Ring bending pliers

[Neve]

Hello! Please can anybody recommend the best pliers to bend 2mm silver sheet? I have just made a size M ring (8mm wide) and struggled with my normal ones. Thank youuuuu!

[Goldsmith]

When I was an apprentice, I filed the jaws of an old large pair of pliers, first I filed off the teeth from both jaws and then I filed one of the jaws slightly half round. This gave me a larger than average set of half round ring bending pliers, larger handled pliers make bending thicker wires easier.

I also have a stock of steel rods which can be gripped in a vice so that I can start bending the ends of a thick ring strip by hitting it on the steel rod with a mallet. I get my steel rods from here; https://ekpsupplies.com/materials-metals-/silversteel/cat_141.html , it is also possible to bend the whole ring band this way if you don't like using half round pliers.

5340

James

[Wallace]

I use half round and flat or my specialist pliers. The were reasonable in price and have lasted me over five years very comfortably.

I did recently invest in a megatron version. But find it too bulky for my hands, although it is fine and works well.

Half round pliers are good if you have annealed your silver well. It just that the silver hardens really quickly, when working with smaller sizes.

an example of half round pliers via ebay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Half-Round-Pliers-130mm-Plain-Pliers-/350626201765)

an example of my specialist pliers, via etsy (https://www.etsy.com/listing/109902529/forca-rtgs-298-jewelry-ring-and?ref=sr_gallery_21&ga_includes%5B0%5D=tags&ga_search_query=ring+forming+pliers&ga_search_type=all&ga_facet=ring+forming+pliers&ga_view_type=gallery)- I find these very useful as I have a very bad neck injury that means I have the strength of a single ant trying to push a marble uphill!


But, like James, I will bend flat stock over some mandrels and have found my dapping tools have a variety of shanks that come in very handy when set into a vice. Then mark and saw where needed to get a great seam.

[Neve]

Thank you so much James and Wallace, great advice. I was using half round and like Wallace my strength is antlike! Fine with 1.5mm silver, NOT fine with 2mm. So, I may invest in those specialist pliers, they look the bizzo! Love Neve x

[Dennis]

I would very much recommend the 'specialist pliers' as recommended by Wallace in the second link. They will bend really heavy metal with the minimum of effort and those are a particularly good price.

If you are using them on a short piece of metal, already cut to size, it is a good idea to bend the ends first an then apply them to the centre to close the ring. If occasionally the metal is a little wider than the centre pivot you can turn the piece round to perfect the other side. Dennis.

[caroleallen]

I'd recommend them too.

[Patstone]

Just noticed this, wish I had seen it earlier, I have been trying to bend 2mm gold into a ring and its not easy. Had to use a vice in the end, so had difficulty bending it into a circle. What is the maximum thickness the Forca pliers will bend, as I often get asked for 2mm silver rings.

[Wallace]

fully annealed 2mm silver bends readily enough Pat, as would gold.

I use it to bend thinner ones to give me an arc for setting stones too. Easier than a set of maun pliers and half round pliers.

[Dennis]

I use it to bend thinner ones to give me an arc for setting stones too.


How d'you mean Wallace, is it to swage metal instead of a swage block?

[ps_bond]

Bending on edge, I was guessing - for making arcs for collets.

[Wallace]

Bending on edge, I was guessing - for making arcs for collets.

indeed, thanks for helping to be clearer. Collets round, square, marquise and so on.

5344

a variety of metal thickness' I have done these today - normally I would do more, but I have too much pain from my neck flare up and even holding a camera is difficult. But when in full swing, these are properly formed and thickness of metal can be from .3 through to 3mm in silver if soft enough and annealed. Probably it will manage up to 2mm in gold. I don't have any to try, so have to make a leap of faith on it.

kindest,

Wallace

[Patstone]

Oh yes. Already on my Xmas wish list.

[Dennis]

Don' forget, folks, that you need a narrow leather strap between the pliers and the outer surface of the ring, to save on cleaning up plier marks. I keep odd bits of leather to cut up for this. The strap of a leather luggage tag is about right.

Keeping it in place while using the pliers is the only fiddly bit, but it is worth it. A little double sided tape will help. Dennis.

