Ring Mandrels

by Judy Larson

Rings can be formed and shaped or reshaped on ring mandrels, also known as triblets. Mandrels are made in a variety of materials, each having their own use. The first ring mandrel most people purchase is a graduated stainless steel ring mandrel with sizes 1 through 15. It will last a lifetime.

Instructions

Most ring mandrels are marked with whole sizes in numbers and quarter sizes in lines between the whole sizes. Very few ring mandrels are marked with only lines, not sizes.

Judy Larson's Ring Mandrels - , Tools For Wire Jewelry, Tools, ring mandrels

A stepped ring mandrel will not allow a ring to slide down the shaft during shaping. They are generally stepped in whole sizes, so half and custom sizes are very difficult to make on them.

Some ring mandrels have a groove down one size. If there is a stone in the ring being worked on, the stone or setting is placed over the groove to help protect it during the hammering/shaping or the ring shank. Since these plastic ring mandrels were very inexpensive, I would purchase many at a time and gift them with beads and extra wire to school students when I would teach a wire wrapped ring class for an hour. The groove helps hold the bead in place while wrapping the wire around the mandrel in the size needed.

When making rings, the band will most likely be a bit misshapen when done. Sliding the ring onto a graduated ring mandrel and tapping the band with a rawhide mallet or a small rubber/nylon mallet will help make it round. It is important to flip a ring over on the mandrel frequently to avoid making the ring cone shaped and have a more even fit. Flipping the ring over on the mandrel during shaping is especially important the wider the ring band is.

Not all graduated ring mandrels are shaped the same, but they are mostly pretty accurate with sizing. When forming wider bands, a longer, narrower ring mandrel, such as the one on the left, may be easier to work with. It requires less flipping of the ring on the mandrel.

A 360 Degree Ring Mandrel Vise can be an invaluable tool. Securing a ring mandrel in the vise, which can be secured to the work surface, will free both hands to work on a ring.

How to size a ring on a ring mandrel

When making narrow band rings, usually under ¼" wide, the bottom edge of the ring band should touch the top edge of the line of the desired size, not overlap it, on the ring mandrel. A hair above or below the line would be acceptable as well, but try for the bottom edge of the ring to touch the line. This ring band is sized to a 6.

When making wider band rings, the midline of the ring band should be centered over the line of the desired size. This ring is a sized to a 6.

There are always exceptions. I wear a size 5¾ ring on the ring finger on my right hand. Both the rings here fit my finger exactly the same. Notice the center of the band of the green stone ring is on a size 5¾ but the leading edge of the ring is a bit over a size 6. The other ring sits on the mandrel at a size 5½ because of the room taken up by the stone cluster on the top of the ring.

Materials

No materials listed

Tools

360 Degree Mandrel Vise with Mandrel

G7-11

G7-11
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $43.95
Gold Club Price: $32.96

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PROFESSIONAL QUALITY RING MANDREL 1-16

MAN-295.00

MAN-295.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $24.95
Gold Club Price: $18.71

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Stepped Ring Mandrel on Base

MAN-139.00

MAN-139.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $26.57
Gold Club Price: $19.93

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Wood Ring Mandrel - Pack of 1

G7-55

G7-55
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $11.95
Gold Club Price: $8.96

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Category: Tools
Technique(s): Tools

Reviews

Judy Larson

My philosophy has always been "I will never live long enough to learn everything I want to learn, go everywhere I want to go and see everything I want to see!" So, what I make and how I create it is always changing and evolving. I was born shortly after WWII to parents who grew up during the Depression. They always had a "we can do it, we can make it" attitude which rubbed off on my two younger brothers and me. My brothers are amazing and can make and do ANYTHING! When I was a little girl, my mother gave me an old carved cigar box, which I cherish, filled with pop beads, wooden beads and yarn for stringing. That was the beginning of my jewelry making journey.

On a visit to the Grand Canyon when I was a young woman, I was fortunate enough to help a Native American silversmith sand cast my first silver bracelet and bezel set a large turquoise nugget on top. I was in love, hook, line and sinker! While working full time and having a family here in northern Minnesota, my artistic endeavors slowed down but never stopped. I am an artist, scrapbooker, seamstress, woodworker and jewelry artisan. Now that I am retired, I am able to indulge in all my hobbies. However, there just never seems to be enough time in the day to do it all, but I try!

I have been teaching community education beginner and intermediate jewelry making classes since my retirement. Many of my students have been bitten so hard by the jewelry making bug that they say I have turned them into monsters-they just can't get enough. Making jewelry, seeing something take shape from small bits and pieces, is so rewarding that I hope it brings out the "monster" in you, too!