SuperSuper-Cool PVC Pipe Bangle Bracelet

A Free Tutorial by Karen McGovern Beadkeepers Art and Jewelry Design www.beadkeepers.com www.beadkeepers.blogspot.com 2011

Introduction: I have to start this tutorial by thanking Robert Dancik, www.fauxbone.com, for inventing Faux Bone and showing us how to use it. Faux bone is basically specially designed PVC sheet that is wonderful for cutting, carving and creating jewelry and jewelry components. Check out Roberts site and be prepared to fall in love with PVC, and his amazing works. What is PVC? Poly vinyl chloride. Its a polymer plastic used mostly for pipes and plumbing. You can find it at any hardware or home improvement store, its relatively inexpensive and comes in all sorts of diameters, thickness and lengths. Thats about all you really need to know for this particular tutorial! So, lets have some fun and make a bracelet, shall we? Materials: One length of 2.5 inch (inside diameter), schedule 40 PVC pipe fitting Ruler Sharpie marker Dremel or flex shaft tool 1/16th inch drill bit Diamond cutting wheel Metal shears Respirator or mask Protective eyewear Micro torch Heat gun Firing block or heat-proof surface Flat nose pliers Towels/pot holders X-Acto knife Kiwi brand shoe polish in any color you like Sandpaper, medium to fine Sanding sponges, medium to fine Needle files, flat and rounded Table top vise Hammer Riveting hammer Metal hole punch Micro rivets Micro screws Micro screwdriver Metal bridge piece (brass, copper, or silver whatever you like) approximately 3.5 inches long by .25 to .50 inches wide. 24 gauge works well. Assorted beads, washers and design elements for embellishment

WORKING WELLWELLBefore you begin, MAKE SURE YOU ARE WORKING IN A WELL-LIT, WELL-VENTILATED AREA! Step 1: Make sure your PVC pipe is relatively clean and free of major dings or imprints. Well be doing a great deal of sanding, so it doesnt have to be absolutely perfect. Using a ruler, measure in one half inch from the outside edge. Rotate the pipe, marking carefully with a Sharpie marker. I make a series of dots close together and then connect them. This will be your cutting line to make the basic bangle. Note: This PVC fitting comes in a pre-cut size of about 3 to 4 inches. NOTE: BEFORE YOU BEGIN CUTTING MAKE SURE YOU ARE WEARING PROTECTIVE EYEWEAR AND A MASK OR RESPIRATOR! Cutting PVC with a Dremel is messy! You will be creating a ton of dust, so be prepared and protect yourself.

Step 2: Using the diamond cutting disc on your Dremel or flex shaft, begin by lightly scoring along your cutting line. Do your best to create a continuous, shallow cut completely around the pipe. Then, simply follow your cut, pressing a bit more each time as you rotate, until you cut completely through the PVC pipe. You will be creating a lot of dust and PVC particles. Simply wipe them away as you go. PVC heats and melts relatively easily, so dont be in a hurry here. Slow and steady will keep the pipe and plastic from over heating and melting.

The resulting inch PVC ring is the beginnings of your bracelet!

3: Step 3: Lay out a piece of medium grit all-purpose sandpaper. Place the PVC cut-side down on the sandpaper and begin moving in a circular motion with light pressure. Gradually increase pressure and sand the cut side smooth. Remove any particles with your hands or a towel. Continue sanding and smoothing until completely even and blemish-free. Bevel the edge by tilting the PVC as you sand. Finish with finer sandpaper and needle files as needed to complete the process. Make sure both sides are sanded smooth, with rounded edges. Sanding sponges are great for sanding the inside edges, etc.

4: Step 4: Once the ring of PVC is smooth and ready, you need to cut it so we can expand the ring to make the proper size bangle. Make a cut line with your Sharpie, and then carefully score and cut with the diamond wheel. Sand these edges as well, holding the bangle open with one hand while you sand with the other.

Step 5: Now the real fun beginswe play with FIRE! Place the cut PVC ring on a fire block or other fireproof surface. Make sure you are in a ventilated area or have an exhaust fan running. When heated, PVC can create fumes. We are not heating it to melting, so there should be little to no odor or fumes. BUT, always wear a mask and work with ventilation! Have your flat nose pliers handy to hold/move the PVC as you heat it. The goal here is to create the ancient appearance of old, burned bone. Start heating the edges of the ring, holding your torch 4 to 5 inches away from the PVC keeping your flame medium. You will see color right away. PVC will deform if you over heat, so be careful! Move your flame close and pull back when color appears. I like the look of burned edges, and try to leave the main body of the bangle ivory in color. You will see the white turn ivory as soon as you heat the PVC. Have fun here; go as light or dark as you wish. Turn the ring with your pliers (NOT YOUR HANDS) to create an overall uniform look. Flip and repeat on the other side. If the PVC

begins to shrink, move or deform, dont worry, just back off the flame. heat. We will take care of the shape in the next step.

The bangle will soften in the

Step 6: Once you have burned to your hearts content, turn off your torch and grab the leftover PVC pipe you cut from. While the PVC bangle is still hot/warm and soft, pick it up with a towel and fit it over the PVC Mother pipe. Wrap everything up and roll the bangle on your work surface (like a rolling pin) to conform and shape it round. This also stretches the bangle to the correct size, leaving a gap we will bridge with a metal accent. Check the bangle; make sure it is round and level. If needed, gently re-heat with a heat gun, wrap and roll again until your bangle is level and round. Let the bangle cool completely on the Mother PVC. Sometimes a vice comes in handy here, you can squeeze the bangle into proper shape and hold in place while it cools. When it cools, it will be stiff and firm again. When the bangle is cool, check it for size. It should fit nicely over your wrist with little effort. To change the size as needed, you will have to re-heat with a heat gun and hand-form the bangle smaller or larger.

