Wood Ring - Quick & Easy (With Limited Tools! NO Drill Press, Lathe, Bandsaw, or Router Needed)

Looking for a quick and easy handmade gift for the holidays?! Impress friends and family with simple yet stunning wooden rings. There are hundreds of different tutorials on wooden rings, but we're going to show you how to make them with limited tools that you likely already have around your home. This way you don't have to run out to buy an expensive lathe, drill press or bandsaw!

Step 1: Gather Materials & Tools

Tools:

• Pull Saw
• Wood Clamp
• Drill
• Ring Mandrel
• Sandpaper
• 3/4" or 5/8" Forstner Bit
• Sanding Drum
• Miter/Table Saw

Materials:

• Scrap Wood
• Wood Glue

Step 2: Cut Thin Slices of Scrap Material Using Miter or Table Saw

Use the saw of your choice to cut thin slices of scrap wood.

Step 3: Glue Laminate Layers Together in Desired Order

Coat each side of the thin slices with wood glue and stack different color layers on top of each other. Make a handful of different stacks in case you break the ring or dislike the final outcome! Secure using wood clamps and let dry overnight.

Step 4: Drill Inner Hole With Forstner Bit

Use a 3/4" forstner bit for large fingers, and a 5/8" forstner bit for small fingers. Drill the inner hole.

Step 5: Bore Out Inside Hole to Desired Ring Size

Wrap a piece of sandpaper around a bit, and lock it into the drill. Use this to bore out the inside of the ring to the desired ring size. This can take some time, so be patient!

Step 6: Trim Excess Material With Pull Saw

Use a pull saw and wood clamp to remove excess material around the exterior of the ring, shaping it into a rough octagon.

Step 7: Remove Corners With Palm Sander

Knock off the corners using a palm sander; the closer you get to a circle, the easier the next step will be!

Step 8: Attach Ring to Sanding Drum

This is a sanding drum; it comes with specialty sandpaper that fits the circumference of the drum. We're going to ditch the sandpaper and slip the ring over the rubber drum. Tightening the nut will cause the rubber to expand, locking the ring onto the drum.

Step 9: Dual Wield Power Tools

Now for the fun part! I highly recommend using safety glasses (DUH!). Take the palm sander in one hand, and the drill with the ring attached to the drum in the other. Smooth out the exterior surface of the ring, removing any excess material. Don't press too hard on the ring with the palm sander; just take your time!

Step 10: Finish Sanding With Fine Sandpaper

I finished sanding the ring with 500-grit sandpaper. You can finish with whatever grit you prefer!

Step 11: Oil!

Rub it down with the oil of your choice and admire the final product!

Step 12: Show It Off! (Or Wrap It Up As a Gift!)

Comments

[TimTheWizard]

As far as the oil goes I don't have any polishing oil or stain. Are there common substitutes like peanut oil or something of the sort?

[woodworking gentleman bear]

you should use boiled walnut or linsed oil if you want to go cheep, but you cannot use oil from the grocery store because it does not cure. my top suggestion would be tung oil(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tung_oil)

[TimTheWizard]

I would but I don't want to go out and buy something. I've already got everything for this and the sealants i found with the exception of beeswax.

[woodworking gentleman bear]

bees wax(or any other kind of wax) would work fantastically but is not suggested for something that will be worn constantly because it will most likely have an unwelcome and waxy feel to it for a very long time. also, oils penetrate the wood more than wax when it is applied liberally, thus, dramatically bringing out the grain pattern and the cool things the wood has to offer visually, to see what I mean, try this in hickory. when you are finished with the oil, wait a week or two and then cover in layers of poly

[NelsonTreehouse]

^listen to this guy he knows! He also has the best username ever.

[DirkL9]

Very nice post. I am definitely going to try this. As for a finish I use Bees wax and coconut oil for my small projects. There are a lot of recipes for this on the internet. It keeps a lot better than only coconut oil and it give the wood a nice silky feel. It smells nice too.

[NelsonTreehouse]

I don't recommend any oil that can turn rancid. Canola, olive, & peanut oil all stay wet and then rot. I've heard of people using beet/carrot juice as a finish, but i'm unsure how effective it is and have never tried myself.

If you do any experiementation we would love to hear about your results!

[TimTheWizard]

Just did some research on this and I'll update you on how it works for me. Here are three common methods:

3 part olive oil to 1 part beeswax,

3 part canola oil to 1 part vinegar (I believe white),

and Pure coconut oil (cold in its white solid state)

[NelsonTreehouse]

Very interesting! That is quite the concoction. let us know what you discover. :)

[njdev95av]

I am not sure about the other two methods stated but I have been using virgin coconut oil to finish wood jewelry for years and it has worked well for me. My one concern with a more natural finish is that if these rings are being worn on hands, whatever gets on your hands; soap, chemicals, hand sanitizers, might react with or wear off the oils used as finish. my wood jewelry is usually in the form of necklaces and earrings, so I don't have any experience with that. They are beautiful pieces and well set for the beginner woodworker.

[NelsonTreehouse]

Thank you for chiming in! That is good information to know. Loved your project on coconut shell sake cups, very creative!

[woodworking gentleman bear]

i actually would not suggest the use of a lathe mostly because the blank would most likely ave end grain ripping and also has the possibility of exploding

[Pask Makes]

That came out really nice!

[barben]

Beautiful! How durable and long lasting is it? Do you have to be very careful about breaking it?

[ljhopkins]

what about water? my wife loves the look of the rings but she is concerned if they get wet when she washes her hands?

[NelsonTreehouse]

Finish it with a water resistant sealant!

[deathpuncher45]

i like it great job

[zposner]

Where did you get the ring mandril?

[NelsonTreehouse]

amazon!

[cartonus]

Good work!