Wide Bands and comfort

Hi

A while ago, I made a wide silver band (about 5/8" wide). It’s
pictured here kimstarbarddesigns.com

I think the ring came out nice, but it could definitely be made to
be more comfortable. I have thought a lot about the proper way to
draw a template to make the ring taper in where it would lie on the
underside of the finger. Would there be any way to draw this design
and then saw it out…or is it easier to just make the ring and then
trim away the excess after soldering the band together?

Thanks for any input

Kim
http://www.kimstarbarddesigns.com

Kim -

Beautiful ring! I’d recommend making the taper in the initial design,
when you are sawing it out. I made a wide-band ring, and put the
taper in from the start. I used graph paper for the drawing, then
transfered it to tracing paper and glued it to the silver. Or, if
you are steady-handed, mark the widest & narrowest parts of the ring
directly onto the silver, then saw.

I would think it would be very difficult to saw the taper once the
ends had been joined. Seems to me you would need quite a taper in
order to not cut the widest part of the band with the top of the saw
blade. A flat sheet has got to be easier to handle than a curved one.

Let me know how it comes out, because my FIRST wide-band ring needs
just that treatment!

best regards,
Kelley

It’s easier to make sure it’s symmetrical by making it round and
then marking and either sawing or grinding away. That way you can
also pick the most desirable placement of stones or where the top
will be - i.e., placing flaws where you want to hide them. I start
the taper at the midpoint on either side of the ring so the topmost
portion you see doesn’t look tapered.

veronica

On Contenti’s Website you can see the comfort fit and other Matt
templates…in full scale for free…just a HINT!!

Hi Kim,

I think your design is very nice and would try to keep all the
elements you have, but as you say it needs to taper in order to be
comfortable for most people. It is definitely easier to cut the
correct profile while it is flat.

Make a brass (or silver, cardboard, paper) template in a wide ring,
taper the ends (now you will see how tricky it is to saw while it is
a ring), file both ends flat (a straight taper from top to bottom
will retain more of the original design), then cut the seam and
flatten it again to have a template.

You may be able to flare the edges while it is flat also; the flares
should remain to some extent after careful bending into a ring.
Hammering to size and roundness will be a problem if it is flared,
but it can be pulled into roundness on a ring stretcher.

Perhaps the flares should fade out to leave the bottom half of the
ring un-flared, then sizing will be straight forward, and it may be
more comfortable between the fingers. Future sizing of the ring is an
essential requirement - either to sell the ring, or later when the
customer needs it.

Cheers, Alastair

Kim,

I have done wide band rings both ways - that is use a pattern or
grind the back down after the ring is made. Both ways work just fine;
however, I have never made a ring with flared edges - Your ring is
beautiful BTW, I love its simplicity and elegance.

Jan
www.designjewel.com

That is a gorgeous ring. I think you could make a pattern, saw it
out, solder and finish, would make it narrower at the base of the
finger. Wish I could draw on the computer - I’d send you a pattern
similar to the one I have used, but not with the curved
edges…great job.

RMC

Hello Kim & Kelly,

If the wide band ring is in silver, a quick way to put a taper on
the band after it is soldered is to simply grind off some of each
side using the side of a grinding wheel. Capturing the metal ground
off is difficult, so this is not so good for a more valuable metal,
but I’ve done it on silver rings and just ignored the loss. It’s
quick and much more precise than trying to saw off a “slice” of the
band from each side.

Judy in Kansas, who just met Rick Copeland, lapidary extrodinare in
Colorado Springs!