I want to increase the size of a SS ring from 7 to 9. Some
concerns I have are:
The best way to cut the shank and the splice piece to have
them butt well.
Do you solder both ends at the same time else how do you
keep one joint from opening as you solder the other?
Should the wire (splice) be annealed/hardened before
soldering?
Should use med solder?
This is my first try at this process. I had trouble finding
info on it.
Thanks for your advice,
Bob B
- The best way to cut the shank and the splice piece to have
them butt well.
Cut the shank (in the middle of the back of the ring) slide it
up your ring mandrel until you reach the correct size. Square off
both sides of the cut until they are horizontally and vertically
parallel with each other. Make a curved section to fit- the shank
should hold the piece in place with tension.
- Do you solder both ends at the same time else how do you
keep one joint from opening as you solder the other?
I usually solder the best fitting side, then cut through the
other side with a sawblade to even it up and then solder it. >
3) Should the wire (splice) be annealed/hardened before >
soldering? I never bother.
- Should use med solder?
Hard is better- color match is closer. Medium in a pinch or if
there are other solder joints nearby.
This is my first try at this process. I had trouble finding
info on it.
Richard D. Hamilton
Fabricated 14k, 18k, and platinum Jewelry
wax carving, modelmaking, jewelry photography
I want to increase the size of a SS ring from 7 to 9. Some
One bit of advice with sterling is REMOVE ANY STONES BEFORE
SOLDERING. Silver conducts heat real well…Dave
Since I don’t see any other posts yet I’ll tell you what I’d do.
(Just in case you’re in a hurry to get it done and get out to
play. 
1) The best way to cut the shank and the splice piece to have them butt well.
After cutting and opening the ring, I’ll make both sides of the
cut parallel. Shape the end of the piece of stock you’re sizing
with and cut it off to length, with parallel ends. Now the insert
can be held in place by a little spring tension. Not too much,
just a little.
2) Do you solder both ends at the same time else how do you keep one joint from opening as you solder the other?
If your ends are reasonably parallel the insert shouldn’t slip
and you can do both solders without realigning things.
3) Should the wire (splice) be annealed/hardened before soldering?
If it’s not to hard to shape it won’t matter.
4) Should use med solder?
Always use the hardest solder you can. However if you’re not
confident, medium solder might be better than melting the ring.
If you’re having a real bad day use easy, but never use lead
solder!
This is my first try at this process. I had trouble finding info on it.
I’m sure there will be alot of it.
Thanks for your advice,
Bob B
You’re welcome.
Dick Caverly
rcaverly@aol.com
I want to increase the size of a SS ring from 7 to 9. Some
One bit of advice with sterling is REMOVE ANY STONES BEFORE
SOLDERING. Silver conducts heat real well…Dave
hi, richard pretty well covered every thing though i would like
to add a few items. before you cut the ring anywhere heat it up
to see if there are any sizing slugs all ready there or to find
any solder seams hiding about. it makes the job easier for me if
i make my cut on any previous joints. if a slug exists i cut it
out because they love to jump in the air while soldering, i love
hot metal in my lap.not! now open your ring to your desired size,
after you file your opening use the ring like you would dividers
to measure your piece of sizing stock. butt one side of the
opening against your sizing stock and scribe the stock withe the
other side of the opening. have fun
geo fox
I want to increase the size of a SS ring from 7 to 9.
DS> One bit of advice with sterling is REMOVE ANY STONES BEFORE
DS> SOLDERING. Silver conducts heat real well…Dave
G’day; I work mainly in sterling, and my trick is to put the ring
stone downwards into a bottle cap and fill the cap with cold
water so the stone(s) are well covered. I then do the silver
soldering with a paillon of medium solder held in place by the
sprung, fluxed cuts, using the extra heat of a tiny oxy-propane
flame, which enables the job to be done inside about 6 seconds
with no posibility of the stone spoiling or other soldered
jointing coming undone. Don’t think I’d do it with a pearl,
though. 
Cheers, –
/\
/ / John Burgess,
/ /
/ //\ @John_Burgess2
/ / \ \
/ (___) \
(_________)I have a question for you all, I just got a gold ring from Rio
Grande and I need to enlarge it from a 7 to 8 and a half. Is
there any way to do so with basic tools and without having to add
a segment of gold? ~Sarah
I have a question for you all, I just got a gold ring from Rio Grande and I need to enlarge it from a 7 to 8 and a half. Is there any way to do so with basic tools and without having to add a segment of gold?
hi sarah,
if it is a die struck band, yes (usually a plain band of the
same thickness all the way around). it can be streched on a ring
strecher but i assume from the nature of your question, you
don’t have one. if you have a disc cutter, ring mandrel, a good
h.d. vice and a small sledge hammer, you can slide the die
struck ring onto your ring mandrel, put the madrel thru a hole
in the disc cutter that will support the ring all the way around
and not pinch the mandrel, support this business on the vice
with the jaws open enough so’s not hinder the passage of the
mandrel, and pound the end of the mandrel, don’t forget to
reverse the ring periodically.
if your ring is not die struck, you can pound the shank to
kingdom come using just a mandrel and chasing hammer. i wouldn’t
do this myself, because it will really thin out your shank. some
refinishing will also be involved as well.
in both cases, it will be wise to anneal at least once when your
done. in the former case once during sizing will help.
best regards,
geo fox
George, I am a newbie at all this, this is the first time I have
had to size anything! I know for a fact that it is a die struck
ring. I don’t understand what you are saying to do with the disc
cutter. Acctually I don’t even know if I have one! If you could
elaborate just a little for me I would appreciate it. -Sarah
Hi Sarah
I have increased the size of many rings by generally (not
always)first anealing the ring then slipping it on the ring
mandrel and pounding all around it with a rawhide mallet. As it
slips further up the mandrel take it off and reverse it. Works
great for me and doesn’t mar the surface.
