What tools do you need to make Bent Wood Rings

Making wooden rings is a great way to express your creativity and can even make a lucrative side
hustle or full time business. The great thing about this craft is that it doesn’t require a huge amount
of tools and you can get the bare bones set up for under $100!

You’ll see in my videos that I have a large work space and a lot of kit but you don’t need ¾ of the
tools I have here for making bent wood rings.

You can make intricate rings with just a few simple hand tools and some patience, however certain
power and bench tools can help to significantly speed up your workflow.

Tool shopping can be daunting and confusing when you’re just starting out so in this vid/article I’ll
show you the essential tools I use daily in my workshop. I’ve scoured the internet and included
links to affordable tools that will get you going quickly in the ring game so if you’re looking for a
decent shop set up then find my recommendations in the description.

First up what you don’t need?

• A huge workspace – I started making rings in my spare room and ran a business from a shed
for a few years!
• Expensive and complicated equipment
• A natural in built talent – when I first started out my work was terrible and it took a lot of
practice to get decent!

What you will need? Let’s be boring and start with safety first!

Safety

As with any woodworking/crafting you will be using adhesives, kicking up dust, exposing yourself
to fumes and using using tools that can cause harm to you so it’s important to look after yourself!

I use a dust mask whenever I’m doing any kind of sanding/shaping and a chemical respirator while
working with finishes and adhesives.

I love my Drager face mask with chemical filters, it’s comfortable and offers great protection from
nasty fumes … definitely worth the investment!

Keeping my workshop clean and reducing the amount of dust in the air is important (there’s nothing
more frustrating than getting stray dust particles in your finish!) so I use a workshop vacuum
cleaner. This is Titan and he’s been a permanent fixture in my shop for years now, I’d recommend
getting something similar for your shop.

Dust masks
US: https://amzn.to/30Cjw91
UK: https://amzn.to/30CRoTk

Drager respirator mask

US: https://amzn.to/30gMeQH
UK: https://amzn.to/2Ob5R6p

Drager chemical filters

US: https://amzn.to/2OdHC7B
UK: https://amzn.to/2OfQKZi

Hoover
US: https://amzn.to/308Hk8z
UK: https://amzn.to/331zfQR

Latex gloves
US: https://amzn.to/31GGjC2
UK: https://amzn.to/2QwgELo

Safety Goggles

Ring Sizing

To make rings that fit you’ll need some basic sizing tools. I use a couple of ring sizing mandrels
(one with US sizes, the other with UK sizes) as well as a selection of sizing gauges to help me to
determine what size former to use.

These help me to get the size right before I send them off to my customers.

Formers are the objects that you bend the wood around to make a ring. Essentially what’s needed
here are small round objects that come in a variety of diameters. Over the years I’ve found that
sockets fit this bill perfectly!

A range of sockets from 10-24mm will cover most of the common ring sizes and you can wrap a bit
of masking tape around them to make them larger if needed.

To measure the with of rings I use a caliper. A digital one is ideal for accuracy.

Ring Mandrel
US: https://amzn.to/2LEjgCf
UK: https://amzn.to/2QjCtxx

Ring Gauges
US: https://amzn.to/2QjDndp
UK: https://amzn.to/2LBOyJX

Digital Calliper
US: https://amzn.to/308Jc1I
UK: https://amzn.to/32Tjds1

Socket set
US: https://amzn.to/2O6sdpE
UK: https://amzn.to/2V35rk1

Wood Veneer

To make bent wood rings you’ll be using wood veneers. These come in a huge variety of species
and are available from many suppliers. I’ve included links to some great sources for veneer in the
description (for US and UK makers).
There’s a lot to talk about with veneer which is out of the scope of this video but basically you need
raw, unbacked veneer that are around 0.6mm thick and around 10” + long.

A quick search on Amazon for marquetry offcuts or veneer bundles will throw up a lot of results for
packs of wood veneer that include many beautiful species you can experiment with.

