Ripple Bracelet

by Judy Larson

Category: Metalwork
Technique(s): Cutting, Dapping, Filing / Finishing, Making Findings, Tumbling, Butane Torch Techniques, Tools
Skill Level: Intermediate

When Judy Larson bought a ring press for Christmas earring gifts, she never expected it would inspire a one-of-a-kind bracelet design. A special birthday request, and a sizing challenge, led her to adapt the original earring concept into rippled links perfect for a bracelet.

With a few clever adjustments, she not only created a perfect fit but also turned an extra link into a matching pendant for a truly personalized gift.

Materials

20 Gauge Dead Soft Argentium Silver Sheet - 6 Inches

H19-20SM6

Lesson Quantity: 2.00 inches
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 6 Inches
Price: $1,208.15
Gold Club Price: $906.11

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22 Gauge Dead Soft Argentium Silver Sheet - 6 Inches

H19-22SM6

Lesson Quantity: 2.00 inches
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 6 Inches
Price: $936.60
Gold Club Price: $702.45

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18 Gauge Round Dead Soft Argentium .940 Silver Wire

H19-18D

Lesson Quantity: 12.00 inches
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
Price: $18.49
Gold Club Price: $13.87

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

SOL-822.15

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

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

SOL-822.10

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $20.95
Gold Club Price: $15.71

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Tools

Ring press (18 ripples)

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each

Brass Hammer - 1 Pound

HAM-456.10

HAM-456.10
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $24.97
Gold Club Price: $18.73

Out of Stock

7 Piece Mini TruStrike Hammer Set with Stand

HAM-520.70

HAM-520.70
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $140.54
Gold Club Price: $105.40

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Multi-Size Wrap 'N' Tap Pliers, Large Barrels

PLR-746.03

PLR-746.03
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $29.95
Gold Club Price: $22.46

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Multi-Size Wrap 'N' Tap Pliers, Small Barrels

PLR-746.02

PLR-746.02
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $29.95
Gold Club Price: $22.46

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Flat Nose Wire Pliers

G2-506

G2-506
Lesson Quantity: 2.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $32.95
Gold Club Price: $24.71

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Nylon Bracelet Bending Plier

PLR-840.00

PLR-840.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $19.97
Gold Club Price: $14.98

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Wubbers Small Bail Making Pliers

G2-1301

G2-1301
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $24.95
Gold Club Price: $18.71

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Acculoop Precision Round Nose

PLR-741.00

PLR-741.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $18.97
Gold Club Price: $14.23

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Lindstrom Multi-Purpose Shear, 5-3/4 Inches

G2-6000

G2-6000
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $39.95
Gold Club Price: $29.96

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Xuron Flush Cutter - Pack of 1

G2-504

G2-504
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $29.95
Gold Club Price: $22.46

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Bench Block Helper with Steel and Nylon Blocks

DAP-500.30

DAP-500.30
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $29.95
Gold Club Price: $22.46

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Deluxe Soldering Kit

G15-5

G15-5
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $116.97
Gold Club Price: $87.73

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Large Disc Cutter

DAP-410.10

DAP-410.10
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $55.95
Gold Club Price: $41.96

Out of Stock

Magnesia Soldering Block

SOL-455.00

SOL-455.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $7.95
Gold Club Price: $5.96

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24 Piece Dapping Punch Set

DAP-705.00

DAP-705.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $85.97
Gold Club Price: $64.48

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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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WET/DRY PAPER 9 X 11 ASST- 20PC- 2EA GRIT 180-3000

ABR-500.90

ABR-500.90
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $24.95
Gold Club Price: $18.71

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SANDING SPONGES ASST- 5PC- 1EA GRIT 100-400

ABR-600.90

ABR-600.90
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $9.95
Gold Club Price: $7.46

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5/8 Inch Double Rubber/Nylon Head Hammer - Pack of 1

G3-26

G3-26
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $4.97
Gold Club Price: $3.73

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retractable fine nose Sharpie

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each

Basic Sawing Kit

G15-7

G15-7
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $34.95
Gold Club Price: $26.21

