How To Make Wood Jewelry From Thin Wood Strips

Many woodworkers look at thin strips of wood as scraps; but there are a number of different projects that we can make from them. This not only gives us the opportunity to use wood which might otherwise be considered scrap, but to make some beautiful projects that we might otherwise overlook.

One of my favorite things to make from thin strips of hardwoods is wood jewelry. Wood may not be a common material for making jewelry out of, but it is both beautiful and functional, making for unique pieces, which solicit comment. Using different types of contrasting wood together provides for the greatest beauty.

It all starts with making a glued panel of different types of wood strips. Before gluing however, make sure that the pieces fit together snugly, without leaving any gap. You can’t apply a lot of pressure with the clamps, so it is essential that the glued edges fit together, without leaving any gaps.

I use material anywhere from 1/8” to 1/4” thick for this; no thicker. There will probably be some material loss, through sanding the surface, after gluing, so nothing less than 1/8” will work. I always use a caul when gluing these panels together, to keep the panel from cupping. Only minimal amount of pressure is applied to the clamps which are holding the pieces together. Anything more will cause cupping.

Once the panel has had time to dry, it needs to be removed from the clamps and sanded, making the surfaces level and even. There is always a bit of shifting, while gluing, making the surface uneven. The purpose of sanding is to deal with this unevenness, leaving a smooth, flat surface. Take care to ensure that the panel is of an even thickness throughout.

With the panel flat, the individual pieces of jewelry can be cut out, the edges sanded, and finish applied. Standard jewelry findings work for making pendants, earrings, pins and money clips.

For cutting thin strips of wood, the Sawinery Thin Rip Gauge provides a safe, convenient, and accurate means of ripping multiple strips of wood to the exact same thickness.