Wood veneer
US: https://amzn.to/34VLSOX
https://amzn.to/2Oa855T
UK: https://amzn.to/2M3RNZz
https://amzn.to/32QUUe9

Cutting and Preparation

Big saws are not required as you’re only cutting thin strips of wood. I use an Xacto/craft knife to
slice up my veneer and these are really handy when it comes to fixing mistakes while finishing too.

To cut nice straight lines I use a metal ruler (these won’t get shredded by craft knives) and to protect
my work surface I use a self healing cutting matt. The matt also has measurements on it so it saves
time too.

To soak and prepare wood for bending I use a humble saucepan with water in it. It works great for
me so I recommend repurposing an old pan for this purpose.

Self healing cutting mat

US: https://amzn.to/30cniKQ
UK: https://amzn.to/2AyUVrf

Metal ruler
US: https://amzn.to/2OakV49
UK: https://amzn.to/31BwOEe

Craft knife
US: https://amzn.to/2ObhEBv
UK: https://amzn.to/31Bcgf0

Scissors
US: https://amzn.to/309OfyW
UK: https://amzn.to/32U912o

Metal saucepan

Masking tape

Electrical tape

Pencil, Eraser. Sharpener

US: https://amzn.to/30e1wGP
UK: https://amzn.to/2V4pxu2

Block of scrap wood

Handy hand tools

Apart from a range of wet n dry sandpapers those are the only tools you really need to get started!
However here are a couple of handy tools that I can’t live without.

A drill press vice is a great tool for holding rings in place while you work on them and come in
handy around the workshop too.

To get my rings to the right width and mark where to cut inlays I use a marking gauge which is a
great investment.

I use a razor saw to cut my rings to width and although it’s not essential it can really speed things
up.

Drill press vise

US: https://amzn.to/2LFerZp
UK: https://amzn.to/32QigRe
+ Soft vice jaws https://amzn.to/2Qur2TU

Razor saw
US: https://amzn.to/2OddcCC
UK: https://amzn.to/34WLXSI

Marking gauge
US: https://amzn.to/30bMXCU
UK: https://amzn.to/2NlLN1v

Glues and Finishes

I was going to keep this video all about tools but it’s worth mentioning about CA (or cyanoacrylate
glue) here. I use a medium thickness CA for gluing and finishing my rings.

I asked 5 different ring makers what CA glue they use and got 5 different answers! I recommend
Starbond Adhesives medium, Locktite, EZ bond or Everbuild medium. Saying that one glue might
work great for my method of making rings but might not be great for you. You’ll need to play
around and let experience guide you on this one so have a look at the links and find something that
works for you.

When it comes to finishing an activator/accelerator spray is essential to prevent the glue from
blooming and to help it cure quicker. I recommend using an activator spray that’s the same brand as
your glue … again let experience guide you. I’ve had more luck with aerosol sprays rather than a
pump bottle as it comes out in a finer mist.

You’ll need a way to apply the finish so some sundries will come in handy. Some people use paper
towel for this but I prefer cocktail sticks.

An alternative to CA finish is UV resin which has less of a learning curve and can be a bit easier to
pull off. It’s harder to achieve a full power shine with UV, it can also take longer to apply and
polish but it’s definitely easier.
I recommend Alumi UV by Alumilite which you can also apply with cocktail sticks. To cure the
resin you need a UV lamp/bath and I recommend something like this one I got off Amazon (it
works and didn’t cost a lot!).

The only other adhesive I use is a 5 minute epoxy which is great for gluing wood to metal.

