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Rough Around The Edges Hoop Earrings Tutorial
A drawplate is excellent for hardening soft wire without making it brittle, so custom ear wires and handmade hoops are springy and keep their shape.
Created by: Rita Hutchinson
Designer Tips
Cut a length of wire longer than the finished product.
Attach the drawplate to the vise.
Use a file to taper wire end and pull through the drawplate with heavy duty pliers.
Repeat using a smaller hole in the drawplate.
Trim the end of the wire.
Wrap the wire around a pipe to form hoop shape. Cut two equal segments that each overlap the beginning of the wrap.
Gently hammer with a nylon hammer on a steel block to work harden.
Gently hammer with a ball pein hammer to further harden and texture the wire.
Flatten one end of each hoop shape to rough teardrop.
Continued Below...
Create a hole using an awl through the flattened end of wire into a piece of card stock.
String the beads onto each hoop.
Bend the non-flattened end of wire sharply up 90 degrees, and smooth end with a cup bur.
Refine the hole with a bead reamer to make it just barely larger than wire end.
