Cut Out + Keep

Recycled Copper Chain

Make a chain out of old electrical wire!

https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/recycled-copper-chain • Posted by VovsJewellery

I made this chain for a jewellery project Im working on using copper out of scrap pieces of electrical wire.

You will need

Project Budget
Almost Nothing

Time

1 h 00

Difficulty

Nice & Simple
Medium 7

Description

I made this chain for a jewellery project Im working on using copper out of scrap pieces of electrical wire.

Instructions

  1. Small 1

    1: After stripping the rubber off the wires you will be left with long strands of wire like this.

  2. Small 2

    2: I use a skewer that is about 5mm around for this part. I wrap the copper around the skewer until the whole piece of wire is now in a coil shape and remove it from the skewer. Click here to see my tutorial on making a coil.

  3. Small 3

    3: Now simply start at the end of the coil you finished and just where the wire starts to overlap cut the wire and you now have a jump ring. Keep doing this until you have no more left on the coil. Click here to see my tutorial on making Jump Rings.

  4. Small 4

    4: You now need to separate all the Jump Rings you have made into two piles and close all the jump rings in the first pile.

  5. Small 5

    5: Open all of the Jump Rings in the second pile.

  6. Small 6

    6: Now you add one closed ring onto and open ring and close it up. You then add one open ring onto the ring you just closed, add a closed ring and close. Continue this on until you have no rings left or have reached the length you are looking for. You can simply add a clasp to the end by using an open ring on either end to make a simple bracelet.

  7. Small 7

    You now have a simple copper chain that you have made for free using something that is just sitting around in the shed or going in the bin.