Medium CA glue
US: https://amzn.to/2QkY8Wc
https://amzn.to/30DZf3a
https://amzn.to/2O7RXC5
UK: https://amzn.to/2LDs5we
https://amzn.to/2VcZL76
https://amzn.to/34W7FpN

Activator spray
US: https://amzn.to/2LFtwdn
https://amzn.to/30f8J9F
UK: https://amzn.to/2AuErjU
https://amzn.to/2LCRhTq

AlumiUV resin
US: https://www.alumilite.com/store/p/1027-Alumi-UV.aspx
UK: http://www.metalclay.co.uk/alumi-uv-resin/

UV Lamp/bath
US: https://amzn.to/30b25R0
UK: https://amzn.to/2NprCzN

Cocktail sticks
Paper towel

5 min epoxy
US: https://amzn.to/2Qmhyd5
UK: https://amzn.to/2M1Pfv6

Sanding and Polishing

To achieve a beautiful polish takes a bit of skill but is easier with the right equipment. For the
majority of my sanding/polishing I use wet and dry sandpaper. A range of grits from 240-2k is
ideal.

Sometimes you need to get things crazy shiny and for that I use micromesh sheets up to 12k grit.
This stuff is super effective on CA or UV resin finish.

As a final step to my CA finish I use a burnishing cream from Chestnut products but if you can’t get
a similar product then an automotive polish like Maguires ultimate compound can bring out a
beautiful shine.

UV resin finish needs a bit more attention than CA to bring it up to a high shine so you’ll need
buffing wheels and polishing compounds for the final stage polishing. I use a bench grinder with an
attachment for buffing wheels – this is handy for sharpening tools too.
Wet and dry sand paper
US: https://amzn.to/30yAJjM
UK: https://amzn.to/2AwCof5

Micromesh
US: https://amzn.to/2ObGLnS
UK: https://amzn.to/34RaZ5D

Surgical spirit
US: https://amzn.to/2M301Bl
UK: https://amzn.to/2AAuUrE

Paint brushes
US: https://amzn.to/2OdKkKc
UK: https://amzn.to/2AyCa7q

Burnishing cream
US: https://amzn.to/30b1DmD
UK: https://amzn.to/31GRb2M

Automotive polish
US: https://amzn.to/2QkAEjJ
UK: https://amzn.to/2QkpHPk

Bench grinder
US: https://amzn.to/2M2yqjP
UK: https://amzn.to/2QjTV4O

Polishing Kit
US: https://amzn.to/2NoIKph
UK: https://amzn.to/2Ql6KMr

Polishing wheels and compounds

US: https://amzn.to/31FUsiT
UK: https://amzn.to/2NsqP15

The Lathe

A lathe is not essential for making rings and in fact I didn’t even own one for my first 2 years of
ring making. It will however make life easier, it will speed up your productivity and allow you to
make a huge range of different products (pens, razors, pendants, bowls etc). My wood lathe is the
most versatile tool in my shop and I couldn’t live without it!

For making rings you don’t need anything crazy expensive or heavy duty. A simple 8x12” bench
top wood lathe is sufficient to get you going. These can come in a range of prices but something
with a variable speed control and a solid build will be plenty good enough.

I’ve used a Charnwood W815 for years now and it’s never let me down. You can pick one up for
around £230 in the UK. For the US something like a WEN 3420T or a Shop Fox W1704 are good
enough at around $200.
When you have a lathe you need a way to actually mount or hold your workpiece while you do your
work on it. For this the first you’ll need is a chuck.

I’d ideally recommend a 4 jaw chuck as these are versatile for holding rings as well as square
objects like pen/ring blanks. A chuck with changeable jaws is ideal and for sanding inside of rings
it’s a good idea to get pin jaws to go with the chuck.

In the UK Charnwood make a great chuck called a Viper 2 (pick up the pin jaws seperately), I also
found equivalent quality chucks for other lathes in the US.

To hold rings while you work on the outside it’s very useful to have expanding mandrels, however
I’ve also used wooden mandrels for years (either turn your own or buy a cheap one).

The best thing about having a lathe is the world of projects it allows you to make, therefore I
recommend getting a chisel set to go with it. These aren’t essential for rings but can be useful for
parting off or cutting inlay channels.

