How to Handcraft Jewelry
- 1). Wrap a piece of string around your wrist and mark the meeting point with a pencil. Remove the string and measure its length to get your wrist measurement.
- 2). Draw a rectangle on a sheet of copper metal that is as long as your wrist measurement and as wide as desired. For a delicate bracelet, use a width of 1/4 to 1/2 inch. For a heavier cuff, use a width of several inches.
- 3). Cut the rectangle from the copper with the jeweler's saw. Balance the sheet metal against your work table and saw at an angle toward the metal to get the smoothest cut. If you have a jeweler's workbench, use the bench block.
- 4). File the edges of the bracelet down as best you can, using a flat-sided file. Round off the corners.
- 5). Sand the edges with the 200-grit sandpaper, then the 400-grit sandpaper. Finish with the 600-grit sandpaper, so that all remaining scratches are gone.
- 6). Place the rectangle over the curved side of an anvil. Tap the rectangle with the wooden mallet so that it follows the curve of the anvil.
- 7). Continue moving the rectangle over the anvil until it curves into a bracelet shape. If necessary, help this process along by bending the bracelet with your hands.
- 8). Test the fit of the bracelet on your wrist. Polish the metal smooth with your polishing cloth.
