Make a Stamped Bracelet

Before: Scrap Metal

To celebrate Martin Luther King's birthday, we decided to use scrap metal to create bracelet stamped "DREAM."

Materials
16-gauge scrap sheet metal

Tools
Jewelry saw 
Half round file
Wet/dry sandpaper
Black Sharpie
Acetone
Rawhide mallet
1/4-inch (6.0mm) alphabet stamps
Ball-peen hammer
Steel block
Oval bracelet mandrel

Step 1
Measure your wrist or the wrist of the person for whom you are making the bracelet. Cut a piece of scrap metal to the size needed to make the bracelet. You can use a jewelry saw or a bench shear to cut the metal.

Step 2
File the edges of the scrap metal until smooth. Use you rawhide mallet to remove dents and imperfections. Use wet/dry sandpaper to sand away tool marks and prepare the metal for stamping.

Line up the stamps and mark the metal

Step 3
Arrange the stamps and determine where you plan to stamp the metal. Mark the metal with a black Sharpie to identify exactly where to stamp the metal.

Step 4
Place the prepared metal on the steel bench block. Align the first stamp (the "D") with the first dot. Hit the stamp firmly with the ball-peen hammer to create the impression. Repeat with each subsequent stamp until you stamped "DREAM."

Step 5
Remove the marker using acetone. Rinse with soap and water.

After: Dream Bracelet by GeltDesigns.com

Step 6
Wrap the stamped metal around the oval bracelet mandrel. Use the raw hide hammer to form the metal into an oval bracelet.

Step 7
Use liver of sulfur or another chemical patina to highlight the stamped letters.

Related Tutorials
All about Patina 
How to Use Metal Stamps
How to Use Liver of Sulphur
How to Protect Your Patina
How to Oxidize Silver Jewelry with Eggs

Further Reading
"Stamped Metal Jewelry: Creative Techniques and Designs for Making Custom Jewelry"; Lisa Niven Kelly; 2010.
"Sherri Haab Jewelry Inspirations: Techniques and Designs from the Artist's Studio"; Sherri Haab; 2010.
"Mixed Metal Jewelry Workshop: Combining Sheet, Clay, Mesh, Wire & More (Lark Jewelry Books)"; Mary Hettmansperger; 2010.
"Making Metal Jewelry: Projects, Techniques, Inspiration";  Joanna Gollberg; 2003.

Day 58.  Month 3. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: scrap metal
New Jewelry a Day.