Step 7: Build a bridge. At this point we build a bridge to close the gap in the bangle. Choose your metal, 7: cut to fit the bridge with at least .25 to .50 inches overlap on each side of the gap. You can make your bridge the same width as the bangle, slightly larger, or slightly smaller. Get creative with texture and size. Etched metals are great, or treat with patina and heat. The possibilities are endless! For this tutorial I chose a textured length of nickel silver the same width as the bangle. Cut, file and smooth the edges and

sides of your bridge, leaving no sharp edges or corners. Shape the bridge with your hands into a curve and check the fit on your bangle.

Step 8: Next we need to prepare the bridge for attachment to the bangle. Turn the metal over and make a Sharpie mark in the center of either end. Using your metal punch and hammer, make a divot on each mark for your drill bit to grab. Using a 1/16 drill bit, drill the two holes, or use a hand-held metal hole punch as pictured here. File away any burs or metal bits that might get in the way, leaving the surface and holes smooth and snag-free. Finish by shaping the metal into a gentle curve that fits the bangle flush.

Step 9: Prepare the bangle for the bridge attachment. Place the bridge on the bangle and hold in place. Use a fine point sharpie marker to make a dot through the metal holes onto the bangle where you plan to attach the bridge. Remove the bridge and drill a hole through the bangle using a 1/16 drill bit. Dont drill the other side yet! Start with one end and attach your metal before moving on to the otherless opportunity for mistakes.

Step 10: Attach the bridge. You have a couple of choices here. You can use rivets or micro screws to attach the metal to the bangle. I like brass and steel tube rivets from Objects and Elements. They are quick, relatively easy, and subtle. I use micro screws quite often for a more industrial look. For this tutorial I used medium length steel tube rivets. Remove the bangle from the Mother PVC. Insert the rivet from the back of the bangle out the front. Hold the rivet in place with your fingers, and lay the metal bridge on top. You want less than 2mm of rivet exposed above the metal. If your PVC is too thick, file away some of the back right over the hole, thinning that area till the rivet sits well. Once your rivet is set, place the bangle back on the Mother PVC, and use your metal punch and a hammer to flare the rivet end. Gently hammer the flare with a rivet hammer until the rivet is snug and in place. (NOTE: For more information on setting rivets visit Objects and Elements, www.objectsandelements.com, and Youtube. Just put tube riveting in the search box). Once you have one side of the bridge set and riveted, repeat the process on the other end, making sure to center your metal evenly. Check for fit. If you are way off you can always drill out your rivet and start again with cutting or re-shaping as needed. PVC is very forgiving. Viola! You have created the basic bangle!! Now we have even more fun as we move on to.

detail! Step 11: Color and detail! Here is where your imagination is your guide. I love the look of ancient art and jewelry, so I enjoy creating the look of time. Bone is often scarred, marked and carved by the maker. Scrimshaw is an ancient art form involving detailed drawings etched on to bone, then colored with inks and dye. I make my own version using an X-Acto knife and shoe polish. For me, this is a free-form process. I simply go for it with the knife blade, lightly scoring the surface of the PVC. You dont have to push very hard at all. Then, simply load your finger or a cloth with the shoe polish color of your choice and smear it across the surface you just marked. The polish fills the cuts and voids instantly and your design comes to life. Simply rub the polish in, and wipe off the excess. If you prefer, you can draw a design in Sharpie first, but its hard to remove the Sharpie marks without sanding, which may affect the designs you already have going. I like to wing it and see what happens. Kiwi brand shoe polish is

amazing. Its in block form in round tins, easy to store, lasts forever (as long as you close the tins properly) and comes in many colors. For this tutorial I used a deep purple color. You can also use oil pastels and paints, but they tend to flake more than the polish and are harder to control. When you have cut, scored and colored to your hearts content, give the entire bangle a quick buff with a clean, dry cloth and you are finished with the etching process!

For the final step we add embellishments. I like to center something on the metal bridge. For this tutorial I used a stack of interesting bitsan antique Chinese coin colored blue and green with age, layered under an enamel covered copper cup in shades of lavender and purple, topped with a pewter ammonite bead. The stack is held in place with a steel micro screw and nut. I simply drilled a 1/16 hole in the center of the metal bridge, then threaded the screw in from the back, added the stack, attached the nut, cut the excess screw and filed the end flush with the nut. Make sure your screw and nut are very tight. I hold the nut with my flat nose pliers while turning the screw using a micro screwdriver. I also add a drop of super glue to the end of the nut, just to be sure everything holds tight. Here is the finished bracelet, along with another I made using the same technique, but with an etched copper bridge with copper disc and lampwork glass bead and brown polish.

Design Suggestions: This is such a great bracelet to make, with endless design possibilities. Have fun with color. Shoe polishes come in amazing colors, so dont be afraid to explore filling your etch marks with vibrant colors. How about inlay? You can cut deeper grooves into the PVC, then fill with polymer clay and bake. You can easily add hinges to this bracelet design to make a bangle that opens and closes. Your embellishments can be anything you imagine! Consider feathers, ribbons, leather, fur, beads and more. I love to make stacks, so pile it all on and see what happens. Id love to see what you create. If you give this bracelet a try, please email me photos of your finished designs!! You can reach me at karenamcgovern@gmail.com I hope you enjoy working with unusual materials like PVC. Thanks for playing along with me! Cheers,

Karen

Material Sources: PVC pipe hardware and home improvement stores Micro torch, rivets, screws, metals and more Objects and Elements, www.objectsandelements.com Tools of all sorts Cool Tools, www.cooltools.us, Objects and Elements, www.objectsandelements.com Shoe polish grocery stores