I can make metal stamped jewelry

DIY Stamped Wire Bangles

by Leave a Comment

How To Make Stamped Wire Bangles Main

There’s something deeply satisfying about taking some copper wire and turning it into jewelry. We’re showing you how to turn 10 gauge copper wire into DIY Stamped Wire Bangles and you’ll be amazed at how easy this is to do! As you hammer, stamp, smooth, and bend the soft copper wire you are changing the molecular structure. This process is called work  hardening. The key is getting a feel for the wire so you don’t overwork it and turn it from hard to brittle. Practice, practice, practice, copper wire is inexpensive, easy to manipulate, and a great place to start. Watch the video first, it will help you understand the process. Then follow our step by step photos to make your own DIY Stamped Wire Bangles. This is so much fun, you’ll want to stamp up a wrist full!

You will need: The following links are affiliate based, which means we get a small percentage of the sale, which is how we can afford to create these tutorials for you!
Artistic Wire 10-Gauge Bare Copper Wire
ImpressArt Stamp Enamel or Folk Art Enamel Acrylic Paint, Licorice
1.5mm Letter & Number Punch Set
ImpressArt 2 by 2-Inch Steel Block
Beadalon Leather Pad For Block and Anvil
Ergo-Angle Metal Stamping Hammer
ImpressArt Chasing Hammer
ImpressArt 1″ Nylon Hammer
Beadalon Nylon Jaw Pliers
ImpressArt Bracelet Bending Bar
ImpressArt Bracelet Bending Pliers
Sanding Block or Metal Filing Tools
ImpressArt Stamp Straight Tape
Ruler
Non-Permanent Marker
Paper Towel

Watch the video for the full tutorial, then get the step by step photos and instructions below!

DIY Stamped Wire Bangles Margot Potter Steps

Step One: Measure and cut wire using shears. The wire will get a little longer as you stamp. Remember the bangle is open in the back. I used 5″ wire segments, but I have small wrists, you can increase or decrease the wire length to fit your wrist.

Step Two: Before you hammer, use your nylon jaw pliers to straighten out your wire, then use flat end of chasing hammer to flatten the wire ends. Then add texture with the round end.

Step Three: Repeat this process over the entire wire length. Pay more attention to the center since this is where you will be stamping. You need to flatten it enough to fit the 1.5mm stamps. Don’t over hammer, hammering work hardens the copper, but too much hammering can make the copper brittle.

Step Four: Straighten wire again with nylon jaw pliers.

Step Five: Turn hammered wire on it’s side and hammer, repeat on other side. This helps keep the stamped wire straight.

Step Six: Tape bracelet to blank. Mark the center point of your wire with a non-permanent  marker. Don’t stamp dead center, this is a stress point on the bracelet.

Step Seven: Stamp the center letter to the left of the marked center point.

Step Eight: Stamp left and right, until you’ve completed your word.

Step Nine: After hammering the wire one last time to straighten, insert one end of wire into the bracelet bending bar. Gently bend the wire over the curved area of the bar.

Step Ten: Insert opposite end of wire into the bar, repeat process. Don’t over bend, this is just to form the arc of your bracelet, take your time!

Step Eleven: Use the bracelet bending pliers to fine tune the shape of your bangle. You can also use your nylon jaw pliers here to refine the shape!

Step Twelve: Use a jeweler’s file or sanding block to send ends of wire to make them dull.

Step Thirteen: Apply Stamp Enamel with applicator tip. Allow to sit for 10 seconds. Wipe medium into stamped letters with paper towel, then wipe off the surface medium. This will polish the metal and leave the medium in the stamped areas to help them stand out!

Step Fourteen: Make a wrist full!

DIY Stamped Wire Bangles Two

You can further refine, polish, and finish these DIY Stamped Wire Bangles if you desire. I have a flex shaft tool with a variety of polishing tips and a tumbler, and there’s always a little elbow grease and steel wool! You can also coat them with clear nail polish to keep them from tarnishing as copper will do over time.

How to Make Stamped Wire Bangles Alternate

These DIY Stamped Wire Bangles are a great way to get a feel for working with wire without breaking the bank. I love these so much, I am planning to make them in sterling. Take your time, have some fun, don’t worry about perfection. It’s handmade, the little imperfections are part of what makes them beautiful.

Stay tuned, we’ll have more videos and step by step tutorials on the way for the holidays with lots of DIY personalized gifts!

Cheers,
Margot and Avalon

Last Minute Metal Stamped Earrings

by Leave a Comment

Last Minute Metal Stamped DIY Earrings Margot Potter

If you’re still looking for the perfect DIY holiday gifts, it doesn’t get easier or prettier than these last minute metal stamped earrings. Using design stamps is a lovely way to make a personalized gift. These are easy for the novice stamper if they use softer metal blanks like aluminum or pewter. The trick with design stamps is keeping the stamp in full contact with the blank and then rocking and hitting it from multiple angles. It does take a little practice, so get some sheet metal and perfect your technique. Use gift tags to display the earrings for a perfect presentation.

Last Minute Metal Stamped Earrings Action Shot

You will need (These are affiliate links, if you click on a link and buy something we get a small percentage of the sale, that’s how we can afford to share these free tutorials!)

