Hoops, Hoops, and More Hoops

You know as a child the only connotation I had for an anvil was when Wiley Coyote (who wasn't wiley at all) would attempt to drop an anvil on the Road Runner and now I have anvils and hammers and more pliers than the average guy, lol.

Simply B. suggested I put some hoops in the shop. :) I'm so glad she did. I had been meaning to put more hoops in, but forgot... I've been having a blast hammering out my frustrations. Imagine what fun you could have beating metal with a hammer under the pretense of making jewelry.........nah, kidding, but I am having fun hammering. This is the second night to beat on several inches of 10 gauge or so wire - now that's a gauge to beat out any frustrations on and let me tell you, you will get tired before the wire is completed.....

I have 18 and 20 gauge hoops. I tried the 22 gauge, but the wire seemed just to small to hold it's shape. So, 18 or 20 are your choices, except for a certain someone who wants 14 gauge. :) After I hammer and shape the hoops, then I fire them with my torch, and then put a nice polish on them with the buffing wheel. The torchfiring adds extra strength to the wire. Folks have the choice of a satin finish, the antiqued oxidized look, or just plain shiny.

Thus far, I have done the front-hammered design where the wire is wrapped around a mandrel and hammered on the front of the wire. Then, I did some side-hammered designs where you lay the wire on an anvil and hammer the sides. I've done hook-and-eye designs and the neverending hoops that you just slip on. I really like the ones with dangles added. I have a few more designs waiting to be hammered on the anvil - I'll let you know when they're up. :)

I do believe it is time to do a giveaway on here! Who wants hoops?? Be on the look out as the hoop giveaway is coming to a blog near you!

Mignon :)