Some great chain tutorials

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from "alex" :

]I have made bracelets from some of these tutorials they are easy to follow ]and you will be surprised at the results.

you know - - i thought about that several times. for me, it's one more skill to have to learn and one more set of equipment to buy. and honestly - i'd rather spend my time on the creative process. i don't have enough of that as it is. so, every time i can, i buy my links from Lynda

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

Just wanted to share, I wish I had pictures of some of the better stuff we have made We use to do a lot of wire and chain work and go through links like crazy, so we purchased the tools we needed, now we can spit out hundreds of links in 15 mins. then Lampworking came along, and now the tools are dust collectors until we get that jewelry making craving

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from "alex" :

]Just wanted to share, I wish I had pictures of some of the better stuff we ]have made

that's always a good thing here - honest!

]then Lampworking came along, and now the tools are dust collectors until we ]get that jewelry making craving

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

Did you see the spool knit chain in Lapidary Journal this month?

Tina

I agree about purchasing. I use a dremel with a ringer system (under $100.00). I get my sterling for under 9.00/oz and make thousands of rings...about 60% less than buying them pre cut.

But, there are a couple of places that offer beautifully cut rings.

I don't cut much copper ... I can get rigs cut for just very little, so I spend my time cutting silver.

What's a "ringer system"?

Thanks for the link. I'm finding it rather fascinating. I'm curious now as to what tools are required to make the links, and costs (cause of course I have to stagger my purchases with other things, like bills)

"alex" wrote in news:i%d%b.123377$uV3.633233@attbi_s51:

The only tools I've had to use are two pair of pliers like these:

Thanks for that link Alex, I was interested in soldering, and that tutorial was helpful, and I enjoyed looking a the different weaves...wow, there is so much to learn! Arleen

A ringer system is a "thing" that helps you use your dremel or foredom to cut rings. You wind the metal on a mandrel of the correct size, then insert it in the (good lord, i am word retarded today) in my case, koil kutter, tighten it, insert the blade into the guide, and cut the coil. Virtually no metal loss, due to the minute width of the blade, and virtually no burrs. there is another system called the jump ringer, i believe, that is several hundred dollars.

i began with aviation shears, then graduated to a jewelers saw, and now use the koil kutter.

i recently made a necklace that used almost 4300 rings, during a year i might use 10's of thousands of rings...no more cutting by hand. I am likely to get the jumpringer system soon, as mandrels are available in different shapes, and it seems to be a more "industrial" system. The koil kutter, though, has cut thousands and thousands of rings for me, though, so I'm holding on to it as long as I can.

lg

Most of them don't need soldering, if the rings you use are good enough, you shouldn't see the joins because they go back together so well! I think it's far safer to have them unsoldered in thick pieces like those chains too.

Charlie.

Your welcome! we have made the Byzantine weave many many times ( no solder needed ) I have a picture of one bracelet we made, everyone loves it

I didn't get it this month, I'll have to check it out

we sometimes use a very thin file to clean them up, but usually they are fine, we use a lubricant on the blade ( looks like wax )

Pretty kewl huh

Sorry I can not take credit for the site, not mine was just sharing a site I used to visit

I'll look for the place I bought mine, unless some else posts a good place

We put the mandrel / arbor thingy in a cordless drill goes much quicker, you can use any shape mandrel / arbor you can find ( the larger the size the weaker the link depending on the gauge. hope that made sense )