Making a Jewelry Wire Spacer Bar Finding --
A Beginner's Jewelry Making Technique -- Page 1

A spacer bar is a simple component that separates two other components by a fixed distance.  Frequently a spacer bar is a component that is manufactured out of a thin metal bar, with holes drilled in both ends and perhaps in other locations.  You can view a commercially made two hole spacer bar at right.  Commercial spacer bars can come with two, three, four or even five holes and are frequently used to separate strands in a necklace or bracelet.

Like many other findings, we can also make our own spacer bars using a very simple pattern on any of our WigJig jewelry making tools.  Shown at left, is a simple, two hole spacer bar made out of jewelry wire.  In the following web pages we will provide instructions for making this simple spacer bar.  This simple spacer bar can be used to separate strands in a necklace or bracelet, or it can be used to connect components in earrings. 

A spacer bar can be made out of many different sizes of wire.  We frequently use 18 and 20 gauge wire, but 16 gauge would also work well.  22 gauge would be a little thin and might not be strong enough for all applications.  Wire smaller than 22 gauge (24 to 30 gauge) would not be strong enough to make a good spacer bar.

Our free step-by-step instructions for making a spacer bar begin on page 2. 
 

Skills Required:

• Ability to cut wire with with a flush cutter.
• Ability to straighten wire with nylon jaw pliers.
• Ability to make a "P" loop in wire using round nose pliers. 
• Ability to use our WigJig tools to make wire components. 
• Ability to use round nose pliers to make an eye loop.
• Ability to use chain nose pliers to open and close loops.