Decisions, decisions

[joella]

I'm so excited, I've won a £50 cooksons spending spree on their advent calendar competition! But now I'm having trouble deciding what to spend it on, it's a large enough amount that I don't want to waste it, so I'm looking for your advice.

I was thinking of putting it towards ring making tools, which I don't have any of, except for half round pliers, so I think that would be: ring stick, triblet, ring gauge and ring clamp?

There are so many different ring sticks and triblets though, it's confusing. Also, talking of ring clamps, does anyone have a view on which is best - side screw, hinge and wedge or screw base?

Also, on an unrelated note, can anyone recommend from experience a cheaper end non durston rolling mill that's geared (because I'm more olive oil than popeye!). Mainly for texturing sheet and some rolling down wire. I love the durston mills but they are way to expensive for me to justify - if what's available isn't really any good, then I'd rather do without and live in hope of getting a durston eventually (as I would rather travel hopefully through life, than have to live with a pig in a poke)!

[Dennis]

For ring stick and ring sizer, get Wheatsheaf. They match each other and you will be speaking the same language as anyone with the same equipment.

For ring clamp the leather lined with side screw is good and doubles to hold other pieces while filing.

For triblet, the cheapest found by shopping around. You will also need a hide or nylon mallet. That said I now use an upright ring stretcher to stretch exactly to size, harden it and make it round at the same time. This avoids bashing my precious textures and cleaning up hammer marks.

As for a mill, get an imported one from a trusted supplier who will support you in case of trouble. Cooksons, I would say.

[enigma]

I use the disposable plastic ring sizers, and so far haven't had any problem out of a few hundred customers.
I think my triblet is this one http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Wheatsheaf-Round-Marked-Triblet----Sizes-A-z6-Steel-330mm13-----10.2-25.5mm-Diameter-prcode-999-823

It works with the disposable ring sizers pretty well.
I don't use a ring clamp as the one I had kept coming open so I set stones with the ring on the triblet on a sandbag, works for me.
The cheap Cooksons rolling mill also works for me :)

[Aurarius]

Ultimately I agree with Dennis that if you want ring gauges and sticks that will perform well in all circumstances (and correspond with what other professional jewellers who may already have measured your client's finger are likely to be using) Wheatsheaf is the best bet.

I've got Wheatsheaf as well as a low-rent set of metal ring gauges and sizing stick/triblet. The cheap gauges and stick correspond very inaccurately with one another, so that the gauges are a very poor guide to the reading you want to be seeing on your stick and vice versa. Just to help matters, the discrepancy between gauge and stick varies widely from ring size to ring size. You can still produce accurately sized rings in many circumstances with cheap ones, but you have to work around their shortcomings.

To work together as a set these things need to be made to fine tolerances, and the tolerances the cheap ones are made to mean they're often a lot more trouble than they're worth. It's a shame for people in all sorts of trades that the market makes room for tools that simply aren't fit for purpose.

[joella]

Thanks Dennis,
I'll Definitely be going for the wheatsheaf ring stick - the wheatsheaf ring sizer is going to be too pricey for me, and I may regret my decision, as what you say makes perfect sense, but in the light of enigma's comments I think I will go for the cheap ones. It's not the end of the world if they're no good, and I can always get the wheatsheaf one later. Thanks for the advice re ring clamp - I think I'll go for that too. I have a hide mallet that I've had for ages, but it's still really hard despite my best efforts. I wish they came already mashed up like the ones other people have - anyway, I also have a nylon one so not the end of the world. Your ring stretcher sounds wonderful. Alas, all I can do is drool over the thought of it, I think I'm getting a tool fetish! The hide mallet issue has parallels with my sons cricket bats ..... all that knocking in to do.
Sue

[joella]

Thanks Enigma,
Are the disposable plastic ring sizers you mention, the ones that cooksons have that are a bit like tiny tape measures, or the ones like cousins have, that are lots of plastic rings on a loop? I'm definitely going for the triblet you mentioned.
Sue.

