How to Make Wedding Rings?

Weddings can be expensive, and these days many couples planning their weddings want a more personal, original wedding style. One way to both save money and create a personal touch to a wedding is to make your own wedding rings. By doing the ring-making yourself, you can have exactly the ring design you want while adding a meaningful layer to the exchange of rings. Whether you’re looking forward to your own wedding, a friend’s wedding or looking to get started on your own business, the following directions can help you make your own rings.

  1. Take the ring measurement for each person you are making a ring for. Do so by using a piece of string, looping it around each person’s ring finger and marking the places where the string comes together. Measure the string lengths with a ruler and write down the measurement for each person. Determine the width for each ring, as well. Rings can be made in widths anywhere between 1/8 inch and 5/8 inch.
  2. Take the sheet metal you are making your wedding rings from. Many wedding rings are done in silver or gold, though some people prefer white gold or platinum. On the sheet metal, use a pencil to draw rectangles in the length and width measurements you took from each person. Cut each rectangle from the metal, using the jeweler’s saw. At this point, if you wish to add decorative cutout designs to your rings, draw them onto the rectangles and cut them out. You can cut them easily by punching a hole through the rectangle with a drill bit, then unscrewing one part of the saw blade and pushing it through the hole. Reattach the blade and cut.
  3. File and sand the edges of the rectangles flat and smooth, and also file and sand the inner edges of any cutout shapes you made in Step 2. Make sure that the design looks the way you want it to. In your soldering area, screw all of the rectangles into the clamps and lightly heat them with the torch. Using the tongs, and never touching the hot metal with your hands, remove the rectangles from the clamps and put them into the pickle pot for a minute.
  4. Bend each rectangle into a loop, until the ends meet tightly together. If it is too difficult to bend the rectangles with your hands, put them onto the ring mandrel and bang them into round shapes with the wooden mallet. Paint a little flux on the short ends, where they meet, and place small pieces of solder along this line.
  5. Put the looped rings into the soldering clamps, with the solder facing upward. Turn the torch to a small flame and apply it to each soldered line, until the solder runs between the ends of each loop. Remove the torch and take the loops out of the soldering clamps, then place them into the pickle pot. Remove from the pot when cool, then file and sand away excess solder.
  6. Put the loops, one at a time, onto the ring mandrel and bang them into a circular shape with the mallet. Try to get the most perfect circle possible on each ring, then remove it and place another ring onto the mandrel.
  7. Put the rings on each person’s finger to test the fit. If any of the rings do not fit, they will need to be completely remade. Polish the completed rings with the polishing cloth.

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