A set of carbide tipped chisels are great as you don’t need to sharpen them and they have less of a
learning curve, however a decent quality set of steel chisels might be a little cheaper to start with
(I’m still looking to upgrade to carbide tipped!).

Wood lathe
US: https://amzn.to/32RcZZG
https://amzn.to/2l2wLBg
UK: https://amzn.to/2Nq85PA

Chuck
US: https://amzn.to/32RcZZG
UK: https://amzn.to/2V7KO6k

Pin jaws
UK: https://amzn.to/2NqB31L

Chisel set
US: https://amzn.to/32R54vx
https://amzn.to/2LDQDFo
UK: https://amzn.to/2NpPx1X
https://amzn.to/2QjjX8B

Wood spindle
US: https://amzn.to/2Ojf0tP
UK: https://amzn.to/2MhPK4z

Expanding mandrels
US: https://ringsupplies.com/collections/mandrels
UK: https://bit.ly/2lYce0W

Inlays

When your skills as a bent wood ring maker develop you’ll want to start putting a personal touch to
your work and getting more creative. This is where inlays come in.
To inlay simply means to ornament an object by embedding another material into it flush with the
surface. Over the years I’ve used stones, metals, horse hair and shells in my work but the
possibilities are endless.
First up for cutting inlay channels or grooves I use a set of diamond files. These are also super
useful for cleaning up and grinding stone.

I use an improvised stone crusher to pound stones into useable dust.

For metal inlays I use a wire snipper and a half round nose pliers.

Diamond file set

US: https://amzn.to/30e3DKL
UK: https://amzn.to/2AJvrrn

Stone crusher
• 1” Brass end cap
US: https://amzn.to/34WQeW7
UK: https://amzn.to/32TggYr
• 28mm x 1” Male Compression coupler
US: https://amzn.to/2LExcvZ
UK: https://amzn.to/2Qvq9Kq
• Steel round bar
US: https://amzn.to/2OaXV56
UK: https://amzn.to/2AEeNch

Hammer:
US: https://amzn.to/30fnr06
UK: https://amzn.to/32Trb4s

Wire snips
US: https://amzn.to/34WlfcJ
UK: https://amzn.to/2V4yP9i

Half round nose pliers

US: https://amzn.to/30fzHOo
UK: https://amzn.to/2LDCkRa

Paper clips

Pyrography

To add engravings to wooden rings I use a pyrography machine. This takes some practice but I love
the handwritten look – I think it goes nicely with wooden rings as laser engravings look almost too
perfect for the organic material.

It’s worth spending some money on a decent machine with replaceable nibs which will allow you to
be really precise with the lettering.

Pyrography machine
US: https://amzn.to/2QmFSM6
UK: https://amzn.to/2AC0F3u
Non Essential but Ocassionally Useful Bench Tools

The following tools aren’t really essential but they can open up possibilities to make more
interesting work (plus bench tools are cool).

First up is a rotary tool and a flex shaft. These are versatile tools and are especially useful for
polishing metal ring cores. You can also get burr attachments for stone setting and sanding bits for
shaping.

I like having mine hanging out of the way and the flex shaft attachment gives me more control on
intricate tasks.

A drill press is great for drilling holes in thicker pieces of wood so you’re not just bound to the bent
wood method (variety is the spice of life right?). A set of forstner bits is a good purchase too so you
can drill holes close to the desired ring size.

My bandsaw doesn’t get used a lot for ring making but it’s a great tool to own. I’ve used it for
making veneers from pieces of wood sent to me by customers as well as cutting larger pieces of
wood into useable chunks. Good old Barry, he’s my man.

Scroll saws are fun and can be used to easily cut shapes from thin stock. A useful saw to own if
you’re looking to make solid/laminated wood rings in interesting shapes.

I don’t own a bench sander but I want one so bad! They make shaping easy and can be useful or
many other jewellery projects.

