Bracelet wire types.
May 25, 2013 12:54 PM Subscribe
What type and gauge wire should I use to create a Alex and Ani type bracelet?
Best answer: This tutorial discusses the answer in the comments. I'm not familiar with these bracelets so you'll have to look at her example and see if you want to follow her advice.
But there are a lot more tutorials out there, I just looked at one.
posted by acidic at 1:37 PM on May 25, 2013
But there are a lot more tutorials out there, I just looked at one.
posted by acidic at 1:37 PM on May 25, 2013
For solid wire, most hobbyist jewery makers go with 22ga sterling wire (you can get it from a million places). For stranded wire (much thicker but more flexible), look for 49-strand (also go with sterling). It really depends on what you want to put on it - Tiny beads may need thinner wire, while "charms" or large beads like cowrie shells will do great on the stranded. You can also sometimes get away with threading some 38ga wire through the stranded to attach tiny beads or charms, but they tend to tear off easily (so better on a necklace than a bracelet).
If you go with stranded, though, you'll need to pick up special end-caps and clasps, and will most likely need to solder the wire into the end caps (you can crimp them, but it looks like crap unless done perfectly, and still won't have the strength of a soldered clasp). With solid wire, you can often get away with a twist-through-the-eyelet clasp (though getting it to look good takes some practice - Don't try to skip a few practice wraps to try to skimp on a few feet of wire).
posted by pla at 1:38 PM on May 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you go with stranded, though, you'll need to pick up special end-caps and clasps, and will most likely need to solder the wire into the end caps (you can crimp them, but it looks like crap unless done perfectly, and still won't have the strength of a soldered clasp). With solid wire, you can often get away with a twist-through-the-eyelet clasp (though getting it to look good takes some practice - Don't try to skip a few practice wraps to try to skimp on a few feet of wire).
posted by pla at 1:38 PM on May 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Acidic,
Thanks for the quick answer! ADJUSTABLE WIRE BANGLES are the correct key words I should have Googled. The memory wire is important to hold the round shape. Thanks again.
posted by boby at 2:05 PM on May 25, 2013
Thanks for the quick answer! ADJUSTABLE WIRE BANGLES are the correct key words I should have Googled. The memory wire is important to hold the round shape. Thanks again.
posted by boby at 2:05 PM on May 25, 2013
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posted by Specklet at 1:24 PM on May 25, 2013