The beauty of BRASS

MANY OF us love jewellery but don’t have the money to spend on it. What some of us don’t realise is that we can make a number of our desired objects with everyday materials. This week we will learn how to make brass rings using wire. This method can also be used with copper.

Brass is a gold-hue, metal made from the elements copper and zinc; occasionally, other metals are used too. Due to its colour and its unreactive nature, it has been used throughout history for a number of different purposes, from making jewellery and ornaments to weapons. Brass is relatively cheap and, as a result, it is a good option for jewellery making.

One of the easiest things to make with brass is a ring. There are many different styles that can be made, but a popular one is the braided/twisted ring.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

1) Pliers for cutting 2) Pliers for twisting wire 3) 16-gauge dead soft copper/brass wire 4) Hammer 5) Flat, hard surface

Step one:

Twist the wires together using the pliers. This can be done using two separate wires, or by folding a long wire in half, fixing it to one spot and twisting it.

Step two:

Hammer the wire until flat. This should be done against a hard surface that will not break from the impact of the hammer.

Step three:

Curve the wire around something similar in size to the finger you intend to wear the ring on. The ring will be adjustable. Therefore, if the sizing is slightly off, it can still be worn.