The trick is not in making the cylinder, but in making one in
bracelet form because if it is made straight and then bent, it will
be deformed. Hope this is a little clearer.
Clearer in theory but I shall be fascinated to see how you weave a
bent cylinder with the wires touching on the inside of the curve and
also on the outside - otherwise, if the wires are apart on the
outside it will be the same as a straight cylinder bent into a bangle
shape… or are you going to use wires that are thinner on the
inside of the bangle and wider on the outside? I wait to be
amazed… 
When they make trumpets, they fill the tubes with water, freeze
them, bend the tubes while the water is frozen and then let them
thaw out. That keeps the tubes in a cylindrical form so maybe you
could use that idea??
Best wishes,
Ian
Ian W. Wright
Sheffield UK
So do you perhaps need some kind of alternative weaving technique
whereby you have more "threads" on the outside of the bracelet
tube and less on the inside? Such that eg. if the seam was on the
inside
I was about to write this, and there was Helen. When you make
certain necklaces (fringe necklaces, for one), what you do is put
fewer beads or units on the inner curve. If you have a strand of
pearls, it will just go into a circle naturally. If you have a
double or triple strand of pearls all the same length, it will be
parallel lines - a bracelet. To make a necklace that lays properly
you need to use fewer pearls on the inside curve. One way or another
(weave, rings, loops, whatever) that’s what you need to do to get it
to arc naturally - put fewer elements on the inside of the arc - how
many you’ll have to figure out for your own situation, as it will
vary due to all the elements - wire size, etc. I put some links up
for chainmail, and in one of them they make bowls - that’s how they
do that, by varying the number of rings at key points.
Take some Kraft Caramels (Candy), make a rod out of them. Bend the
rod to the shape you want, chill it, then weave around it. When you
are finished, soak it in water, and the candy will dissolve, leaving
you with a nice hollow weave.
or:
Take some casting wax that comes in Rods. ( Rio has many diameters )
Warm it in hot water till it is soft and pliable, and shape it into
the bracelet or shape you want, chill it, then weave around it. When
you are finished, put it in boiling water, the wax will come to the
top. It may need some additional cleaning with alcohol to remove the
last of thewax.
Love and God Bless
randy
http://www.rocksmyth.com
Ian,
Yes, I am curious to see how it will be done too (lol). I wouldn’t
think it was possible except there is one by Mary Lee Hu on page 151
of “Textile Techniques in Metal”. It is a great puzzle and so far I
do not have the answer.
Karen
Ah Randy,
That makes tons of sense. Being new at this, I have never worked
with wax, I will give that a try because I think the candy might be
too sticky.
Also, thanks to an Orchid member, I was able to email Mary Lee Hu
today and, while she is leaving for 9 days, she will contact me on
her return and help me.
Thanks so much for everyone sticking with me on this. If you could
see Mary Lee Hu’s bracelet, you’d think it was impossible to make it
is so incredible.
Karen