Metal Work

Initial Learning Projects

First Tubes

My first attempts at cutting bands and shaping them into rings (1st,2nd,3rd top to bottom).  Without measuring I obviously overestimated ring widths initially.

First Engravings/Carvings

realizing most rings are much thinner then my initial cuts I decided to try to do some simple engravings on the thinner rings I had shaped. at this point I was more concerned with getting the shape of the rings correct so I would doing the engraving while the ring was already shaped.

First Setting: 4G Ring

Excited to try to combine my taste of computer parts with jewelry I shaved down a 4G sim card to act as a gem for a ring set with UV resin. it ended up being offset and coated unevenly but the gem effect turned out very satisfying.

First Polishing: Thumb Ring

My next ring was working with an offcut from the brass sheet, wrapped into a bit of a signet ring  without anything to be the signet, just a flat surface. This flat surface made for a good place to practice buffing/polishing the metal as I hadnt tried it out yet.

First Transferred Engraving

Realizing that it would be easier to do the detailed work with the metal is still flat and having inspiration from doodles from the past, I decided to try out transferring a printed design to metal. Since I hadn't gotten the hang of acetone transferred I opted to  superglue the printed design to the metal and cut through the paper to transfer the design.

First Decent Ring: SotC Ring

Finally knowing how to do the basics of the basic steps of making a ring I was able to produce my first fitting, designed, polished ring. The design for this ring is inspired by the Sigil from the video game Shadow of the Colossus

First Major Carving Project: Fathers Day Crest Coin

While still early into my understanding of the craft I decided to try to apply what I knew to make a meaningful gift for my dad for fathers day by combining two of the most meaningful gifts he has given me; The Cadillac keychain emblem from my grandpops' old car given to me for my 16th birthday, and his college graduation pocket watch the summer I graduated college.

While the results were not the most desirable I was proud to have achieved something resembling what  I was going for. While the rings above were posted in chronological order this coin comes before I had a decent understanding of using buffing to remove some imperfections, as well as being before I understood the importance of consistent depth in cuts. All in all though I was happy with the outcome and my dad was happy with the sentiment behind it.

Brass Gem Signet Ring

Inspired by Dwarf Fortress I decided to try Carving a diamond shaped gem as a signet for a ring with some kind of art deco design for the rest of the band. The flat version of this ring is the cover banner of this page.

Birthday Rings

As a large birthday event approached with 5 birthdays being celebrated, as usual I opted to make the gifts rather than buy them, and since this was the hobby I was learning at the time I got to work. As usual though I forgot to take pictures of nearly all the rings but here is one of them. the SotC ring was the first I made that inspired me to make more as gifts.

Dremel Gem Cutting Practice

being happy enough with the gem cutting I did for the signet ring I decided to try to cover an entire ring with the effect. At this point I had gotten pretty comfortable with incorporating some amount of measuring and marking into the process not just to get the size right but to get the design to come out more accurate to what I'm aiming for.

Cross Cut Practice

Deco Fashion Ring

Cross Cut Ring

Minimal Fashion Ring

Setting Practice

Using another component from some obsolete technology practiced UV setting this button into a ring, with marginal success. I would say better than the 4G sim card setting but still not good, the ring was largely used for fodder to practice some new burrs I had gotten in the mail.