Finally got round to sorting out another tutorial. Firstly, I’ll apologies because I did start working on this piece to show step by step pictures of it being made but only got so far before I ran out of time.

You Will Need:

a strip of metal 3cm wide x 15cm long (silver, gilding metal, what ever metal you want to use)

Scribber

Hobby Drill & Jewellers Saw

Micro Torch & Multi Tool (Dremel or similar)

Something to shape your bangle round/bangle mandrel

What To Do:

Firstly, you’ll need to tidy up the edges of your metal if need be. I use a sanding disc on my Dremel to bevel (make round) the edges. You can also use this to round off the corners at either end of your metal.

Next, if you haven’t decided already, you need to pick the design that you would like to pierce out of your bangle. Something simple usually works best.  I chose to do a repeating stylised fern design. After you’ve got your design scribe it onto your metal.  

Then use your hobby drill to drill a hole in each part. I used the starting leaf of each separate fern. 

Take your saw blade and thread it through your first hole (refer back to the Pierced Circle design if you are unsure) and start piercing out your design. Depending on what design you pick, be prepared to keep undoing your saw and placing it back in the drilled hole at the beginning of your design or any handy hole that you’ve pierced out already. Don’t feel like you have to pierce out the design in one go.

Once you’ve pierced out all of your design and are happy with it, it’s time to form your bangle.

First you need to anneal the metal. This makes it the metal pliable (easier to bend) and less likely to crack or buckle as you shape it.

Annealing

Use your Micro Torch to heat the metal until it is a dull red in colour and then leave it to cool. Sudden quenching of hot metal in water may cause it to distort so it’s best to leave your piece to cool down on your soldering hearth.

As you begin to shape the metal it will become harder to work with, this is known as ‘work hardening’. As soon as the metal becomes hard to work with re-anneal it and continue shaping it.

Tap your metal with a wooden hammer to form it round the mandrel into the desired bangle shape. After it’s been shaped you will need to polish it up to get rid of any marks caused by annealing. I’m guessing that will be my next tutorial.

This technique can be used to make all manner of beautiful bangles, with scalloped edges or straight edges.

Got pictures of your finished projects? Please email them to me, I’d love to add a part to this blog of all your creations.