Make Wire Wrapped Rings

Before: Copper wire on spool

One of my daughter's favorite designs is to take an orphan glass bead and use it as a focal point for a simple wire-wrapped ring. She makes a lot of them and has a few quick, easy designs that are always a hit.

Materials
Bead of your choice

Select beads

18-gauge copper wire

Tools
Ring mandrel
Wire cutters
Wire rounder
Rawhide mallet
Tumbler (optional)

Step 1
Select the bead to use as the focal point for the ring.

Step 2
Determine ring size. Feed the bead on the copper wire. Wrap the copper wire around the ring mandrel at the size needed.

Step 3
Finish the ring.

After: wire wrapped ring

My daughter has a number of different ring styles. Sometimes she wraps the wire only once and tucks the excess wire under the bead.

Ring with prongs

Other times, she bends the wire on either side of the bead so that the ends of the wire frame the bead and look like prongs holding the bead in place.



Other designs call for the wire to be wrapped two, three

Rings with multiple wraps

or more times before tucking the ends under the bead or creating a prong-style setting for the bead.

Step 4
Trim the excess wire with the wire cutters. File the ends of the wire smooth using a wire rounder, needle file or cup bur and flex shaft or rotary tool (like a Dremel).


Related Tutorials 

Wire wrapped rings by GeltDesigns.com

Make a Ring from Gimp
Make Wishbone Earrings from Wire
Make Earrings from Scrap Wire
Make Earrings from Copper Wire
Make a Bangle Bracelet from Steel Wire
Make a Bracelet from Steel Wire
Make Earrings from Steel Wire


Further Reading
"All Wired Up: Wire Techniques for the Beadworker and Jewelry Maker (Beadwork How-To)"; Mark Lareau; 2000.
"Making Bead & Wire Jewelry: Simple Techniques, Stunning Designs"; Dawn Cusick; 2002. 
"Bead on a Wire: Making Handcrafted Wire and Beaded Jewelry"; Sharilyn Miller; 2005.
"Making Designer Bead and Wire Jewelry: Techniques for Unique Designs and Handmade Findings"; Tammy Powley; 2005.

Day 91  Month 4. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: copper wire, orphan bead
New Jewelry a Day.