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Liver of Sulphur Gel, 1 Ounce Bottle

SOL-610.01

SOL-610.01
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $9.95
Gold Club Price: $7.46

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WireJewelry Pro-Series Single Barrel Tumbler, Jewelry and Metal Polishing Kit, Includes 1 Pound of Jewelers Mix Shot and 8 Ounces of Shinebrite Burnishing Compound

G25-1-KITSS

G25-1-KITSS
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $173.27
Gold Club Price: $129.95

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12x12 Inch Rubber Mat

MAT-500.00

MAT-500.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $24.95
Gold Club Price: $18.71

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Multi Angle Cutting Jig

VIS-512.00

VIS-512.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $84.95
Gold Club Price: $63.71

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Instructions

Step 1

Decide if all the links will be centered with rings, domed discs, or a combination of both.

The domes on this bracelet are stamped with the initials of the recipient's children.

Step 2

If making domed centers, use a disc cutter to cut the number of ½" discs needed.

Step 3

Stamp the center of the discs with designs, letters, or words.

Step 4

Place a stamped disc face down in a doming well.

Start with a larger well and work down to smaller ones until reaching a well that is just a bit larger than a #12 punch.

Annealing part way through the process will make doming easier.

Option: A 5/8" flat disc will fit under a rippled oval.

Consider using textured or roller printed metal for this.

Step 5

Place the dome face up on a piece of 320 grit sandpaper on a bench block.

Sand the back cut edges flat.

Step 6

Using approximately 15 inches of dead soft 14 gauge round wire, make six coils on the center step of the Large Barrel Multi-size Wrap 'N' Tap Pliers.

Using 14 gauge round wire, make as many smaller coils as needed for the rings in the middle of the rippled ovals on the center step of the Small Barrel Multi-Size Wrap 'N' Tap Pliers.

Approximately 2½ inches of wire will make two rings.

Use the Lindstrom Multi-Purpose Shear to cut the rings apart.

Both ends will be relatively flat so fusing is possible.

If not fusing but soldering instead, the ends MUST be flush cut.

Rings made smaller than Step 1 on the Large Barrel Wrap 'N' Tap Pliers will be too small for use a ring press.

Rings can be made a bit larger than Step 3 on the Large Barrel Wrap 'N' Tap Pliers and still fit the ring press.

Like Judy Freyer Thompson, I mark my wire in 1" or ½" increments when making a new project.

That way I can make notes on how much wire was used so if I want to recreate the design, I will know how much wire is needed.

Step 7

Close the rings so the ends are as flush as possible.

Place all the rings on a solderite board, openings all facing the same direction.

When the openings face the same direction, it is easier to see the seam because you know where it is.

Use a Butane Torch Head attached to a butane canister for this step.

To fuse, move the flame around one of the rings.

Carefully heat the ring until the wire surface goes from shiny to dull to very shiny and slightly molten.

The seam will start to fill in and fuse.

Let the rings cool on the board.

Flip them over.

If the seam is not fully fused, repeat the process from that side.

When the metal is almost molten, a good technique to use would be to heat and pull back, heat and pull back until the seam almost fuses.

That way the seam will not separate, which means the open ring will have to be used for something else.

The fuse will complete after the heat is removed.

Because each of the rings will be textured, it is not necessary for the seams to be perfectly smooth.

The ends just need to be fused.

Argentium can become brittle and break if immediately quenched so wait for the rings to cool.

They are cool enough to move to a bench block, which pulls the rest of the heat out of the rings, when they no longer stick to the solderite board.

If still stuck, nudge them a bit from the side and they will move without taking chunks of the board with them.

Step 8

Use a flat faced hammer larger than the small ring to flatten each small ring.

Use the largest side of a Mini TruStrike Embossing Hammer or a small domed faced hammer to texture one side of each ring.

Step 9

Center a large ring on the ring press base.

Place the top of the ring press in place.

Hammer until a ripple is achieved.

The ring work hardens quickly so will not become wide enough yet

Step 10

Use the Butane Torch Head and butane canister to anneal the rippled rings on a solderite board.