[joella]

Thanks for your advice Aurarius,
I definitely get what you and Dennis are saying, but I'm trying to keep costs down a bit, so I'm going to try the wheatsheaf stick with really cheap ring sizers and if it goes pear shaped, I'll just have to fork out for the wheatsheaf. I'm not a professional jeweller, It's just my hobby (I say just, but I don't think I could live without it - I'm getting totally obsessed!) I don't have clients to worry about. Although, just before Christmas a lady wanted to buy a pendant of mine - I was so chuffed, she was so excited about it. I'd never sold anything before, only having forced things upon family members!
Sue

[enigma]

Hi Joella

Yes the cooksons ones :
http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Plastic-Multisize-Ring-Gauge-------Pack-of-10-prcode-999-AIA

[Patstone]

Well Sue, I dont have a ring sizer as such, only a Wheatsheaf triblet with sizes on. I use a piece of string, wrapped around the customers finger, never had a complaint yet, and i do sell quite a bit made to measure stuff. Doesnt look very professional but it works.

[Tabby66]

Hi Sue,
This is the wheat sheaf stick I have http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Wheatsheaf-Ring-Stick-A-z6--------Stainless-Steel-prcode-999-AHY, though I realise that blows all your money!! In terms of reliability with the stick or sizers, if you are measuring the size and taking note with whatever tools you buy, you will be fine. The main difficulty will come if you rely on a measurement/size from elsewhere and they do not transfer.

Enjoy spending your money!!
Jill xx


Edited, because I wanted to say well done on the pre-christmas sale!! Nice when folk outside the family start liking your work!! :dance:

[Dennis]

It is always worth shopping around to save a bit: https://www.kernowcraft.com/products/silversmithing-and-tools/all-silversmithing-tools/item/ring-stick-c48 Dennis

[LydiaNiz]

I am another user of the plastic ring sizers - have been no problem. I usually buy steel ring triblets with size markings. Weirdly I just git hold of a Durston triblet and the sizes are coming up nearly half a size larger than any of my other triblets, curious.

[Aurarius]

It is always worth shopping around to save a bit: https://www.kernowcraft.com/products/silversmithing-and-tools/all-silversmithing-tools/item/ring-stick-c48 Dennis

Whilst it is cheaper, Dennis, it's not the same animal; Cookson's is stainless steel, Kernow's aluminium. Cookson's also includes bigger sizes.

[Dennis]

Ah you're right Mark. I've had the aluminium one for some twenty years and it shows no sign of wear. That said I never hammer on it but often push coiled wire up it to reach the desired size.

I'm not sure which I would choose now, but probably the steel one, just because it's there.

However there is this too, which might do if you're on a budget. http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Wheatsheaf-Round-Marked-Triblet----Sizes-A-z6-Steel-330mm13-----10.2-25.5mm-Diameter-prcode-999-823

It's not clear whether it is made by Wheatsheaf, or just marked in Wheatsheaf sizes. This raises the question of accuracy of course. Dennis.

[Aurarius]

However there is this too, which might do if you're on a budget. http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Wheatsheaf-Round-Marked-Triblet----Sizes-A-z6-Steel-330mm13-----10.2-25.5mm-Diameter-prcode-999-823

It's not clear whether it is made by Wheatsheaf, or just marked in Wheatsheaf sizes. This raises the question of accuracy of course. Dennis.
Yes, that's the one Sarah linked to earlier in the thread. It's difficult, as you say, to know for sure whether it's actually made by Wheatsheaf, but the Wheatsheaf website (http://www.wheatsheafonline.co.uk/21001.html)does picture something identical-looking in their triblet section.

[enigma]

I don't know either but its very well made- I shape all my rings on it so it gets a lot of hammering as I use 2 and 3mm thick silver and gold.
The sizes also match up perfectly with Cooksons plastic gauges :)