How to Make Jewelry from a Vinyl Record

• 1
  A pile of cardboard headed for the landfill might be album covers yielding vinyl records.Close up of old Vinyl Records - focus on the record image by Andrew Brown from Fotolia.com
  
  Source vinyl records from thrift stores, trash cans or your own collection. Notice that there are several types of releases which range from seventy-eights to forty-fives. Most are black, but some were made of colored vinyl. Look for recordings pressed in the 1970s and 80s, since the vinyl used was thinner and may be easier to work with. Check to be sure that this is not a valuable recording by visiting one of the many free websites designed to estimate the worth of your music collection. (See Reference 3)
  
  
• 2
  Plan your cuts on a paper tracing of your record.cible blanche image by Unclesam from Fotolia.com
  
  Use a pencil to trace your chosen album on a piece of paper. Imagine the jewelry you would like to make and what shapes will be needed. Draw these shapes lightly on your paper record, revising them as needed. Make a duplicate drawing if your concepts are complicated, and cut the pieces out to be sure they will be the right size and shape.
  
  
• 3
  Use a guillotine cutter to cut straight lines.paper guillotine image by Alison Bowden from Fotolia.com
  
  Bake your disc on a cookie sheet at 200 degrees Fahrenheit in an oven or a toaster oven. Watch to see the vinyl begin to warp. Use gloves to remove the warped record from the oven and cut into the shapes you planned using scissors or a guillotine cutter. You will have thirty seconds to complete your work before the vinyl is no longer workable. Return your pieces to the oven to soften them again for further manipulation. (See Reference 1)
  
  
• 4
  Wrap vinyl around a pencil to make a spiral shape.spiral image by Ekaterina Shvigert from Fotolia.com
  
  Wrap your pieces around bottles, cans or jars to make bracelets. Bend them around a pencil to make a spiral. Press coins or other patterned objects into the soft plastic to make imprints. Smooth the edges of your creations with a nail file or sandpaper for a more finished look and safety for the wearer.
  
  
• 5
  You can embellish your jewelry with any kind of trinket.jewlery beads and charms image by Ralph Petty from Fotolia.com
  
  Make jewelry, such as bracelets, from the vinyl alone or embellish your work with any items you can devise. Drill holes in your jewelry as a decorative touch or as a way to attach decorations or jewelry findings. Try painting your vinyl, whittling a design with carving tools, or cutting out shapes with cookie cutters. Melt your vinyl to drape over various objects that are oven-proof to make interesting three-dimensional shapes.