Allow the rings to cool on the board.

Step 11

Place a ring back in the ring press and hammer again.

The ring on the left is before hammering the second time.

The one on the right is after the second hammering.

Do not flatten them too much.

Two rings connected with a 4mm ID jump ring need to move freely and not rub against each other.

Step 12

Anneal the rings again as in Step 10.

Step 13

Shape the links by using pliers to pull each ring into an oval shape.

The length of the finished bracelet is determined by the length the links are pulled to.

Six ovals a bit longer than one inch will make an average length bracelet.

Stretching them to one inch or a bit less will make a small bracelet.

If in doubt as to the size, stretch to the smaller size.

Change to larger jump rings to connect the smaller links if it is found that a longer bracelet is needed.

If the two sides of the pliers being used are different sizes, flip them during the process so the bend at either end of the link is the same.

Wubbers Small Bail Making Pliers were all I had that would open far enough to do this.

Then I realized that I could have used my Acculoop Precision Round Nose pliers in the same manner.

It may be easier to place the plier jaws in the center of the ring if the ring is marked.

Step 14

Fit the small rings and/or the domed discs inside the oval links.

Adjust the oval link as needed but the fit should be tight.

Step 15

Place medium paste solder on the back of each link where the center ring or domed disc meets the oval frame.

Step 16

Place right side up, solder down, on a solderite board.

Heat until the solder flows.

Let the link cool on the board.

My workspace is in a small basement laundry room with a very tiny window just above ground that does not open.

I wear a respirator when I solder, but several years back decided to add a Fume Extractor from jewelrytools.com.

No more odor from the fumes makes it a big WIN!

Step 17

Pickle, rinse and dry the links.

Step 18

Clean up the solder joins on all the links.

Use sanding pads, coarsest to finest, to clean up the edges of each link.

Step 19

For a better fit around the wrist, curve the links with a bracelet bending pliers.

If a solder joins breaks, flatten the link and re-solder.

It is better to find out that the join was not good at this point than after the links are joined and the bracelet is almost finished.

Step 20

Using the photo as a guide, make a template for the toggle "O" ring.

Step 21

Use a disc cutter to cut a ½" hole in the center of a 1" square of 20 gauge sheet metal.

Step 22

Place the template on the sheet metal, centering the center hole over the hole in the square.

Draw around the template with an ultra fine point Sharpie.

Step 23

Use your preferred method to cut out the "O" ring.

Step 24

Anneal the "O" ring.

Step 25

Center the hole in the "O" ring over the hole in the ring press.

Place the top of the ring press in place.

Hammer until desired ripple is achieved.

Step 26

Place the "O" ring on a bench block.

Use a flat faced hammer to flatten the flange.

Step 27

Use a 1.25mm hole punch to punch a hole in the center of the flange where the opening will be.

Thread the "O" ring on a saw blade.

Cut the rest of the opening out.

Use a diamond needle file to clean up the edges of the cut.

Option: Use hole punches in a variety of sizes and/or shapes to cut the flange hole.

Most of us use only a few different sizes of saw blades, but have a preference for one.

The taped yellow paper on the saw tells me the blade size left in saw when I put it away.

Always loosen one end of the saw blade when done using the saw.

Step 28

Clean and refine the edges and center hole of the "O" ring.

Use sanding sponges from a beauty supply shop.

Step 29

Use a small plastic or rubber mallet to dome the "O" ring on a 2.25" dap.

Keep the "O" ring on the dap to use a Mini TruStrike Embossing Hammer or a small domed faced hammer to texture the area around the center opening of the ring.

A trailer hitch is the perfect size to dome the "O" ring.

Step 30

Bend the flange up a bit so when the "O" ring so the ring will lie flush to a flat surface.

Step 31

For the T-bar, cut a 1-1/8" (29mm) x 5/32" (4mm) wide piece from the remaining 20 gauge sheet.

If hole in the center of the 'O" ring is larger or smaller than ½", the T-bar length will change.

The T-bar length needs to be more than twice the diameter of the hole so it will not easily slip out of the center hole when it is worn.

