We were visiting with artist Steven Paul Judd and he was telling us about some of the things that he had done in the past with Native-themed state license plates. He was cutting them and making them into various wearable items like bracelets etcetera. And it caused me to think about our Teton Trade Cloth tin metal signs. We gave some to Steven so he could try them out, but I thought I would make a quick blog post on how you can make some for yourself with a cost of under $2 per bracelet. The below photo shows a step by step of the process along with a short video. With a little bit of effort and some practice, you can have some really cool bracelets to wear or give as gifts.
Tape the sign to your cutting board so that it is square and straight. Using your clear ruler to make sure that your cut lines are drawn so that you have a nice straight cut for your bracelet.
Use a nail file to deburr and smooth the edges.
Hyperlapse video of how to bend the metal into shape. Start to bend it carefully and slowly, continuing to work it until you have the desired shape.
Cut the wool to go behind the bracelet. If the bracelet is 1" wide, you should cut the wool 2.5" wide.
Bracelets ready to be backed. I used various kinds of wool and vinyl for the backing.
Spray adhesive on one side of the backing.
Fold the wool together so the edges are down the center.
Protect the edges with tape, keeping 1/4" from any adhesive as this part will be exposed beyond the metal.
Spray the inside of the bracelet with adhesive.
Lay the wool on the inside of the bracelet with the adhesive side toward the inside of the bracelet where you sprayed the adhesive. It is important that both sides have adhesive so they bond together. Use a pair of scissors to cut the edges flush with the end of the bracelet.
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