Stacked Bezel Cup Ring Tutorial
Today’s tutorial is about making a ring on an adjustable ring blank. We will be using a beautiful art bead made by polymer clay artist Claire Maunsell. We will be adding some hand felted pieces and a few pieces of sterling silver to attach the art bead to the micro screw rivet.
A list of materials and tools follows. After that are the step by step directions.
Materials
Adjustable ring blank silver plated (available on Etsy or Rings & Things)
Center hole art bead disk about 5/8 inch in diameter I used one of Claire Maunsell’s beautiful polymer beads
brass screw rivet (micro screw) 1/2 -3/4 inch long 1/16 inch thick ( Source Etsy) or
hand felted disk 1-1 1/2 inches in diameter or several scraps of Sari silk
copper or silver heishi bead and sterling silver bead cap used inverted –diameter greater than disk bead center hole, with 1/16 center hole
Optional supplies: mica disks (daniel essig on Etsy), metal disks, waxed linen in a complementary or matching color
epoxy glue or clear nail polish
wooden dowel the diameter of your ring
Tools
hand drill with 1/16th inch drill bit or 1.8mm punching plier
Safety glasses
awl
Center punch
Flush cutters
Scissors
Tiny eyeglass screwdriver
thin tip Sharpie Marker
Metal file
Tutorial
We will be using a ring blank that has a very shallow round bezel cup to build a ring with felt, mica (optional), and a polymer clay art bead
1. Find the center of your bezel ring blank by measuring and drawing a line through the widest part of the circle. Then rotate the ring 90 degrees and draw another line. Where the lines meet is the center of your ring. Use a thin tipped sharpie marker to draw the lines and mark the spot where they meet
2. If you are going to drill your center hole, slide your ring blank on the wooden dowel. Hold the ring and wooden dowel in place with a vice. Using the center punch make a divot where you marked the center of the bezel cup.
3. With your ring on the dowel, securely in place with the vice, and wearing safety glasses, drill a hole in the divot with your hand drill. If you are using the punching plier, align it with the marked center and punched the hole. ( Please note: You can only use the punching plier if you are making a hole through just one thickness of metal.
4. Try the screw rivet in the hole you just made to make sure it fits. It the hole is too tight, use the awl to widen it by working it around in the hole.
5. Cut out a circle of your felt slightly larger than the disk bead you are using, in this case it would be about 1/14 inches since the disk bead is 1 inch in diameter.
6. Make a hole in the center of the felted disk with the awl.
7. To assemble your ring, insert the brass screw rivet into the ring from underneath the bezel cup.
String on the felted disk the optional mica disk and the copper or silver heishi bead.
8. Screw on the brass nut and make it as tight as you can. Use the eyeglass screwdriver or your finger nail to hold the rivet in place as you continue to tighten the nut. When you are sure it is as tight as it can get, clip off the extra length of the rivet and file it smooth. Tighten it again and add a couple of drops of epoxy glue or clear nail polish. Let it dry completely.
9. If you want to add additional color to your ring you can wrap waxed lined around part of the band as seen in this picture. Use slip knots on the inside of the ring band to secure the waxed line. Add a drop of epoxy or clear nail polish to secure the slip knots.
Or you could add in some mica sheet
10. Try on your new ring and enjoy!!
Thanks so much for stopping by!!