The photo shows how much the end of the T-bar overhangs the center hole when the link soldered on the back of the bar butts up against the edge of the hole.

From the center out on the T-bar, both ends need to be the same length.

Step 32

Place the T-bar on a bench block.

Use the domed face of the Mini TruStrike Planishing Hammer to texture one side of the T-bar.

Step 33

Use a diamond needle file to round the ends.

Clean and refine the edges with sanding pads.

Step 34

Use an ultra fine point Sharpie to mark the center of the T-bar.

Step 35

Secure the 3mm ID jump ring in the tube cutting jig vise with not quite half of the ring outside the vise.

The jump ring opening should be facing out.

Cut the excess jump ring away with flush cutters.

File the cut ends of the jump ring flush with the jig vise.

Step 36

Decide on the orientation of the ring on the back of the T-bar.

Either version works well because small jump rings are used.

Using the first orientation, the first jump ring attaching the T-bar to the rest of the bracelet will lie flat against the back of the "O" ring when worn.

If the filed edges of the half ring hang over the edge of the bar, squeeze the sides of the ring together until the width matches the bar.

The half ring ends will need to be re-filed.

Using the second orientation, the first jump ring attaching the T-bar to the rest of the bracelet can create a small bump when worn, making the "O" ring stand slightly away from the wrist.

Step 37

Sweat solder the half ring in place.

Place medium paste solder on the two points on the T-bar that the jump ring will touch.

Heat the solder using a Jumbo Max Flame Butane Torch until it flows

I can't put a video in a written tutorial, so the photo shows the paste solder at the point where it will start to slump and flow.

When the solder flows, using a cross lock tweezers the ring is placed in the molten solder and then the heat is immediately removed.

Be careful to not pull away the tweezer holding the jump ring too soon.

Step 38

Clean up the solder seam on the back of the T-bar.

Step 39

Use the bracelet bending pliers to curve the T-bar to fit the "O" ring.

Step 40

Lay the links out in the desired order.

Connect two links with an 18 gauge 4mm ID jump ring.

Place a small amount of easy paste solder under the join.

Using a Jumbo Max Flame Butane torch, heat the join until the solder flows.

To check the length, you may wish to connect all the pieces before soldering.

Step 41

Connect the links with a second 18 gauge 4mm ID jump ring.

Move the first jump ring out of the way.

Use easy past solder to close the second jump ring.

Step 42

Continue to connect all the pieces, except the T-bar, with two 18 gauge 4mm ID jump rings, as in Step 40 and Step 41.

Step 43

Add two jump rings to the last link and solder them closed.

Step 44

Add two jump rings to the ring on the T-bar and solder closed.

Step 45

Connect the T-bar to the bracelet with two jump rings, soldering each closed.

Step 46

Pickle and rinse the bracelet.

Step 47

Tumble the bracelet to polish and work harden it.

Step 48

Leave the bracelet bright and shiny or patina if desired.

Use steel wool or fine sanding pads to remove patina from the high areas to bring out the depth of the design.

This process creates a soft brushed finish.

If more of a shine is desired, tumble again for 30 minutes.

Step 49

I gave away dozens of earrings to match this bracelet but never photographed the steps and wrote a tutorial.

While making the earrings for the tutorial, I had a soldering epiphany while assembling the parts.

It is easy to solder one ring on a flat surface, but I always had a tough time soldering the seams of rings connecting pieces.

The solder would fall off or would solder to another part of what I was making, soldering parts together that I did not want connected.

I had a lightbulb moment after a particularly tough join was not going well.

I carved several different sized shallow depressions in my magnesia soldering block for the jump ring to hang into.

What a difference that made!

A different sized depression could be used for different sized rings and projects.

After connecting the desired rings, place a small amount of easy paste solder on the outside of the seam in the ring.

Place the seam of that ring down in the well, with the seam and solder touching the surface of the well so the solder will not drop off when heating.

Heat the ring until the solder flows up through the seam in the ring.

Immediately remove the heat.

Let the unit cool on the block.

Reviews

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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!