silver ring liner

[Sheen]

the easiest way to give a copper band a silver ring liner. I take i I should use fine silver? I have no ring stretcher, just basic tools.

[Dennis]

No the inner ring can be sterling and quite thin, but a little wider, say 5-6mm.
Then make the copper band narrower to fit over that.
Next use something round, like the head of a doming punch to spread the edges, of the lining. No solder needed, but the join of two metals will not touch the skin. Dennis.

[Sheen]

No the inner ring can be sterling and quite thin, but a little wider, say 5-6mm.
Then make the copper band narrower to fit over that.
Next use something round, like the head of a doming punch to spread the edges, of the lining. No solder needed, but the join of two metals will not touch the skin. Dennis.

So that would be about 3 mm's either side, so I'm essentially making a giant tube rivet? :)

[Dennis]

Yes that's a good way to put it Sheena.
I was going to edit the difference in size to half that, but got called away.
The problem is that electrolytic action and corrosion takes place at the junction of the metals, so that must be placed where skin is least likely to touch. Dennis.

[Sheen]

Yes that's a good way to put it Sheena.
I was going to edit the difference in size to half that, but got called away.
The problem is that electrolytic action and corrosion takes place at the junction of the metals, so that must be placed where skin is least likely to touch. Dennis.

Brilliant dennis, I was reading about that battery effect and then you write about it. It's good to know that i can solder/ rivet copper to silver as long as it's away from the skin. I was starting to worry :)

[Sheen]

The silver liner is in and i've now finished soldering my long wire claws to the band (going to attach a piece of sea glass. My copper claws are really soft from the soldering. Need to stiffen them up. Is my best bet twisting the wire with some pliers? Can't think of any other way to do it. Would be delighted with any thoughts.

[Dennis]

Yes, copper is really soft when annealed. You can harden round wire by twisting, but other profiles might look a bit strange. Dennis

[Sheen]

Yes, copper is really soft when annealed. You can harden round wire by twisting, but other profiles might look a bit strange. Dennis

It can be a real surprise to the uninitiated just how soft copper gets. it's also miraculous how hard you can make copper! i twisted my prongs and moved some more awkward bits back and forth and it's worked a treat. just need to set the glass now and i'm done :)

[Sheen]

Hi Dennis, thought you might like to see how it turned out:-O so glad I made the effort to fit the liner, it really made the design. I set it in thermoplastic then hammered it out with the pointy end of a riveting hammer then flattened it to the side with a chasing hammer (had no punches suitable) next time I'd prefer to keep the band upright when I solder on the prong setting as I overheated my piece cause I couldn't quite see what i was doing. I was originally going to have all my prongs short apart from the balled one. But I liked the alignment of the two vertical prongs and couldn't bring myself to cut them off.

12604
12605
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[Dennis]

That's turned out to be a real designer ring now Sheena, a bit reminiscent of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
I like the promgs long to give that barred effect.
If you want a gentle criticism, I would make sure the three ends were as level with each other as possible and cut off the slightly wonky end of the top one.
The camera is always your sternest critic. Well done, Dennis.

[Sheen]

I like being critiqued :) often others will see what's staring me in the face. i shall get that done. Next time i'm going to try and get the ring to be a proper size, i think it's come out as a k 1/2. once i'd set the liner i didn't want to try stretching it.

[pearlescence]

If you find a way to keep the copper outer ring separate and independent of the inner silver you would have a designer prayer ring!

[Sheen]

If you find a way to keep the copper outer ring separate and independent of the inner silver you would have a designer prayer ring!

that's given me another idea, thanks ;)