Are you Wonder Woman for the Holidays?
This cuff is so easy you'll want to make several. It's very bold and makes a strong statement and has a bit of that Wonder Woman vibe that we all need this time of year!!
You will need a 6x6 piece of 22 gauge bronze sheet or any other metal you want to work with. This is a pretty fluid piece so whatever you have you can make it work. It will help immensely to have an oval bracelet mandrel but you can find something that has the shape you need and make it work too. Buying a tool like that is only worth it if you are going to use over and over. I love shaping metal so anything that works for that I have to have--tool hog! There are lots of things like cans and bottles that you can use to shape a onetime project. My most frequently used mandrel is a chubby sharpie pen..
Cut out a piece of the sheet in the scale that you want. Make both sides tapered. I use shears as it's faster for me--coming from fibers field I love my scissors. If you cut with shears you have to do more filing than if you use a jeweler's saw. You need to figure out which you prefer. I have a jeweler's wheel with a soft sanding type of wheel so I don't do a lot of filing.
Texture the piece with either texture hammers or putting items on and hammering on them to create your own texture. Anything that will make it look like ancient metal--or try it shiny.
After you texture you will have a very work hardened piece so be sure to anneal it. When you quench it you probably won't like the color because of the high heat.
Next drill 1/8th inch holes in the narrow end for the wires....as many or few as you like! Don't forget to mark your place with a center punch so your drill bit doesn't skitter...
Before shaping I polish it up to shiny with either sandpaper and steel wool or a polishing wheel, then carefully heat until I get the lovely chocolate color. Warm it, pull the heat away and give it a moment to develop and then warm again if needed.
Using a mandrel or something that you have found that creates the curve shape the large metal piece. Hammer lightly to work harden it into place.
Cut 8 - 10 inch pieces of 12 gauge wire, if you have scaled down this piece use 14 gauge. Hammer out to flatten, but don't flare the ends as you have to thread through the holes first, then flare the ends. Texture if you like. Heat through to anneal and follow the steps above to get the color patina.
Thread the wires through your holes and randomly fold in half so the ends are uneven. This is where you flare the ends a bit and polish so they don't scratch.
Shape and hammer the whole piece until it fits your arm perfectly and the wires lay nicely. Make sure you work harden it well so the wires stay as you have shaped them. Note that I'm just using a hardware store hammer here. It's heavier than my jeweler's ball peen and work for this heavy gauge and for when I work with steel.
The Overflowing Stash is still growing and getting better every day....leave a comment to enter the drawing...
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