Wire weaving ring Tutorial

1. You need:

Copper wire (1,3 mm) 16 gauge  - 60 cm

Copper wire (0,4 mm) 26 gauge — 3 m

Chain nose pliers

Round nose pliers

Wire cutters

Hammer

Miniature Horn Anvil

Needle file

Steel mandrel

Butane torch and tweezers for soldering

Board for soldering

Solid solder 18 ga (1 mm)

Maas Polishing Creme and Polishing pads

Citric acid

Liver of sulfur

Rustins lacquer for metal

3. Cut 5 identical rings of the required diameter. Use a metal cylinder for this.

4. Use the file to align the edges. The pieces of wire must fit tightly to each other.

5. We will use solid copper-phosphorus solder to make soldering. You can find two kinds of solder in my shop – 2 mm and 1 mm. They both have beautiful copper color after the soldering. Because they do not contain silver. But I prefer a thin solder because it's easier to cut. I use large cutters for 2 mm solder and small cutters for 1 mm solder. 

6. Use a plastic hammer to fix the rings.

7. I use large butane torch for copper soldering, because it can maintain a high temperature.

8. Cut a very small piece of solder and place it near the seam of the ring. Be careful if you use too large a piece, it can acquire silver color after soldering. Start warming the ring on the opposite side and move to the seam.

9. Clear all rings in the warm solution of citric acid.

10. As you can see after the cleaning the place of soldering has a perfect copper color.

11. Use steel mandrel and plastic hammer to fix the rings.

12. Cut 80 cm of 0.4 mm wire and make a weaving next way:

13. One coil around first and second rings together and next coil around second and third ring and so on. I add a new ring with every new turn. I make two coils around the fourth and fifth rings above. Then I pull the wire between the fourth and fifth rings. And I make a coil around the fourth and third rings and continue to the bottom.

14. During weaving, the wire can become rigid and break. So from time to time I heat the wire to make it soft again.

15. From time to time I use a needle to push the rings. The distance between the rings should be the same all the time.

16. When the thin wire ends or breaks, we can just take another long piece and continue the weaving.

17. Cut off excess pieces of wire and push to the base. Hide the ends between the turns on the outside side.

 

18. In the finale, it can be difficult to do weaving. So use a needle and pliers to continue it.

19. After the weaving is finished, cut off the excess wire and hide the ends on the outer side between the turns. And clear the ring in the citric acid.

 20. Make patina by the warm solution of liver of sulfur. 

21.  Use polishing pads and tumbler or Polishing cream to polish the ring.