2 ImpressArt, Circle, 1/2″, Aluminum Stamping Blanks
ImpressArt Design Stamps (We used Bumble Bee and Horse Shoe)
2 6-MM Jump Ring, Silver Plate
2 Beadalon Ball Earwires Silver Plated
2 Christmas Gift Tags
Ergo-Angle Metal Stamping Hammer
ImpressArt 4 by 4-Inch Steel Block
ImpressArt Hole Punch Pliers
2 Pairs ImpressArt Chain Nose Pliers
ImpressArt Stamp Enamel or Folk Art Enamel Acrylic Paint, Licorice
Dapping Block Set
Paper Towel

Last Minute Metal Stamped Earrings Steps

(Click on graphic to see more detail)

 

Step One: Tape blank to bench block.

Step Two: Hold stamp firmly centering and hitting dead center once. DO NOT LIFT STAMP. Rock stamp to top left, hit, top right, hit, bottom left, hit, bottom right, hit and dead center and hit one last time. As long as you don’t lift the stamp, this will help you get a full impression.

Step Three: Repeat for second blank.

Step Four: Use hole punch pliers to pierce a hole in the top center of each blank.

Step Five: Place blanks in dapping block, place dapping tool over blank. Hit top of dapping tool with hammer, moving tool around as you hit to form a concave shape. Repeat for second blank.

Step Six: Apply enamel, let sit for 10 seconds, wipe excess with paper towel.

Step Seven: You need to use jump rings with these blanks so they’ll sway when you wear the earrings. Gently grasp and turn the earring wire loops as shown so the earrings will hang straight when worn. Connect earrings with jump rings to earring wires with chain nose pliers. Make sure the rings are closed with tension!

Step eight: Pierce the gift tag with a straight pin and insert the earrings.

Last Minute DIY Earrings Potter Two

We used Organza Drawstring Gift Bags to wrap these. Simply fabulous. You can make these last minute metal stamped earrings in just a few minutes, so stamp up some for every gal on your gift list! If you make some, tag them on social media with #handstampedholidays! We love to see your creations.

Cheers,
Margot and Avalon

Wire Heart Earrings

by Leave a Comment

Wire Heart Earrings

This week, we’re having more fun with wire making a pretty pair of Anatomical Wire Heart Earrings using 20 and 24 gauge Beadalon German Style Wire. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and these will look beautiful under candlelight or anytime you want to shine. We love working with this wire because it’s not dead soft like aluminum and copper, so it holds a shape more readily and work hardens very easily. Plus you can’t beat the high shine of the silver plating on this wire.

I’ve been having a creative dialog with my friend Kathy Cano Murillo, check out her stunning soldered hammered heart necklace that inspired me to make these earrings!

Watch the video and then grab the materials and step by step instructions below!

Materials (These are affiliate links, if you click on a link and make a purchase we get a small percentage of the sale.)
2 4″ lengths Beadalon German Style Wire, Round, Silver Plated, 20 gauge
2 5″ lengths German Style Wire, Round, Silver Plated, 24 gauge
6 Czech Fire-Polished Faceted Glass Beads Round 3mm Silver Metallic
Beadalon Steel Bench Block
1″ diameter dowel
Beadalon Nylon Jaw Pliers
Beadalon Chain Nose Pliers, Round Nose Pliers, Flush Cutter, Flat Nose Pliers (You can find them all in this Beadalon 5-Piece Tool Kit
Ruler

Wire Heart Earrings Instructions

1. Cut two 4″ lengths of 20 gauge wire. Be sure to cut to the flush or flat end of the flush cutters. Go back and cut both ends, you may have to nip off the pointy side on one end to make both ends flush.
2. Measure to the 1.5″ mark and use flat nose pliers to make a sharp angled bend in the wire.
3. Form the shorter wire end around your dowel to make an arc. Repeat with the opposite end.
4. Grasp the longer end of your wire with the end of your round nose pliers. Turn a small loop working in the direction of the arc.
5. Use the dowel and your fingers to bend the end into the heart shape, see photo above.
6. Use the flat end of your chasing hammer to flatten the wire hearts. You need to make a left and a right earring, so hammer on the opposite side of each heart shape. Work only on the longer side of the wire and at the top of the wire that will slide into your ear.
7. Use the round end of your chasing hammer to add some texture.
8. Cut a 5″ length of 24 gauge wire. Wrap tightly around the outer upper edge of the heart shape three times.
9. Slide a bead on the wire, wrap once. Repeat two more times for a total of three beads.
10. Use flat nose pliers to tighten up the top and bottom wraps.
11. Cut off excess wires at top and bottom.
12. Use chain nose pliers to tuck wires under.
13. Repeat for second earring. Make a left and a right earring, wrapping the beads to the front of each  hammered heart, so they will be facing forward in the ear when worn. See photo!
14. BONUS TIP! Insert wire ends into a Bur Cup Wire Rounder tool to round them and make them less sharp. This makes it easier to slide them into your piercings.

Wire Heart Earrings Two

Wire Heart Earrings Three

That’s it, you made your own pair of Anatomical Wire Heart Earrings! Fun, fast, and fabulous! And you can say you made it yourself. If you enjoy our videos and tutorials, we’d LOVE it if you subscribe to our YouTube Channel

and come back soon!

Cheers,
Margot and Avalon