Square wire jumprings

Jewelry Discussion
1

How does one make jump rings from sterling silver square wire? My
procedure for making them from round wire is to simply make a tight
coil around a wooden dowel and then saw a straight line down the
coil. Does it work the same way for square wire, or does that little
bit of skew that the coil introduces create a problem?

2

It is fairly easy to make jump rings from square wire if you can
hold it from twisting while doing it. I describe one method on my web
site at http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/ep80qo , click on “For Our
Students” on the left, and scroll down to “Winding Coils with
Non-round Wire”.

Cheers.
John Fetvedt
bijoux-de-terre.com

3

I make jump rings with square wire by holding the square wire I am
wrapping around a mandrel with a nylon jaw pliers. This keeps it
from turning and it lays nice and flat. You might need a second pair
of hands to help you do this. I do it with a pepe jump ring makers so
I am not holding the mandrel but just turning the crank with my right
hand and holding the nylon pliers with the wire in it in my left
hand. Hope this makes sense? and is helpful :slight_smile: joy kruse

4

Marie,

I bought some square jump rings a few years ago so I know it can be
done. I think they were made in Israel. Orchid has a few members in
Israel that might be able to answer your question.

Good luck, MA

5

Rio Grande carries Square Wire Jump Rings see our website
riogrande.com or look in our 2015 catalog on page 339. Let me know if
there are specific sizes you need.

Regards,
Dawn Nials

6

Thanks John, good idea! Robin

7

Put one end of the square wire length in a vise, pull it out
straight, start your wrap on your mandrel securing the end to the
mandrel however you can, pull the mandrel and wire length tight,
slowly roll while guiding the wire with your finger or even a ring
clamp around the loop as it turns on to the mandrel. Keep everything
tight so that you can easily see if it goes astray. For bigger jump
rings, use a piece of pipe, tubing or wooden dowel the right size and
drill a hole into the end and secure the wire end in it before you
start turning. Good luck. Rob

Rob Meixner

8

Clamp the end of the sq wire in a vise and then holding the mandrel
with both hands just rotate the mandrel. Be sure to anneal first and
pull tight as you rotate the mandrel.

Have fun and make lots of jewelry.

Jo Haemer
timothywgreen.com

9 
Does it work the same way for square wire, or does that little bit
of skew that the coil introduces create a problem?

I would strongly suggest sawing all of them at the same time: if you
saw straight, the skew will be the same for all the cut edges, so
they will line up perfectly even though they are slanted…:-)…!
This is of course true for round wire as well.

I’ve never seen square jump rings here in Israel, but I usually make
everything myself. Sorry.

Janet in Jerusalem

10

Thank you John for the wonderful description of how to wind coils
with non-round wire. I often need jump rings that are half round or
square andwinding them has been a hassle as usually the wire gets
all twisted. I finally do them one or two at a time, which is
tedious. Alma