When you have it to size you will need to polish the ring a
little
If you notice that the ring is not stretching it means that it
has hardened and needs to be anealed again.
Hope this helps.............Leo..........Hi George!
That is a really slick idea to improvise a ring stretcher!
Thanks for sharing it!
Dave
Dave Sebaste
Sebaste Studio
Charlotte, NC (USA)
dave@sebaste.com
http://www.sebaste.com
I wonder if someone could take 5 minutes and jot down the simple
explanation of ring sizing? The basic hows and whys. I would
really appreciate it. Terry
p.s. this is the same person as fozzy@disknet.com I’m in the
process of changing my ISP
I have always went by the wisdom that almost all rings
(silver/gold) could be sized up 1/2 size without cutting.
How about others?
I wonder if someone could take 5 minutes and jot down the simple
explanation of ring sizing? The basic hows and whys. I would
really appreciate it. Terry
Terry, Sizing a ring down requires removing material and
soldering the joint back together. Sizing up usually requires
cutting through the back of the ring shank, inserting material,
and soldering. When sizing a ring down, it pays to invest in a
tool that will scribe one ring size on the shank. I have a mini
prong lifter which doubles for this task. Scribe on the shank
the amount of material you need removed and saw well inside the
lines. I use a sanding disk mounted on my flex shaft to sand the
joints parallel and flush. Use pliers with one side half round
and one side flat to carefully bend the ring shank until the
sides meet UNDER SLIGHT PRESSURE with NO light shining through.
Gently force the joint open and insert a piece of hard solder and
heat the area around the joint to flow. Put the ring on your
ring mandrell and tap gently until the desired size is reached (
you should be close). Clean up the inside first using a half
round file. I clean up the edges next and the outside last using
a file and than a sanding stick. Polish and clean.
When sizing a ring up I usually invest in a few different
dimensions of flat gold sizing stock (like 2.5 X 1mm). I size
alot of rings and this is worth it to me. You can always roll
your own though. First dip the ring in boric acid / alcohol and
heat the back of the shank enough to expose any previous solder
joints (oh yeah, you should do that for sizing down, too!). If
any are exposed, cut through one of the joints. Slide the ring
up your ring mandrell until it comfortably comes to rest about
1/4 size smaller than you want the ring. You might have to
overstretch it a little to do this. Find or roll a piece of
sizing stock that is as wide as the opening in the ring and as
thick or slightly thicker than the shank. Cut a piece the width
of the shank and place the flat piece of sizing stock in the gap
under slight tension, making sure to line up the new piece with
the inside of the ring, not the outside. Your fit must be
perfect, or else you’ll get pourosity or solder lines. Flux and
solder with hard solder using your solder pick this time. Pickle
and rinse. Put the ring back on the mandrell and using a small
goldsmiths hammer, tap the back of the shank on the new material
evenly until the ring reaches the desired size (it should start
out 1/8 to 1/4 size smaller, the act of “tapping it up” helps to
round it out and give it a little hardness). Clean up as
described earlier. Polish, ultrasonic, steam clean and you’re
ready to go! (Or brush with a toothbrush and mild cleaning
solution). I think there is a good pictorial of this in the back
of the Stuller little findings catalog. Always be careful when
sizing silver rings with stones and gold rings with fragile
stones such as opals and emeralds. You need to remove or protect
them with some kind of heat shield before you do any work. Good
luck! Sorry this was longer than 5 minutes
Wendy Newman
ggraphix@msn.com
I have always went by the wisdom that almost all rings (silver/gold) could be sized up 1/2 size without cutting.
Hello: I am assuming you mean streching or tapping up? I always
look to see if the ring has been cut before, If so 1/2 size is
about all I would strech.If no cut, I have annealed and streched
bands up 2 sizes before.Tapping up is only ok if the shank is
thick enough. If I am cutting and sizing a band up or down many
sizes I will make it about 1/4 to 1/2 size too small so I can
round it out well on the strecher.
Michael Mathews Victoria,Texas USA
I have always went by the wisdom that almost all rings (silver/gold) could be sized up 1/2 size without cutting. How about others?
I’ve made rings larger than one size, but, they have had very
thick bands . . .so pounding with the leather hammer wasn’t a
problem . . . and, then there are ring stretchers, which have
worked too.
I have always went by the wisdom that almost all rings
(silver/gold) could be sized up 1/2 size without cutting.
Joy, I usually do this (but don’t tell anybody). Don’t try it on
18k white gold or any ring that looks like it’s already under
stress (bowed out in the back). Wendy Newman
I once sized one of sterling up almost a full size w/o cutting.
Wasn’t the best looking but it was a customer’s old ring and she
wasn’t willing to pay for cutting. Wanted me to try anyway, so I
did. A little filing on the edges and it worked for her.
Nancy
I’ve sized gold and silver rings up a full size without a
problem–many times. Before I decide on doing the jog by
stretching the ring in my roller, I naturally look and see how
thick the shank is, preventing an overly thin result and
inevitable doom! If I can, I always try to do the stretch to
size up, especially when there are stones already set and I
don’t feel like pulling them. With the lower carat gold, I’ve
taken the precaution to anneal it a bit because the gold is more
brittle and apt to break or crack.
For anyone who hasn’t used a ring roller, I think the most
important thing is to work evenly on both sides of the shank,
apply pressure slowly, and especially match the roller shape
with the shank shape to prevent turning a half-round shank into
a flat one! When finished, you will have to lightly remove the
scratches with a little filing or a rubberized buff. Then, put
a final polish on it with a little fabuluster or other type of
final polishing compound.