Wooden wedding rings?

[chas_41_uk]

I couldn't find a section to ask this in so I chose this one.
I've been asked if I could make a pair of wooden wedding rings. Personally I can't think why they want wooden wedding rings, but hey ho.
My question is, what would be the best woods to offer?
I guess it would need to be hard wearing and strong. I don't know yet if they specifically want a native wood or are happy to go with an exotic.

Ideas? Suggestions?

 

[Bill Mooney]

Lignum Vitea is hard & will withstand wear & tear as well as water as will Burmese Teak. Both are an oily timber& are more or less self burnishing but no doubt there are many others. For a home grown timber I would look at Laburnum.

 

[Pierre]

I had to do a bunch last year, both Oak and ash broke too easily as did ebony so I ended up with beech, boxwood and despite its faults almond. Making them with 3 woods makes them stronger I suppose that the joints prevent the splitting. I also found that CA glue finish is not good so I stuck to cellulose sanding sealer and standard Tripoli, white diamond and carnauba wax finish. The carnauba wax will rub off in about 2 days (its just good for first presentation) but the rest will stay and their own hands will continue the patina and polish.

I made mine by drilling undersize and then sanding to size, turning to outer size and finished sanding then parting and using the part turned holding piece as a jam chuck (to finish the parted side). If you do use a buffing system then turn a friction fit stick to hold it because the wheels burn!!

The important this is that the inside should be sanded down to very fine with micromesh and water used to raise the grain whilst sanding (this does of course play havoc with the sanding and getting the sizes right). I sand to 12000 micromesh and also make sure that the inner edge does not catch on the web of the fingers.

Here are some ideas http://www.objetsbois.com/fr/20-bagues-en-bois-alliance-en-bois-a-offrir-en-cadeau .

And if you are going to make a business out of it then you will need one of these http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Durston-Showroom-Ring-Sizer-Set-prcode-999-ST13

Have fun they are fun to make.

PG

 

[Lons]

HAnd if you are going to make a business out of it then you will need one of these http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Durston-Showroom-Ring-Sizer-Set-prcode-999-ST13PG

You can get them a heck of a lot cheaper on ebay. I bought both last year plus a ring expander and paid a fraction of that. Make sure you buy a UK size not US though some have both sizes marked.

 

[Buckeye]

You can get them a heck of a lot cheaper on ebay. I bought both last year plus a ring expander and paid a fraction of that. Make sure you buy a UK size not US though some have both sizes marked.

Proops have the sizers.

Peter

 

[brody2123]

I've made a couple from Paduak. Seems to fair well.

 

[flexi]

There is a guy in the US who makes loads of rings...he also sells cores to improve stabillity....like bangle's....not cheap but they work....i think its the bangle guy....will look further

 

[flexi]

Here we are.....http://www.bangleguy.com/RIng_Supplies.html

 

[Pierre]

Here we are.....http://www.bangleguy.com/RIng_Supplies.html

Thanks for that It would be nice to know how to get the wooden bit on over the edges without having to glue an edge. Anyone got any ideas?

 

[Penpal]

Thanks for that It would be nice to know how to get the wooden bit on over the edges without having to glue an edge. Anyone got any ideas?

From memory the metal was two part allowing the wooden section easy access. At the time I looked right into it I found for peanuts a supplier of Titanium rings I took my wifes favourite ring to a jeweller ascertained the correct size then went on the net to get the US size in a comparison chart worked like a charm for me as I settled for Titanium all round. My dearly beloved used to wear a few rings on the one finger they wore each other thin at the bottom so I had a Jeweller combine the bands into one and fit the stones. There is a real sequence with rings first they fit then comes the babies years go by and rings have to be discarded or resized. Yes I still buy her rings sort of right of passage.

Peter.

 

[wm460]

If you went to sleep under a tree and the white ants ate your wooden wedding ring, would that be a cheaper way of getting divorced?

 

[Penpal]

The white ants up your way can eat or dissolve metal Mate.

Peter.

 

[stevenw1963]

Funnily enough, I have just ordered 2 ring cores from the bangle guy at the end of last week. These are to make myself a replacement wedding ring as t'other one got too small & had to be cut off.

I tried to make some rings last year,out of wood, Perspex, aluminium or a mixture of all 3. What I noticed was that the edges of the rings were too thin and brittle or too thick & uncomfortable to wear.
A one piece ring will not last long, I don't think, no matter what orientation you spin it (spindle or bowl blank grain wise).
Sandwiched pieces, again, need to be exceedingly thin to be comfortable to wear and again very thin = brittle.

Ring cores are hopefully the answer to a long lasting ring & you can get them in titanium or stainless steel.

Just waiting for them to arrive.

Of course, the above is only my opinion and observations from my own endeavours - I am sure some one will have tried another way with success.

 

[Pierre]

Funnily enough, I have just ordered 2 ring cores from the bangle guy at the end of last week. These are to make myself a replacement wedding ring as t'other one got too small & had to be cut off.

I tried to make some rings last year,out of wood, Perspex, aluminium or a mixture of all 3. What I noticed was that the edges of the rings were too thin and brittle or too thick & uncomfortable to wear.
A one piece ring will not last long, I don't think, no matter what orientation you spin it (spindle or bowl blank grain wise).
Sandwiched pieces, again, need to be exceedingly thin to be comfortable to wear and again very thin = brittle.

Ring cores are hopefully the answer to a long lasting ring & you can get them in titanium or stainless steel.

Just waiting for them to arrive.

Of course, the above is only my opinion and observations from my own endeavours - I am sure some one will have tried another way with success.

I am inclined to agree with all that you said, when I made my rings there was no hurry so I made a couple that fit my fingers and tried them for a while apart from looking like a right Nancy because I normally only wear a wedding ring, I discovered that CA glue causes inflammation of the web between the fingers and that if the wood is not properly sanded it gets rough at the start and then either your fingers get used to it or you patina it to death. There is a French man who makes a business out of it but his are all rather thick (no silly comments please). However the thought of a titanium or stainless steel core appeals to me and I think that they 'wood' go well together.

I was interested in the link and the cost of titanium cores at $24 because another site from Hawaii was selling finished rings in easily obtainable wood with titanium cores at €340 each!!

Mr Mark Up has a lot to answer for!!

PG

 

[stevenw1963]

I used car spray lacquer on my rings, don't get on with lots of CA.
Let it harden correctly and it lasts OK.

Just got to remember to take the rings off if you go near water though, no matter the finish.

Yep, I've seen some with that kind of mark up too - bit too much really when you can buy a titanium ring at a jewellers for £14 !!

 

[wm460]

Mr Mark Up has a lot to answer for!!

PG

Is that me you talking about.