8mm wide, 16 gauge sheet metal, hammered, stamped ring construction
Hello, I’m new here & very much still learning. I typically work
with thinner metals (18-20) for my rings. I received a custom order
for a man’s wedding ring, so I ordered 16 gauge, but am quite unsure
about the construction of it. I ordered the 16 g sterling silver
sheet because, 1, it’s a man’s ring and 2, it will be stamped inside
& also lightly hammered on the outside. I’ve worked it out several
times over the last week & have also searched the archives here, yet
still have questions concerning the length to cut & the order in
which to proceed. I’ll give you my thoughts & am hoping for
advice/corrections.
THE RING ORDER IS AS FOLLOWS:
8mm ring in a size 9
I chose 16 gauge sterling silver sheet metal (1.291mm… some books
round to 1.3) she wants the sterling silver lightly hammered wedding
date STAMPED inside a 2-3mm vertical copper cross on top - soldered
or inlayed
From research, I’ve come up w/this plan/numbers:
ring diameter + metal thickness x 3.14 ***(I read here in archives
to add .5 if over 4mm - which I have ?'s about below)
- size 9 ring diameter: 18.8 mm
- 16g sheet metal: 1.291 mm
*** I read in the archives to ADD.5 IF RING IS MORE THAN 4 MM - if
4mm refers to ring height, it being 8mm I should add the.5. I assume
this.5 accounts for what I also read in the archives: that a thick
ring should be 1/2 - 1 size larger??? IF THIS IS ALL CORRECT, I AM
STILL NOT SURE AT WHAT POINT I SHOULD ADD the.5, but am making the
assumption that.5 is added prior to multiplying by PIE,
…so am proceeding by adding the.5 to the metal thickness of
1.291… 1.291 +.5 = 1.791 (if “ring more than 4mm” refers to
something else, please advice).
I ALSO READ IN THE ARCHIVES that a “peened ring should be made maybe
2 sizes small”. I plan on texturing prior to construction due to the
inner stamping as mentioned above, so feel I can’t rely on hammering
to stretch it. Should I just go w/the size 9 to begin with? 18.8 (size
9 diameter) + 1.791 (metal thickness +.5) x 3.14:
IF THE ABOVE IS CORRECT:
18.8 + 1.791 = 20.591
20.591 x 3.14 = 64.655 is the length to cut???
LASTLY, the construction order…
(I have the cross made & ready).
This is what I’ve come up with. please correct or advise if you know
of a better plan of construction. I usually do my hammering after
construction, but due to the inner stamping, I’m afraid to do too
much hammering at that point, so I’m thinking this ring needs to be
textured a bit prior to construction & be sized close to the desired
finished size.
Once correct length to cut is established:
Lightly hammer outer side (recut to ‘established correct length’ if
necessary)
Stamp the date inside
Shape ring & solder
Round it up/size it - hopefully not much due to what I mentioned
above about the inner stamping
File, Sand
Solder Cross on top
Polish it up
She ordered without much time - wedding in a few weeks & I’ve
’wasted’ a week figuring it out, so I thank everyone who responds!
I can’t wait to hear from this well of knowledge!
Laura