[Wallace]

Great point, Dennis.

If you look at my photo, you will indeed see a little strip is glued in place. I use the gel version of super glue, or gorilla glue to fix leather to the metal.

Even on my Maun Parallel pliers, as this really helps with the extra grip I have no strength to provide.

[LydiaNiz]

I might well need a pair of these, my arthritisy wrist is not happy in the cold - our studios seem to get colder than outside in this weather. Thanks for the link Wallace!

[ShinyLauren]

Has anyone tried one of these: http://www.suttontools.co.uk/super-ring-bender.html

It's pretty expensive, but looks marvellous!

Can you use ring bending things with d shape and round wire, or only flat sheet?

[ps_bond]

It is. Seems quite happy with every shape I've thrown at it. I don't have the Delrin inserts for it, they seemed a bit expensive for what they are although I may be being unfair.
Saw one in use in a commercial workshop the other week too.

[ShinyLauren]

What are the Delrin inserts Peter?

[Wallace]

that would be these

http://www.suttontools.co.uk/delrin-dies-for-ring-bender.html

[ps_bond]

That's the beasties.

[medusa]

Has anyone tried one of these: http://www.suttontools.co.uk/super-ring-bender.html

It's pretty expensive, but looks marvellous!

Can you use ring bending things with d shape and round wire, or only flat sheet?

I'm probably being really thick and it should be obvious from the sizes they quote, but what size rings can be made? I recently had to make a ring for a components which was about 2cm across out of oval wire and whilst it isn't too bad, I'm not happy with the join. I cut and filed it in a mitre jig and got the ends as lined up as possible, but there still seems to be some misalignment.

[Dennis]

I've looked at those bench, mounted ones, but my hand pliers, similar to one shown by Wallace will easily cope with any wearable thickness and any ring size, without strain.

The Wheatsheaf size X has an int. diameter of 21.80mm and my round mandrel goes op to about 23, so I have used them for components up to that size. For bigger rings still, I use James' method with a vice and then round them on a small bangle mandrell, which follows on in size.

Once the ends have been squared with a filing block it is only necessary to make them meet well even if the ring is not round, because rounding it can be done after soldering. Of course it is much easier to do that with a ring stretcher, particularly as it will size upwards at the same time.

If I had lots of large rings to make I would consider a bangle stretcher as well.

Lastly, If oval, rectangular,or square wires won't match up despite filing, it is because one end has become slightly twisted and needs tweaking. Dennis

[ps_bond]

The Pepe bender can do pretty much any size from 12mm, 60 degree bends and squares. It's easier on the hands than the Swiss bending pliers and it'll do wider shanks (so if you're doing liners for hollow rings it's handy). 4mm thick stock is a doddle too. But, being either bench mounted or vice mounted it's less portable than the pliers.

One thing I'd mention in using a mitre block - remember you're cutting the stock square, whereas if you're truing a joint in a ring you're cutting radially (unless, of course, you've bent the ring in a rough square prior to forming it round).

Andrew did a video about it - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrkK2GwdFsM

[ShinyLauren]

that would be these

http://www.suttontools.co.uk/delrin-dies-for-ring-bender.html

Thank you! I put Delrin in the search box at it said no results - stupid website.

[medusa]

The Pepe bender can do pretty much any size from 12mm, 60 degree bends and squares. It's easier on the hands than the Swiss bending pliers and it'll do wider shanks (so if you're doing liners for hollow rings it's handy). 4mm thick stock is a doddle too. But, being either bench mounted or vice mounted it's less portable than the pliers.

One thing I'd mention in using a mitre block - remember you're cutting the stock square, whereas if you're truing a joint in a ring you're cutting radially (unless, of course, you've bent the ring in a rough square prior to forming it round).

Andrew did a video about it - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrkK2GwdFsM
Cheers, I did actually make it square to start with and then shaped it on a mandrel, but it still looks off. I tried using D ring inside out for a bangle last year (I think) and had a similar problem getting a good line up. I will persevere!

[Patstone]

Whoop, whoop, my pliers have arrived from America, and they work very well. Worth the money and the wait.