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Posted

Greetings,

I have a family member that would like me to make a religious chain for her wrist out of black iron. The chain would have to be wearable so I was considering making it out of 1/8" rod. I know how to make bigger chain but this is so fine and small that I am at a loss for how to do it. Can someone recommend techniques and tooling to make the chain using forge welded lengths. My experiments so far have not been successful.

Posted

This is jewelers type work. You won't find many blacksmith's making wearable chain. I'd vote for sterling silver. I have used 22 gauge wire in the past... for welded chain. Most commercial chain is NOT welded... just bent like mail. I have made nice chain from copper wire too. 1/8" rod will be some heavy chain indeed! I used to use a "Little Torch" for welding chain. Soldered (hard soldered) chain is easier and nearly as nice. Either soldered or welded chain is very slow work and rarely seen amongst todays jewelers work... but so very nice to see! Tim McCreight's book, "The Complete Metalsmith" has some nice tips on chainmaking. I am sure that there is some stuff online too. I found 22 gauge to be just right for a light but strong chain. Either welded or soldered chain is MUCH stronger than bent chain and can thus be made a little lighter. It is hard to buy 22 gauge wire so I made myself a drawing plate and drew it down from larger wire... that's kinda fun too! You can order it in sterling but for copper you'll probably have to draw your own as I did.

Ooops! I didn't see the part about it being a wrist chain. Wrist chain is often heavier. I used the 22 gauge for necklace chains mostly. I have used some 1/8" rod for belt buckle pins and it might be just fine for a wrist chain. 1/8" is plenty heavy for bent chain but it still looks better if you solder or weld the links as the edges disappear then.

BTW here is a link to the McCreight book at a pretty nice price (I know nothing about this seller though): The Complete Metalsmith

Posted


Can someone recommend techniques and tooling to make the chain using forge welded lengths. My experiments so far have not been successful.



Really tiny tongs, a really tiny hammer, a really tiny anvil, and a really tiny forge! LOL Good luck!
Posted

Make a set of tongs to squeeze the weld in the fire, then dress.

Punch hot, then peen the link closed cold making the unpunched tail a rivet.

Phil



I dont follow what you mean about the unpunched tail being a rivet. Making special tongs is a good idea, Just a set of needle nosed hand tongs might be an idea. I could potentially groove them to take the rod like a swage. However, given the small metal I would have to preheat them or they would suck welding heat out of the chain. The part about the rivet I dont get though.
Posted

I dont follow what you mean about the unpunched tail being a rivet. Making special tongs is a good idea, Just a set of needle nosed hand tongs might be an idea. I could potentially groove them to take the rod like a swage. However, given the small metal I would have to preheat them or they would suck welding heat out of the chain. The part about the rivet I dont get though.

it sounds like one side of the link will be flattened and punched the other side would be bent at 90 degrees and then stuck through the hole that was punched and the upset it to rivet the connection closed

like this
post-13874-0-61126000-1299862042_thumb.p

then peen the post sticking up to set the rivet
Posted

I have my vise set right against my forge, and I often use it to set the welds in the small stuff. I just finished a batch of small iron buckles made from round stock that was 1/4" or less. I clamp the straight pieces in the vise and upset & scarf both ends, bring 'em around to overlap, flux and heat to welding temp, then quickly squeeze them in the vise. This sets the weld like a press. I them finish and dress the weld on the flat, pointed heel of my Euro pattern anvil.

I have been thinking that a hardy or vise tool like a bick but with a half-round swage in it would be ideal for dressing links like this.

But, as said above, bracelet links from 1/8" stock are going to be challenging at best.

I have seen some nice small gauge chain made by "figure-eighting" the stock and wrapping the ends in the center.

Also, on anything 1/4" or less, a MAPP torch is a great tool. You can hold the stock in the vise, the torch in one hand and your pliers or scrolling tongs in the other.

Posted

it sounds like one side of the link will be flattened and punched the other side would be bent at 90 degrees and then stuck through the hole that was punched and the upset it to rivet the connection closed

like this
post-13874-0-61126000-1299862042_thumb.p

then peen the post sticking up to set the rivet


Beautiful illustration and exactly what I meant.

Grooving the pliers may be the trick, just reach into the fire and squeeze.

I separated the statements because they are different processes to a similar end. I cannot yet fire weld (I have tried and failed, but not given up) so I would punch and rivet.

Phil

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