Steel Bracelet

Needed:

Tie wire
Two nuts
Solder

Step 1 Get your wire

Cut two pieces of wire about 15” long.

Hold the ends of the wire with pliers and rake them, one at a time, over a metal rod.

I used my hammer while stepping on it. This helps to straiten the wire out for the next step.

 

Comments

[vm11238]

I'm a little late for the convo but I just wanted to add my two cents here. if your going to use stainess steel wire for this project and you plan on soldering the ends for strong solder joins -it's best to use a 65% silver solder(easy solder sheets or chips ) and a coordinating flux paste> i use Handy flux Type B-1 .i purchased both from Rio Grande.com and you can use one of those butane torches you can get for under ten dolars at home depot. some people have those creme brulee desert torches for the kitchen they also work. check out the jewelery supply online.
for a really great shine use red rouge polishing compund . you canget this at home depot in the dremel rotary too section in a small amount or online at widgetssupply.com real cheap. :0)

[SiNFwang]

I've tried doing this with both a coat hanger and 16 gauge jewelry wire. But twisting them is extremely difficult. Is there a way to make it easier to twist?

Also I tried putting the ends in a drill and holding the other end with pliers. That didn't work at all.

[abstracted]

i do my wire twisting with my bench vice and cordless drill. bronze welding rods twist n clean up nicely.

[Mrballeng]

I tried using coat hangers. Didn't work so well. The wire would shear off from the jaws of the pliers. I'll give it a couple more tries though.

I'm not sure what gage it is but I would guess it's about 1.5mm thick. A roll of it can be bought at any hardware store.

[Mrballeng]

Tie wire is pretty easy to bend / twist. I've never used anything else but I'll try a coat hanger and let you know how it turns out.

[SiNFwang]

Also, what gauge tie wire do you use? I bought 16 and 18, but it doesn't look like it would be thick enough.

[Keira_Yagami]

Have you tried to use fencing Wire that you use for electric fencing? You can get it a Tractor Supply company, Lowe's or places like that. and comes in a variety of thicknesses, I think It would work well.

[Hippo_CZ]

I am making one just now... I already twist a wire and I had one problem... I am using steel tire wire which is 1,8 mm thin and it´s so strong for twisting by pliers and stepping on hammer.... I must to use vice and clamp wires into it and twist by steel bar... what diameter of wire are you using? Thank you, Hippo, CZ

[Juleemt]

:O My god im in love with everything you do... amazing ideaaaaa!!!! I have so many things to do, i need 5 more hands!!

[Juleemt]

damnnn my fingerss XD i burnt them while soldering XD

[abcameo]

Please tell me what "Tie Wire" is. Thank you.

[abcameo]

Thanks for your quick reply. I think this bracelet looks great. Amy

[Mrballeng]

Tie wire is commonly used in construction to bind rebar together. Google "tie wire".

[zombie1212]

very well done you explained it very well, I cant wait to make on.

[jonzo97]

I've got all the wire twisted, the nuts set aside, but no lead-free solder, torch, mig welder, or anything else of that sort, just a soldering iron and some lead solder. I really want to finish this up so I can continue onto polishing, but I don't know how I should join the nut and my steel wire. Any suggestions? Also, is there a way I could put a lacquer on the lead solder to prevent the negative affects of the lead?

[Mrballeng]

Where are you located? The solder available in public stores here in the US are only lead free. You should be able to find the stuff no problem.

I wouldn't play with leaded solder. You could even go to the electrical section of a store like walmart and buy some for a couple dollars.

If you don't have a torch you could use a novelty jet flame lighter. These can be found at most gas stations or conveinient stores.

But if that isn't in the budget, I would just file the ends so that no sharp ends are left.

Good luck and post pictures!

[jonzo97]

Finally finished it yesterday, and though I never soldered on the nuts on the end, using a wire brush and polishing wheel on my dremel finished it off, and it looks great. My mom loved it, great instructable!

[Mrballeng]

Glad to hear it! Good going for keeping at it. Hope to see a picture and thanks for the complement.

[jonzo97]

I think I will need to buy some of the materials you used like the torch- the lead solder with a soldering iron didn't stick to the roughed-up nut, and no such luck with acetone soldering either...

[crak-a-bottle]

I've never made anything like this, but it looks possible if I borrow some stuff from DT at school.
Although I do have a question....what's flux paste? Where do I get it?
Thanks :)

[Mrballeng]

Check this out.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Phillips-Head-Stud-Earrings/

[crak-a-bottle]

ah, thanks a lot :)

[Mr.Sanchez]

I wanna try with copper wire but dont know the soldering stuff...

[ironsmiter]

make sure to use lead free solder.
lead solder, and extended wear jewelry don't mix well.

As an alternative, consider BRAZING.
it's not that much harder, and looks pretty good.

Finally, if you are one of the many people, like me, who turn copper jewelry green... use either oxygen-free copper, or lacquer the piece once finished. Nail polish is an easy, though more expensive, alternative to lacquer.

[Mr.Sanchez]

Ohhh I see do you mean cause the copper let marks in your skin or clothes ,
Ok...I will.One thing that I would like to try it´s bathgold but dont know if works with nickels or brass..

[Mrballeng]

You don't have to solder. Just file the edges smooth. Soldering is easy though. My whole set up for soldering (torch, solder, flux paste) cost $25.

[Mr.Sanchez]

i´ll try with an old Gasoline Torch from My Old Man, thnks for the quick response.

[My Key]

For a much, much quicker way to twist the wire, you can clamp the two ends into a drill (sans bit), hold the looped end with a pliers, and fire away.

Careful not to overtwist, it will weaken the wire and possilby break it.

Also, you need to hold both the pliers and the drill firmly to get a uniform twist.