Get Silvered

Tafe -Weeks 29 & 30.

Last two weeks of term and we had a chance to use tools again that weren't pencils or related to wax! Oh how I've missed you torch, saw and files!
Our final assessable project for the completion of our certificate was to make a ring from scratch. This was the project:

1. Calculate and weigh out how much copper to add to 10 grams of fine silver casting grain.
2. Melt the grains and pour an ingot. 
3. Roll the (round) ingot into a square bar of 4x4mm. 
4. Roll the square bar into flat stock, measure up bearing in mind that the finished ring must be exactly 4.1mm wide and 1.7mm thick
5. Form into a ring band and solder. 
6. Then it's to be finished to a 600 grit finish ready for marking. When it's finished our solder seam must not be visable, have no pits etc and the ring must be a perfect size L.

Work in progress with the left over strip in the background. Still some cleaning up to do.

Yay! Right width! You'll have to take my word on it that the other measurements were right too!

 The vernier calipers have been in demand these past two weeks, that's for sure! We did make a ring earlier in the year but we made it to fit ourselves and were assessed on the finish rather than measurements, so this was more of a challenge, especially when we were told that if it didn't meet the requirements we'd be melting it down and starting again! The idea behind this project is that for students seeking industry jobs, they can be sent off to their new apprenticeships and have the skills to make a wedding band to the exact standards and size as required by a client/boss. Apparently making ring bands is the most common practise in the industry! I'd never really given it much thought, but it figures!

Anyway - all done - no remelt required! :) And a bonus - the Size L fits me............. Pin It