If you need a very small jump ring to go through a fine chain so that you can weld or solder (for a permanent bracelet or other jewelry), but no one makes or stocks them, this video is for you.
The trend is the layering of fine chains. Sometimes only 28 or 26 ga wire can go through the link of such thin chains. Making your own jump rings solves this problem! Most component suppliers will not carry stock in these sizes of open rings because the metal would make them too soft, rendering them only useful for the smaller market of welding or soldering.
This video will show you how your own jump rings. If you are making lots of them, there are jump ring making tools and cutters. If you are making a small quantity, you can use some makeshift tools – a rod with the desired inner diameter; this could be the shaft of a mini screwdriver, skewer rod, or anything you have handy.
1. Cut a piece of wire (you don’t want a large coil because the unused portion will get twisted and knotted)
2. Wind wire around the rod tightly, removing any slack
3. Use a marker and mark a straight line down the coil of wire.
4. Use a pair of flush cutters and cut to the left of each of the marks.
5. Take the cutter, flip it so that the flush side is facing the jump ring and cut away just inside of the markings. In this way, you are able to make sure that the edges of the wire are both flush (flat).
6. Then weld as you would any other size of jump ring.
Next, I show how to reduce the size of a jump ring by cutting away parts of it and curling it smaller, before welding closed.
I also compared the resulting difference between using a jump ring for welding and one where no jump ring is used (the chain balling method). Which do you prefer? Pls let me know your thoughts on this video and whether you have found it helpful.