08.12.2024 T is for...

The chain - with my Mom's gold hoops

Trombone (links) and t-bars.

I finished my summer classes at ACC the end of July, and the promptly went on vacation (more about that another time) - but in my catch up last month I promised a full post about making the chain, so here it is.

You might recall that when I wrote about this chain, I mentioned I had been eyeing vintage trombone chains (so called because their long, oval links look like trombone slides) for some time.  

They are expensive - and what I really wanted (and had not found) - was one that was primarily silver.

With almost an entire semester in front of me, and experience making a simpler chain in my spring semester class I decided that this was going to be my focus for the summer session. 

Prototyping in copper

Given the cost of the metals (the gold for 15 small links was over $500) my instructor encouraged me to make a prototype in copper before placing any orders.  I did, and that process helped me determine not only how much metal to buy, but also what size wire to use for the links.  

I definitely wanted a substantial chain, but not so heavy that I couldn't wear it comfortably.  I settled on 12 gauge wire for the large oval links, and 14 gauge wire for the small round links (in both silver and gold).

Having determined how long I wanted my chain and how much wire I would need, I placed my order and got to work.

Side note: wire gauges are standardized based on the amount of electrical current they can carry - and they date back to the 19th century.  Both gold and silver wire CAN conduct current, but because of their relative value, they are not generally used.  Most modern electrical wiring is copper, but all wiring - whether or not it is used for jewelry - follows the same gauge measurements.

Six feet of wire, reduced to links

It takes a lot of wire to make chain.  

I ordered a little over six feet of wire (five feet of silver and just over a foot of gold) in order to make a 20 inch necklace.  I formed the oval rings using pliers, and the circular ones on a jump ring maker (yay for all the toys in the ACC Jewelry Department).

Each circular ring used about an inch of wire, and the oval rings took just over two inches.

Once the links were formed and shaped, they needed to be soldered.

In the tumbler to polish

The silver ovals and gold circles were all soldered closed, and then I connected the links - one at a time - by soldering the silver circles between the oval and gold links.  Getting all the links connected was an accomplishment, but I was by no means close to finished.

There was a lot of clean up to do - extra solder had to be sanded off each joint (there are a total of 60 solder joints in the chain).  Sanding was followed by additional pre-polishing and finally, after the chain was assembled - including the clasps - it went into the tumbler.

The second part of the project was making a t-bar.  I styled my chain after vintage watch chains - with swivel clasps on each end - which often had t-bars to hold the pocket watch chain in a buttonhole.

T-bar components - unassembled

My classmates were making a toggle clasp for a bracelet -  I modified the assignment to make a larger toggle to hang pendant style from my chain.  

Throughout the semester, our instructor had been saying that all the skills we were building would be required - and tested - in the making of the toggle.  She was not wrong.  

Even with a substantial amount of soldering experience, making the t-bar was a challenge!

Fabricating the t-bar required fitting small jump rings on the center of the bar, and soldering all the pieces together to create a long barbell with a center bail.

The chain and t-bar

With a little help - and quite of bit of patience - I completed the t-bar as well as the chain and I'm really enjoying wearing it.  

I'll be going back to class in a few weeks, and for the first time since I started taking classes (almost 10 years ago) the goal won't be to actually make anything.  Instead, I'm going to be taking stone setting which involves learned to take pre-cast settings and modify them to accommodate faceted stones.

After two semesters of fabrication review I'm ready to focus on learning something completely new.

I'll still have access to the benches and all the wonderful tools at ACC, so I imagine I will continue to make things for myself (and maybe others) - but I won't be adding to my jewelry collection in quite the same way.  I will, however, continue to post and write about what I'm learning.

Between now and a stone setting post, I'll be sharing our recent vacation in Santa Fe.

Until next time.