When you purchase a bulk snake chain order, you will notice that these items almost always come unfinished. In order to make these pieces of snake chain into useable pieces of jewellery that may be worn, you will need to solder on the findings with a soldering tool. Adding these findings to a snake chain that has already been professionally made allows you to create a necklace in the size or shape that you desire in less time than it would have taken for you to create the entire necklace yourself.
Using a soldering tool to add findings to your snake chain will also allow you to create a customised look for your jewellery in a short amount of time. Creating a snake chain by hand can be very time consuming, which is why many people who make jewellery by hand choose to purchase their snake chain items in bulk quantities from a jewellery supplier. Finishing your snake chain is not a difficult task, and it could save you a lot of money in the long run if you are an avid jewellery maker.
To get started, you will need to gather up all of your jewellery making supplies, as well as your soldering tools. You can use either handmade findings or commercial pre-made findings that you can find online. Handmade findings give you the freedom to complete your snake chain in any style that you desire - which might allow you to charge more for your finished project, if you intend to sell your finished jewellery pieces. You can also save a lot of time and money when you use handmade findings because they are simple to make and the supplies cost a lot less.
You can create the end cap by using a simple jump ring and a matching end cap that has a hook so that you can create the catch. Making your own findings also allows you to include a metal purity stamp or a maker's hallmark on the end caps for a personalised touch. And when you use a soldering tool, you can always use scrap pieces of metal for your handmade findings - this can help to save you even more money.
It is important that you make sure that all of your supplies work properly before you begin soldering the findings on to your snake chain - whether you are using handmade or commercial findings. Cut the snake chain to the desired length using a pair of wire cutters or a jewellery saw and blade. Then make sure that your end caps will fit over each end of the snake chain. Also, test the clasp, jump ring and catch to ensure that they will fit through the loop that will be placed on the end of the snake chain.
You will also need to make sure that you like the way everything looks before you solder on the pieces. The findings should always be a suitable size that will help to compliment the snake chain itself. If the findings that you have chosen do not work well with your snake chain, choose another set or make the necessary adjustments.
Snake chain is considered to be one of the jewellery making 'essentials'. This guide explains how to finish the chain using findings and a soldering iron.