Easy Adjustable Spiral Ring Tutorial

This adjustable spiral ring is quite easy to make with just a little wire, a bit of muscle and a few standard tools.

Supplies  –      Two 6 inch pieces of round, soft, 16 gauge wire

One 14 (or more)  inch piece of 24 inch, round, soft wire

Ring mandrel or other round object ¾” to 1 inch in diameter

Round nose pliers

Flat nose pliers

Wire cutter for thick wire

Ruler

Rubber, plastic, rawhide mallet (optional).

Steps  –

1.   Cut 2 pieces of 16 gauge, round wire to 6 inches and flush cut the ends, straighten the wire a little bit.

2.   Cut at least 14 inches of 24 gauge, round wire, more if you want the wrapping

to cover more of the back of the ring.  Cut the ends of the 24 gauge wire and tuck them

in neatly on the inside of the ring.  Make sure there are no sharp ends sticking out.

3.   Keeping the bundle of wire parallel, wrap the whole thing around a ring mandrel.

Slightly bend the two top wires up in a soft curve and the two bottom wires down

in the same way.  Take the ring off the mandrel and separate the wires just a bit so you can make the spirals.

4.  Cut about ¼ inch from the INNER wire at the top so that the two top wires are

different lengths.  Cut the OUTER wire at the bottom section 1/4”.  This can be

reversed if you want the wires facing a different direction.

6.     Make a tiny hoop with the tip of your round nose pliers at the end of each wire and begin a spiral.  One spiral should be higher than the other at each end of the wires.  You can make the spirals tighter or open as you wish.  I use the flat nose pliers to hold the spirals while tightening  and enlarging them.

7.    Put the ring back on the mandrel and squeeze it against the mandrel flattening the

Spirals so they curve gently, but firmly.  You can use a rubber or other soft mallet

all around the ring at this point.

That’s it, your ring is finished!  You can oxidize it and seal it if you like. You could seal it as it is, bright and shiny or whatever else you like –  perhaps a patina?

You could make this ring in just about any metal as long as you can manipulate it easily.