Ring Stand Box and Ring

[holmqer]

Ring Stand Box - Tasmanian Sassafras body with African Blackwood Finial. Finished with EM6000 Waterborne Lacquer. Ladies can put their rings over the finial or in the gully around it at night. The lid comes off for them to store important stuff like unmounted diamonds and rubies.

My first attempt to make a ring - Maple and Bloodwood, finished with rattle-can lacquer. Working on stuff this small is a challenge. It gave me more appreciation for the folks who turn tiny stuff.

I don't think Bruce Boone is quaking in his boots!

 

[Drstrangefart]

I like 'em. The ring stand is something new to me, but it makes sense and that one looks like a great job as far as I can tell. The ring is really a cool piece and it looks like it isn't gonna be too long before you start getting the I MUST OWN THAT response on those things if you keep at it. I know I do want to turn some rings, but need more tools.

 

[holmqer]

Thanks,

The only turning tool I used to make the ring was a spindle gouge, but I could have used a scraper, skew or carbide tool. A piece of 1/4" HSS 8" long (Enco $2.48) can be ground into a round skew in a few minutes.

I made a mandrel from a piece of scrap wood. I made a section that was close to a jamb fit that had a shoulder to hold the ring square. Drilled it out to have a 1/8" wall thickness then used a small hand saw to cut slits. This is essentially the same principle as the closed end pen mandrel. I slip the ring blank over the mandrel and bring up the live center. This makes the fingers expand and firmly grip the ring. Turning tools used, Spindle Roughing Gouge and Parting tool.

For future work, I want to make some wooden jaws for my chuck dedicated to holding rings. That will let me turn the inside of the ring to size it. A pair of pen blanks with holes drilled to match the bolts that hold the metal jaws should suffice to make 4 jaws.

 

[Mike Lindstrom]

Good looking stuff. For what it's worth, last summer I made my fiance to be a ring, and while it turned out great, her lotion (I think it's the sunscreen in it) softened the lacquer. The rings I've done since have either been just oil and wax, or a cat poly.

Mike

 

[holmqer]

Good info Mike, I'll have to switch to poly. For small stuff like this, I typically just break out the spray can, but this is the first thing I've made that will be in long term contact with skin. Normally I just make display pieces.

 

[Woodlvr]

I really love your work. I have turned a set of Bethlehem Olivewood rings for my wife and I. That box is gorgeous, I have never worked with Tasmanian Sassafras before, I may have have to get some and try it out.

 

[holmqer]

Thanks Mike.

Turning rings is fun. I will probably make some more (made one more tonight!). I want to experiment with various work holding techniques and laminations to see what I can do. I glued up a 3"x3" sheet of maple / bloodwood / maple so I can make a few more of these.

Tasmanian Sassafras looks nice but I really struggled with tearout on end grain. Getting the top of the box to look clean was a challenge. I picked up this piece 3"x3"x6" for $5 in the bargain bin at Bad Dog Burls.

 

[Pen&FishingCT]

good Job Eric, your last name should be (unique).

 

[holmqer]

Thanks Dave,

I made some wooden jaws for my Talon chuck that have their insides shaped to ideally hold a 1 1/4" OD ring. This way I can rough the outside to 1 1/4" then put it in my special jaws and turn the inside to match any ring size. Did that tonight and turned the inside to be size 14. Now I have to make a tapered jamb chuck to hold the sized ring so that I can turn the outside, bringing it to a suitable thickness and profile.

 

[rizaydog]

Very nice work.