Rotary tool
US: https://amzn.to/359G70m
UK: https://amzn.to/2AGjYIJ

Flex shaft
US: https://amzn.to/30csrTn
UK: https://amzn.to/2LIuVQx

Sanding drums
US: https://amzn.to/2OkFxa9
UK: https://amzn.to/34WSNaG

Buffing wheels
US: https://amzn.to/2V5EXy6
UK: https://amzn.to/2AyOXqg

Diamond Burrs
US: https://amzn.to/30hneJW
UK: https://amzn.to/2OfjmSG

Drill press
US: https://amzn.to/31J6Tu8
UK: https://amzn.to/2OezNhP

Forstner bits
US: https://amzn.to/359J7Ka
UK: https://amzn.to/34SJQ22

Drill bits set

US: https://amzn.to/31Fh2Ix
UK: https://amzn.to/2AwWypp

Bandsaw
US: https://amzn.to/351IYZa
UK: https://amzn.to/2OflsC2

Scroll saw
US: https://amzn.to/2MbTTqm
UK: https://amzn.to/2O9S1RM

Round SS blades
US: https://amzn.to/2V6TcCV
UK: https://amzn.to/2QmTQh2

Bench sander
US: https://amzn.to/35092Ut
UK: https://amzn.to/2NpQdEF

Fin

That’s my full set up when it come to making wooden rings. Over the years I’ve learned other
disciplines like machining on a metal lathe, silver and gold smithing so my shop might look
daunting if you’re starting out. However I hope this article/video has helped somewhat with what
tools you actually need.

There are links in the description of the video or body of this article or accompanying PDF. I
receive a small reward if you use my links to make a purchase (which won’t effect the price you pay
in any way) so if you do want to use them then you’ll be helping me to keep the content coming!

See you in the next one.

Sizing

Ring Mandrel
US: https://amzn.to/2LEjgCf
UK: https://amzn.to/2QjCtxx

Ring Gauges
US: https://amzn.to/2QjDndp
UK: https://amzn.to/2LBOyJX

Digital Calliper
US: https://amzn.to/308Jc1I
UK: https://amzn.to/32Tjds1

Socket set
US: https://amzn.to/2O6sdpE
Sizes: 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21 & 24mm
UK: https://amzn.to/2V35rk1

Wood prep

Wood veneer
US: https://amzn.to/34VLSOX
https://amzn.to/2Oa855T
UK: https://amzn.to/2M3RNZz
https://amzn.to/32QUUe9

Self healing cutting mat

US: https://amzn.to/30cniKQ
UK: https://amzn.to/2AyUVrf

Metal ruler
US: https://amzn.to/2OakV49
UK: https://amzn.to/31BwOEe

Craft knife
US: https://amzn.to/2ObhEBv
UK: https://amzn.to/31Bcgf0

Scissors
US: https://amzn.to/309OfyW
UK: https://amzn.to/32U912o

Metal saucepan

Masking tape

Electrical tape
Pencil, Eraser. Sharpener
US: https://amzn.to/30e1wGP
UK: https://amzn.to/2V4pxu2

Block of scrap wood

Handy hand tools

Drill press vise

US: https://amzn.to/2LFerZp
UK: https://amzn.to/32QigRe
+ Soft vice jaws https://amzn.to/2Qur2TU

Razor saw
US: https://amzn.to/2OddcCC
UK: https://amzn.to/34WLXSI

Marking gauge
US: https://amzn.to/30bMXCU
UK: https://amzn.to/2NlLN1v

Sanding and Polishing

Wet and dry sand paper

US: https://amzn.to/30yAJjM
UK: https://amzn.to/2AwCof5

Micromesh
US: https://amzn.to/2ObGLnS
UK: https://amzn.to/34RaZ5D

Surgical spirit
US: https://amzn.to/2M301Bl
UK: https://amzn.to/2AAuUrE

Paint brushes
US: https://amzn.to/2OdKkKc
UK: https://amzn.to/2AyCa7q

Burnishing cream
US: https://amzn.to/30b1DmD
UK: https://amzn.to/31GRb2M

Automotive polish
US: https://amzn.to/2QkAEjJ
UK: https://amzn.to/2QkpHPk

Glue

Medium CA glue
US: https://amzn.to/2QkY8Wc
https://amzn.to/30DZf3a
https://amzn.to/2O7RXC5

