Close the ring so the seam is perfectly aligned. Slide the mobius rings on the tips of the tweezers of the third hand with the seam of the large ring flat on the Solderite board as shown. Fuse the seam on the large ring.

Pro Tip: When done, place a twist tie to one mobius link, which will be the chain end, to help keep you from adding rings in the wrong place.

Fusing when heavier links are added: The weight of the mobius links will not allow the large ring to stay on the solderite board. They will also pull one side of the ring down when it becomes very soft during the fusing process. The third hand tweezer tips should hold the heavy rings in such a manner as to not touch or to barely touch the ring being fused.

Step 8

Connect the next mobius links in the same manner and fuse the seam closed. Continue the process until all the large rings have been used.

Step 9

I could not hold the ring and take a photo at the same time so used a third hand to show how to position the ring on a bench block for texturing. Texture in the same manner as in step 3. Do not texture the entire ring as it will become too large to work with the medium and small rings.

Step 10

Use a small jump ring to connect one mobius jump ring from each side of the large ring. If twisted wire rings were used, connect one twisted ring to one plain ring.

Step 11

In the same manner as in Step 8, fuse the seam of the small ring.

Step 12

Continue connecting one mobius jump ring from each side of the large rings until all are finished and fused.

Step 13

As before, I could not hold the ring and take a photo at the same time so used a third hand to show how to position the ring on a bench block for texturing.

Step 14

The chain is ready for the closure to be attached.

Step 15

Attach a clasp on one end of the chain: Attach a small jump ring to the medium jump ring inside the last large ring both ends of the chain (you may need to remove a medium ring). Attach the closure to one end of the chain using a size jump ring that will accommodate the last two 16 gauge rings plus the closure connection opening. Use easy solder to close the jump ring seam and use the small butane torch. The flame on the large butane torch head on a canister is too bushy and hot and could harm the clasp mechanism.

Step 16

On the other end of the chain, attach and fuse small rings to use as an extender on a bracelet or a medium ring for a necklace.

Step 17

Pickle, rinse, and dry the piece. Inspect and refine any seams that are necessary.

Step 18

Tumble for several hours to bring up a nice shine. If highly textured rings were used, you may want to apply patina to highlight the design on the rings. Since removing patina on the high areas leaves a satin finish, you may wish to tumble again to bring back the shine.

Reviews

Judy Larson

My philosophy has always been "I will never live long enough to learn everything I want to learn, go everywhere I want to go and see everything I want to see!" So, what I make and how I create it is always changing and evolving. I was born shortly after WWII to parents who grew up during the Depression. They always had a "we can do it, we can make it" attitude which rubbed off on my two younger brothers and me. My brothers are amazing and can make and do ANYTHING! When I was a little girl, my mother gave me an old carved cigar box, which I cherish, filled with pop beads, wooden beads and yarn for stringing. That was the beginning of my jewelry making journey.

On a visit to the Grand Canyon when I was a young woman, I was fortunate enough to help a Native American silversmith sand cast my first silver bracelet and bezel set a large turquoise nugget on top. I was in love, hook, line and sinker! While working full time and having a family here in northern Minnesota, my artistic endeavors slowed down but never stopped. I am an artist, scrapbooker, seamstress, woodworker and jewelry artisan. Now that I am retired, I am able to indulge in all my hobbies. However, there just never seems to be enough time in the day to do it all, but I try!

I have been teaching community education beginner and intermediate jewelry making classes since my retirement. Many of my students have been bitten so hard by the jewelry making bug that they say I have turned them into monsters-they just can't get enough. Making jewelry, seeing something take shape from small bits and pieces, is so rewarding that I hope it brings out the "monster" in you, too!