2 Hinged Cages and a Locket - wire wrapping tutorial by MyWiredImagination

This listing is for the instructions to make this piece of jewelry, not the actual pieces, materials, or tools.

This tutorial teaches you step by step how to create a basic hinged cage, with or without beaded embellishments. This is a wonderfully versatile design to hold a favorite stone, maybe a love note, or a treasured trinket. Once it is on a chain, it is virtually impossible to come open by accident.
As a bonus this tutorial also includes 2 COMPLETE step by step variations including a crossed wire and locket style cage.
The owner of a local bead shop showed me the mechanics of the hinge close to 15 years ago. A very dear friend of mine, Master Wire Worker Ed Sinclair, created a published one in 1994. He has generously given me permission to share my versions of the basic cage and a crossed wire technique that he developed years ago.

This is an advanced level tutorial - it assumes you are familiar with basic wire techniques and improvising when needed. It is 28 pages with 67 steps and over 100 crisp, clear photographs. The file size is 2.27MB.

Dont be intimidated by the length and number of steps - This tutorial covers 3 FULLY illustrated pieces. While this is an advanced level tutorial, intermediate wire workers with a solid foundation of basic wire wrapping skills can, with patience, complete this design.

Materials suggested: For a basic Cage
40 inches (101.6cm) 18 or 20 gauge round half-hard wire
9 inches (22.9cm) 20 or 21 gauge square half- hard wire

Tools needed:
Flat nose pliers
Wide nylon jaw pliers
Round nose pliers
Flush Cutters
Ruler (with millimeters)
Pen knife
Permanent marker (Sharpie)
Round wooden dowel (for shaping)

Optional:
Small Clamp; Bent-nose pliers
Square wooden mandrel (piece of 1 by 2)

This is a PDF file - To view this tutorial you will need a free copy of Adobes Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded here:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html, however most computers with basic programming are already capable of reading a pdf file.

The tutorial with be sent within 6 to 12 hrs of receiving payment, in most cases MUCH, MUCH sooner; If you have several e-mail addresses, please let me know which one you prefer I use, otherwise it will just be sent to the e-mail address listed in your PAYMENT information.

***~~~***~~~***PLEASE NOTE - if you have heavy spam catchers on your e-mail, please check the spam folder just in case***~~~***~~~***

I hope you enjoy making these pieces, feel free to contact me with any questions you have about it. Feel free to post pictures of the pieces YOU make with this tutorial, in any message boards, forums, or blogs you have, or are a part of, and credit where you learned this would be appreciated.

However, PLEASE respect ownership of intellectual property, and DO NOT post the actual tutorial in forums, blogs and message boards; DO NOT mass produce, or share this tutorial in any form.

Many thanks to Roe - OpalMoon, Perri – ShaktipajDesigns, Arya – MinkeyGirl, Rita – Pupette3, and Corra - deCors for their support, encouragement, wisdom and patience.

A special thanks to a dear friend – Master Wire Worker, Ellsworth “Ed” Sinclair.

Thank you for visiting - please stop by again soon.....
Bobbi