First of all, I want to thank everyone ahead of time for their ideas and suggestions. Lary
I have 3 questions on working with stainless steel wire.
I am looking for some information about making my own stainless steel jump rings. Making them has not been the issue wrapping them around my mandrel until I get to anything greater than 18 guage. #1 Any suggestions for wrapping16 guage or heavier to create my rings around a rod?
#2 However the Big question is cutting 18 guage and heavier stainless steel rings that I have created to make jump rings. I am using a jewelers saw to get a nice straight saw cut so my joint is nice an flush. The blades do not last long and the blade breaking casualty has increased. Ha Ha!!
#3 I would also like to get some suggestion on how to make stainless steel rings approximately 1 to 2 inches in diameter using 12-14 gauge stainless steel wire?
Here you’re moving into machining and away from jewelry making.
Couple of things: stainless steel work hardens very quickly. This makes it more difficult to cut, saw, drill, etc. It will even work harden while you’re drilling if the bit is a little dull. Annealing the coil before cutting the rings apart should lengthen the life of your saw blades. Annealing stainless without a temperature controlled kiln may be difficult, however.
This is the sort of work you really should job out to a machinist shop, who have the kind of equipment needed.
Here’s a video of Mr.Pete, “Your Internet shop teacher,” wrapping steel rings two ways: around a mandrel held in a vise and on the lathe.
I love making chain maille, and while I cut my own non-ferrous jump rings (with a Pepetools Jumpringer), I buy my stainless steel jumprings from chain maille suppliers. I use:
I did try to cut my own. It was… tiring. I used a Pike Platinum blade (a bit stronger) and it did the job with a short coil, but it wasn’t anything I wanted to keep doing.
You could try setting up a jig of some sort and use a separating disk. I’d recommend one of the reinforced ones, even though it will make the kerf a bit wider. I know you know this, but Wear Eye Protection if you try this.
For larger rings, I’ve used a steel pipe and wood dowels to wrap the wire around. Each is problematic in its own way, spring-back with the steel, digging into the wood with the dowel (and thus altering the size a tiny bit), but I usually go with the dowel, slide the coil off and use regular steel cutters, then file the ends smooth. Since I rarely make a lot at any one time, this works ok for me.
Like Elliot said, it’s a whole 'nother skill set and I am happy to pay someone else to do the heavy lifting.
Thank you for the great info. The reason I have started to cut my own, they are odd sizes and I only need a few at a time. Also experimenting with making rings 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter however those are really not easy when I use 14 guage to wrap around. Getting the ends to joint up evenly has been a challenge.
Hi Elliot,
Thank you for the suggestions and the video. It all helped. I new stainless steel was strong, however didn’t realize how it would chew up blades. Also trying to bend 14 guage into
1 1/2 to 2 inch circle has been a real challenge. Especially trying to get a seamless joint.
You might try Militec as a blade lube when cutting stainless. Have a friend in Hawaii who maintains the pineapple processing equipment and his secret to drilling, tapping, cutting, etc. stainless (something many, many shops just will not even attempt) go far better using Militec as a cupping lube. I use is in my metal shop for all my metal driving but ESPECIALLY stainless and what a difference.
you can try to use a thin diamond disc cutter. which you can attach to flexshaft. need to wear eye protection and clamp the stainless steel wire to a vise. cheers
If memory serves, it was a #1 (not 1/0) and for either 18 or 16 gauge wire. I write the blade size and brand on tape and put it on the saw handle. That image is clearest in my mind.
(This was for a JPL3 weave, in case you were wondering.)
