How to make a copper bangle

by MaryAnn Carroll

Like many of you, I am a little crazy busy.  I have found some time to create some copper bangles, however, and consequently they became a little addicting AND a way to avoid everything else that I should have been doing to be a little more efficient. I thought that since I haven't posted in quite some time, I would start off by sharing a tutorial. Next week, I will have some of these to offer in a a giveaway, so stop back.

How to make a basic hammered copper bangle (picture tutorial)

If I were the super organized type, I would have a list of materials 

HERE....

but I am not, so I will do my best with letting you know what you need. Personally, I like to look at pictures, so that is what I am mostly providing.

Fire is you friend when it comes to making bangles and I like it hot!!!

Materials that you see here: 

Mapp Gas, copper solder, dremel, firing rack (not sure it that is the technical name) and 6 gauge copper wire (right from Lowes)

heavy duty wire cutters (Weiss)

 pickle (1 cup vinegar to 1 tbsp salt), a crock pot (one you will never use again in the kitchen, a ceramic bowl, water, baking soda for the water, plastic tongs,

I have been too cheap (and broke) to invest in a bracelet mandrel. An old baseball bat or, in this case, a maple leg from an old table works great!  They may not hold up as well, but, hell, I have four of them!!

This is fire brick (below). As you can see it has been used multiple times. I would recommend investing in some bricks, so that you don't burn the house down. 

That brings us to.....

STEP 1: Cut a piece of 6 gauge copper wire to approximately 8.5 inches (bigger or smaller depending on your hand size). I cut a little big just in case I make some mistakes and need to trim more than I planned for. Heat the copper to make it pliable. (you can use water for fast cooling if you choose to).

 

STEP 2: Using a chasing hammer (another material), hammer the wire until you get it flattened. I then use the flip side of the wire for the exterior of the bangle. This part takes some twisting and turning AND a little patience.

STEP 3: File, using you dremel until you get both ends of the wire to meet with as little space in between as possible.

STEP 4: Put the two ends together and place on your firing rack. Place the LONG piece of copper solder behind the connection. This part takes lots of practice and I could not take pictures while I was doing this since my right hand was being used to heat the front of the copper.

The joint isn't perfect, but with a little sanding and possibly a little more solder it will look fine.

STEP 5: Add to pickling solution (heat crock pot until hot.... I would give degrees here, but I have no clue what low is on the crock pot that I have.

 This is a picture AFTER it comes out of the pickling solution.

STEP 6: Using a wooden or rubber mallet, carefully hammer your bangle until you have reached complete roundness (or close to it)!!

There you have it!

 I also add patinas, sometimes textures and usually tumble them for extra strength and shine. Only two of these have patina added.

Stop back next Friday to enter to win a bangle or two!

MaryAnn

Shining is good for stars, but not for my metal..............

by Staci Louise Smith

When I made the leap from sterling silver to base metals, I knew I would have to grub them up to love them.  Bright copper and brass are just not my thing.

Liver of Sulfur is what I used for silver, and it worked just fine for my copper too.

I buy my copper wire in bulk, and take a good amount of each size off the roll, then dip it in LOS until its darkened.  I work with it in the antiqued state.  It is mess, but let me tell you why.

(Here is where I usually buy my copper:)

http://www.riogrande.com/Product/Copper-Round-Wire-18-Ga-Dead-Soft/132318?Pos=1

You see, I use all kinds of beads, including my polymer beads.  I cannot dip them in LOS....I have also found it effects other items too, like some fossils or beads that are coated so they don't crumble.  It has even antiqued the silver dots on ceramic and glass beads that I didn't want to darken.

(sample of my pieces with a variety of beads on them)

Another bonus to pre-antiquing my wire and metals, is that I can take them to shows with me and work on new things.

So this was going all fine and dandy, until I tried to use some brass.  Well, LOS does not antique brass very well!!!  I was told that Black Max does, but I try to keep the chemicals in my studio to the milder ones, so no black max for me.

I discovered (quite by accident) while making ball head pins and soldering brass, that if I take my torch to my brass it sort of dulls it up.  

Don't you love when that happens?????

Now, I don't use a lot of brass wire, but I LOVE this handmade solid brass chain from Rishashay.  

(sidenote:  I searched all over to find unique, quality, solid brass chain, and I cannot say enough good things about these guys.  I am really picky about my chain, but that is another post).

http://www.rishashay.com/c0879a-brpc.html

However, it is pretty shiny in person.  

So what I do, is I cut a length of it, fire up my butane torch and hit it until it gets red, sometimes a little less, and voila!  No more shiny brass.  Now you have earthy brass chain to use.

Here are some of my new designs that feature the dulled down brass chain

Basically, it is just giving your metal a torch patina, and depending on the amount of heat applied, the amount of time, and the oxygen ratio, you will get varying effects.  I like to play with the flame and time to see what shades of dirty brass I can get.

Please use all torch safety precautions ect ect ect.  Especially when heating metal, window open, fan, fume extruder, ventilation.....do it!  Your lungs will thank you!