Easy Wooden or Skateboard Rings: No Lathe

by fizzy123

8.0K8710

Intro: Easy Wooden or Skateboard Rings: No Lathe

After many different trials and methods, I have found a very easy way to make rings with minimal tools. These rings are very stylish and comfortable. They take about 30 minutes to make one. I am entering this into the Jewelry contest. It would be amazing if you could vote for me if you liked the instructable. Thanks for reading!

STEP 1: TOOLS NEEDED

Materials Needed
  • Hardwood: I used walnut as an example for this Instructable but any hardwood should work. Or an old skateboard deck
  • Beeswax and olive oil salve
Tools that are needed
  • Dremel with sanding bits
  • Masking tape
  • Hand saw (not needed if using hole saw)
  • Sandpaper
  • A drill bit that matches your ring size (not needed if you have the hole saw)
  • Clamps or a vice
Tools that are recommended
  • Hole Saws. One that is close to your ring size and one that is just a bit bigger than the first hole saw. I use 1in and 3/4in.
  • A miter saw to cut the wood
  • A drill

STEP 2: Cut Round Blanks

The first part of this is to make the ring blanks. The easy easiest way to do this is with a hole saw. But it is entirely possible to make with a hand saw.

First, get a piece of wood that is the same thickness as you want your ring to be. Or cut one. I cut my piece 0.4 inches.

Then take the blank and use the larger hole saw to cut out a round blank. I like to start from two sides and meet in the middle with the hole saw to keep the splitting to a minimum. Also, be careful of burning the wood.

If you are using a hand-saw cut, close to a circle and then sand the rest around. So you have a round blank of wood that is just a bit bigger than your finger diameter.

IF you want to use a skateboard deck

To use a skateboard deck all you need to do is to drill the round blank out of the deck. Follow everything else the same way.

If using a hand-saw this will be harder to do because you will need to cut a piece out of the deck. But is possible.

STEP 3: Ring Blanks

Next, you will need to make the ring blanks.

I do it by using a hole saw.

First, put the round blank into a vice or use a clamp to secure it. Next, use a hole saw that is the size of your finger (I use 3/4in) to drill out the center. Again, drill from both sides to minimize splitting. Be very careful not break the ring.

If you don't have a hole saw do the same procedure but use a drill bit that is the same size as your finger.

STEP 4: First Sanding

Put a Dremel into a vice or use a clamp to secure it. Use a sanding bit to get the inside smooth. When drilling from both sides with a hole saw, you may get a ridge in the middle. Sand that away as well.

It is recommended that you put a curve on the inside of the ring to make it more comfortable.

STEP 5: Making the Tool

How I easily get the outside of the ring smooth and equal thickness is by mounting it to the Dremel. I do this by taking a sanding drill bit and wrapping it with masking tape until the ring can fit snugly on it.

STEP 6: Making the Tool in Tinkercad

I also made this tool in tinkercad. I used two cylinders that were the same size as I measured from the physical tool.

I have included the STL file for this part if you want to get a better idea of the tool.

**I do not know why if you select "view in 3d" it says New York but if you download the file you can see what it is supposed to look like**

STEP 7: Sanding the Outside

After you put the tool on the Dremel and secure the ring you should turn the Dremel on a low speed (I use 5000 RPM).

Then use a coarse (I start with 100) sandpaper to thin the ring. Then when it is close to your likeness for thinness you should switch to a higher grit. (I use 250) you could keep on going but I feel it does not need much more.

When sanding this way you should put a curve to the face of the ring to make it more comfortable to wear.

STEP 8: Finishing

I finish my rings with many different items.

  • Something I use is beeswax and olive oil salve

  • Butcher's block oil

  • Homemade 50/50 beeswax and butcher's block oil finishing compound

Really any oil or wax can work. Just experiment.

STEP 9: DONE!!!!!!!

Now you got a great ring that looks awesome.

It would be amazing if you could vote for me in the Jewelry contests.

8 Comments

MarkSanders 5 years ago

How did you get the much lighter colors and the green band? Thanks!

fizzy123 5 years ago

It is they colored layers on the skateboard deck. You can look at the photo of a cross section of a deck.

seamster 5 years ago

Looks good! I like the look of the layers from the skateboard deck. Nice work!

jessyratfink 5 years ago

That's really lovely! I'm suddenly sad we haven't kept any broken decks :)

fizzy123 5 years ago

Thanks. I found one at a skate park from when someone snaped their board.