Silversmithing: Making a Beautiful Bail

Make yourself a beautiful bail with this easy tutorial. You can buy pre-made bails, but they are kind of expensive, and look mass produced. These are simple to put together, and produce a nice clean bail that imparts great motion to a pendant. This is a great metalsmithing tip that will save you money, materials, and will produce a superior outcome. If you find it helpful or interesting, please give it a like! If you'd like to see more useful videos like this, please subscribe to my channel:). It would be great if you would share this with others who might find it useful. Ring the bell so you get notifications when I upload a new video.
I just passed 1000 subscribers! Thank you all for making that happen.
If you’d like to contribute to my efforts, or express appreciation, you can at the link below.
www.buymeacoffee.com/cvpark7
Thank you so much for all the kind words and suggestions!
If you are in the Northern Colorado area, and are looking for a class to take, I have very small in-person classes going with strict covid 19 protocols in place for everyone's protection. Visit the below website to contact me about these classes, or if you just want to check out some of my work for sale!
My website:
www.cvpsilver.com
Thank you,
Chad Parker

[@bjones4097]

Thanks for this Chad. This video has shown how easy it is to do this.

[@seaomahoneyLokiGen]

You make it looks so easy. It took me nine try’s before I found this video. Thanks for this.😊

[@chadssilversmithing]

Sure! Glad it helped:)

[@Sekhmet1Songstress]

A closeup of the bail at beginning would have been helpful, so you know what the video is teaching you to make. 👍😊

[@chadssilversmithing]

Sorry about that Sekhmet! This was one of my earlier videos. All of the more recent ones show a pic near the beginning of the video. Thanks for the comment! Take care.

[@karie9890]

love your overhead view! Just needs to be zoomed in to the center 2/3rds of the area. Thanks Chad!!!

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks for the advice Karie!

[@loricrossnoe6855]

Yes! Thank you! This is just wanted to know 😊Great video

[@chadssilversmithing]

You're welcome Lori!

[@Gazz_R]

Thanks again for all you do!

[@chadssilversmithing]

You’re welcome:)

[@CherylAnn2222]

This is now my favorite Bail, Thank you!!!!

[@chadssilversmithing]

You’re welcome! Thanks for watching:)

[@joymcdonell2802]

Excellent, Chad. Will try!

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thank you Joy!

[@DrowSkinned]

Wow, i didnt realise what my solder picks were actually for! This video was full of very handy tips! Thank you so much

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks DrowSkinned! I’m really glad you found it useful:)

[@valligibson8931]

Love how you accomplish so much with very little tools!

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thank you Valli! There are lots of tools that would be nice to have, but one can do without. There are almost always work arounds. Thanks for watching!

[@patredden4557]

I have watched you make these several times now and like you say they are nicer than a jump ring. I will definitely put one on my next pendant. Thanks for sharing.

[@chadssilversmithing]

They are kind of my go-to bail:)

[@thecolorfulcorvid4537]

Wow I can't believe how easy you made that all look! I know it's practice, but sweat soldering is super difficult for me 😅 Thank you so much for making this video, this really helps a lot!

[@chadssilversmithing]

I’m really glad it helped you out Corvid! Thanks for the nice comment!

[@kes19754]

Just made my first one last night, a little different, I skipped the jump ring and just soldered the bail onto the pendant! It was so hard getting the ends of it to touch so thank you for the tip!!! Plus I’ve started pick soldering thanks to you! One thing that will help Viewers in the future is getting the camera closer to see your process better 😊 Chad, can you give guidance on pricing our work? Thank You!!!

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks Katie! I am always trying to improve my camera work:). I mention some pricing things in the video I am posting this morning.

[@kathleenphelan8708]

Good video!! Thank you for making these. I would like a nice close-up of the piece at the end.

[@andybside]

Haha. I LOL'd for the sophisticated 3d modeling you did there. Love it. Thanks for the great idea. I'm gonna go use it now.

