This week I decided it was time to dedicate some effort into learning how to make my own custom handmade rings, and yesterday I had some success in this endeavour

Feeling a little more confident from my dandelion stamped copper ring exploits from yesterday, I wanted to keep the learning momentum going.

Aside from slicing my finger quite deeply, which was a sharp reminder how dangerous metalsmithing can be, so I must remember to practice safety at all times, especially as I am currently swerving hospitals as much as possible due the Covid pandemic.

The biggest issue was that my first ring was too big for the finger that I had intended it for.

In real terms this is major issue, if creating commision pieces, so it with this in mind, I decided to tackle that first.

Making the ring too big could be due to 2 things, the conversion calculation and how I formed the ring cut the metal ring blank.

I watched a couple more Youtube videos, to understand the underlying principles and techniques, before embarking on creating my next ring.

Over the last month I have been taking in an Instagram Live event and have brought some fabulous statement cabochons, which due to their size and shape would fit only on the index and/or the weding ring fingers.

With this in mind, I decided to create a simple copper ring with the bezel wire.

Not taking any chances I gatortape my fingertips to protect them from any sharp edges of the bezel wire and I am all set.

Measurements made, conversion calculation made and checked, the bezel wire is formed into a ring before sawing, a few maniplutions, to close the gap between the two edges, a bit of solder before pickling, finishing off with some polishing and voila.....

 

But the big question is does it fit the finger it was designed for?

And the answer is YES, YES, YES!!!!

I am more than ecstatic at this point, although there is a small fly in the ointment, that brings me back to earth.

The fact that you can see the seal of the two edges as I have used silver solder.

Personally I like it as a design feature, but I know it is a flaw in the making process, not an issue when working with sterling silver, but for copper it would be, but it does give me some new design ideas

It's at this point that my metalsmithing takes me off on some design tangent......

One of my current bugbears is stamping, well more accurately stamping consistently on metal.  In real terms I really do not understand why I am struggling with what I would say is a basic metalsmithing technique, I mean how hard is it to to imprint a design in metal by hitting it with a hammer?

Well that is definitely a technique to it, so I thought I would kill two birds with one stone, with my next creation, a handmade spiral stamped copper ring for my wedding finger.

I measure the correct length of bezel wire, before taping it down and applying the spiral stamp, and you can see I had a few attempts at different applications of the stamping, between a random and single line pattern.
 

The thing is you never know how success full the stamp has been applied until you remove the stamp, and then it becomes harder, almost impossible to go back and repeat the process in the same position.

After repeating the measuring and then stamping process, with little success, in the end I decided that I would stamp the whole of the bezel wire, and then measure the section with the best stamping.

Previously I have used pliers to form the ring before cutting the ring, which I found a little bit hard going, considering I am using 0.7mm copper wire, so I know I will struggle if I work with 1.5mm + sterling silver wire.  I have been toying around with the idea of buying a ring bending machine, but I wanted to see what I could achieve with a bit of brute force using a ring sizing mandrel and a large rawhide mallet.

Things started well until the 2 ends needed to overlap and my 2 markers needed to align up, and as one knows the more you hit metal the more work hardened its becomes, eventually I got the configuration ring I wanted, and was able to saw the ring blank, before soldering:
 
I have to say I do like the oxidised look following the soldering process, but in the pickle the ring goes to get rid of the extra flux and other impurities:
 
The good news is that both rings I created fit the fingers they were designed them for:
 
Again I have got the solder seem problem and a few saw marks, which I am thinking will make an interesting texturing method for other metalsmithing projects.

The jury is still out whether I go for the ring bending machine, but knowing me it will most probably brought and added to my arsenal of metalsmithing tool, in the name of working smarter rather than harder!!

I would really love to hear your thoughts, so post something in the comments below:

Until next time

Joolz xxx

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February 24, 2021

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