Wooden Rings

I have been watching with some interest individuals on the net especially on Instagram who make wooden rings.
I am not much of a jewellery person but I thought I’d like to learn to make wooden rings from woods I have in my shop.
I soon learned that solid wood rings are not really the way to go because of grain issues which make rings made this way quite fragile. I noticed some people adding a thin lining of antler and because I had a chunk of old moose antler laying around I thought why not.
My first four attempts were with an outer ring of solid Desert Ironwood with a moose antler lining. They are a little big and are not that comfortable, but wearable.
Next I thought I should try ‘bent wood’ rings. I have a large pile of veneer laying around from a previous idea and thought I would give them a try but all the boiling and mico-waving etc. etc. I soon gave up on that idea.
The next method I decided on was ‘bent wood’ rings made from shavings or curlies that are cut from a suitable piece of wood with a sharp wood plane. These are just outright fun to make. I have now settled on this process and am really enjoying the exercise.
Here is a photo of the strips I am using.

And a shot of the ‘pink’ one I made for my Grand daughter!

Lastly, three rings, the left one is one I made for myself with Desert Ironwood c/w a moose antler liner. The middle ring is a ‘tie dyed’ one that currently lives in my lovely wife’s jewellery box, when she isn’t wearing it and the right one is similar to the first only much larger (although unfinished in this photo it is now done) which I made for, and gave to my son today!!

If anyone is interested in the process I will be adding another blog with photo’s of the process I use.