[@chadssilversmithing]

Sure Andy! Glad it was useful:)

[@maryhoshizaki3576]

Great tips! I will try your method, thanks for sharing!

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks for the nice comment Mary! I appreciate you taking the time to watch:). I hope you find this type of bail as useful as I do!

[@jacquelineburnett9830]

Hi Beautiful bail.Quick question, what is the average length of your bail

[@chadssilversmithing]

I tend to make them on the larger size Jacqueline, mostly to prevent being limited on choice of chain. Small pendant might be 1/4" and larger up to 1/2." My wife used to buy pieces that would only allow for these little delicate chains that tangle easily, and that influenced why I make them a little on the large size. Good question! Thanks for watching:)

[@sherihinton8183]

Hi Chad. What type of soldering torch do you use? Do you use propane and oxygen?

[@chadssilversmithing]

Hello Sheri. I use a Smith Acetylene/air torch.

[@rippy4freedom]

Bail-a-lishes

[@chadssilversmithing]

Hehe:)

[@amberjojola5007]

I was having a hard time seeing, the two wires were used on the outside of bail as a decorative aspect?

[@chadssilversmithing]

Sorry about that Amber. Yes they were:)

[@amberjojola5007]

@@chadssilversmithing oh no its not you its me lol Im watching on my phone and screen is small. But thank you for responding!!

[@KristinaAthena]

Great video. Thanks!

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks Kristina! I have a couple of other bail videos as well: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJ-ce2l9n9ucfMksi=RjXCb-8PC7V5suAv and kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGaToKCuac-SqqMsi=ArFifMCTUnyiw4mt

[@c.magdaleno1376]

Hello!! I often forget that, if I solder on a bail that's parallel with a pendant, I'll have to add another bail or something that's faced 90 degrees to THAT one. Inevitably, I lose patience, set my stone, and then realize I did it again. Other than hitting my own noggin... do u have ideas for bails that I could use? I already thought of thin jump rings that would be easy to solder, and other things. Just thought others might be interested.

[@chadssilversmithing]

Hello C. Magdaleno! I know that someone makes premade bails that squeeze closed on a jump ring that might solve your problem if you don’t want to pull the stone to solder one on. You could probably just look at some online and fabricate similar no solder bails yourself. I hope I understood and answered your question:)

[@c.magdaleno1376]

@@chadssilversmithing yep, you got it! I didn't want to endanger the stone. Ok thanks. I did get some ideas, though. One is making a bail in a traditional elongated triangle, harden it so it's springy, and then shape it so the ends overlap. Another one I'm thinking (not sure) is using thick wire and again with ends overlapping so the pendant can be popped on. Anyway, I realize there are many possibilities.

[@lostpatriot1]

New to this what kind of sheet metal is that

[@chadssilversmithing]

Hello Brandon. That is 26 gauge Sterling silver sheet. Thanks for the comment.

[@lostpatriot1]

And i just make a jump ring to connect to my silver pendant solder that on then make the bail correct?

[@chadssilversmithing]

@@lostpatriot1 That’s what I usually do Brandon. It doesn’t have to be a circle, just something that will allow the ends of the bail to go through. Thanks for the good question!

[@eleanorjentas798]

Do u ever use a saw?

[@chadssilversmithing]

It's not my favorite tool, but I do use them on occasion:). I actually just got a new one and I really like it!

[@tonyandbevjordan7363]

Why do you solder the wire onto the plate?

[@chadssilversmithing]

Hello Tony and Bev! The wire forms a nice raised border that I think makes it look a little more finished. Thank you for watching:)

[@tonyandbevjordan7363]

@@chadssilversmithing thank you for sharing that. Will try it next time.

[@cathysabin4420]

Can we see a close up view of the finished bail?

[@heidizimmermann8440]

I dont see what you are doing, please zoom in!

[@chadssilversmithing]

Sorry Heidi. This is one of my earlier videos. I have since adjusted the angle and view to a better configuration. Thanks for the comment!