Making Jingle Bell Charms

This free tutorial follows the same format as all my other free and premium tutorials. This gives you a good insight into the technical teaching methodology.

I start with a plate of brass 0.7 mm thick.

I start doming it with a 17 mm ball punch.

Image No. 1

When the dome starts to form, the metal distorts on the sides.

Image No. 2

www.jewelry-tutorials.com © Hans Meevis All Rights Reserved Page No. 1

I use an old engine valve, that I turned flat at the front, to flatten the distorted sides.

Image No. 3

The bottom of the bell is finished being domed.

Image No. 4

www.jewelry-tutorials.com © Hans Meevis All Rights Reserved Page No. 2

The dome is quite deep.

Image No. 5

For this one I am going to make a silver top, just because.

I also make them with copper tops.

I cut out a circle of metal 0.7 mm thick anddome it to the 17 mm dome.

Image No. 6

www.jewelry-tutorials.com © Hans Meevis All Rights Reserved Page No. 3

The silver domed.

Image No. 7

I drill a hole in the center for expansion, and then solder the silver dome into the brass one.

Image No. 8

www.jewelry-tutorials.com © Hans Meevis All Rights Reserved Page No. 4

I cut two slots into the bottom done with a cutoff wheel and then drill a 2 mm hole at the bottom of each slot.

Image No. 9

For this bell I made a brass hanger out of a3 mm piece of rod.

Mostly, though, I just use a jump ring and solder it directly on the top dome.

Image No. 10

www.jewelry-tutorials.com © Hans Meevis All Rights Reserved Page No. 5

Then I finish this one off.

Image No. 11

For the 'clapper', I cut a 3 mm piece off a 3mm sacrificial Allen key with a cut-off wheel.

Image No. 12

www.jewelry-tutorials.com © Hans Meevis All Rights Reserved Page No. 6

I pry one of the vanes apart a bit and then slip the piece of Allen key in.

Then I press the vane carefully back.

Image No. 13

I make various different combinations of metals.

Each has a different ring, some lower in tone, some higher.

Different combinations of metals make for different sounds.

Image No. 14

www.jewelry-tutorials.com © Hans Meevis All Rights Reserved Page No. 7

Suggested follow up projects

Reflector Ring

Making a Bell

www.jewelry-tutorials.com © Hans Meevis All Rights Reserved Page No. 8