UK: https://amzn.to/2LDs5we
https://amzn.to/2VcZL76
https://amzn.to/34W7FpN

Activator spray
US: https://amzn.to/2LFtwdn
https://amzn.to/30f8J9F

UK: https://amzn.to/2AuErjU
https://amzn.to/2LCRhTq

Cocktail sticks
Paper towel

Burnishing cream
US: https://amzn.to/30b1DmD
UK: https://amzn.to/31GRb2M

Automotive polish
US: https://amzn.to/2QkAEjJ
UK: https://amzn.to/2QkpHPk

5 min epoxy
US: https://amzn.to/2Qmhyd5
UK: https://amzn.to/2M1Pfv6

Grease proof paper

Spray adhesive

UV Finish

AlumiUV resin
US: https://www.alumilite.com/store/p/1027-Alumi-UV.aspx
UK: http://www.metalclay.co.uk/alumi-uv-resin/

UV Lamp/bath
US: https://amzn.to/30b25R0
UK: https://amzn.to/2NprCzN

Bench grinder
US: https://amzn.to/2M2yqjP
UK: https://amzn.to/2QjTV4O

Polishing Kit
US: https://amzn.to/2NoIKph
UK: https://amzn.to/2Ql6KMr
Polishing wheels and compounds
US: https://amzn.to/31FUsiT
UK: https://amzn.to/2NsqP15

Lathe

Wood lathe
US: https://amzn.to/32RcZZG
UK: https://amzn.to/2Nq85PA

Chuck
US: https://amzn.to/32RcZZG
UK: https://amzn.to/2V7KO6k

Pin jaws
UK: https://amzn.to/2NqB31L

Chisel set
US: https://amzn.to/32R54vx
https://amzn.to/2LDQDFo
UK: https://amzn.to/2NpPx1X
https://amzn.to/2QjjX8B

Wood spindle
US: https://amzn.to/2Ojf0tP
UK: https://amzn.to/2MhPK4z

Expanding mandrels
US: https://ringsupplies.com/collections/mandrels
UK: https://bit.ly/2lYce0W

Inlays

Diamond file set

US: https://amzn.to/30e3DKL
UK: https://amzn.to/2AJvrrn

Stone crusher
• 1” Brass end cap
US: https://amzn.to/34WQeW7
UK: https://amzn.to/32TggYr
• 28mm x 1” Male Compression coupler
US: https://amzn.to/2LExcvZ
UK: https://amzn.to/2Qvq9Kq
• Steel round bar
US: https://amzn.to/2OaXV56
UK: https://amzn.to/2AEeNch

Hammer:
US: https://amzn.to/30fnr06
UK: https://amzn.to/32Trb4s
Wire snips
US: https://amzn.to/34WlfcJ
UK: https://amzn.to/2V4yP9i

Half round nose pliers

US: https://amzn.to/30fzHOo
UK: https://amzn.to/2LDCkRa

Paper clips

Safety

Dust masks
US: https://amzn.to/30Cjw91
UK: https://amzn.to/30CRoTk

Drager respirator mask

US: https://amzn.to/30gMeQH
UK: https://amzn.to/2Ob5R6p

Drager chemical filters

US: https://amzn.to/2OdHC7B
UK: https://amzn.to/2OfQKZi

Hoover
US: https://amzn.to/308Hk8z
UK: https://amzn.to/331zfQR

Latex gloves
US: https://amzn.to/31GGjC2
UK: https://amzn.to/2QwgELo

Pyrography

Pyrography machine
US: https://amzn.to/2QmFSM6
UK: https://amzn.to/2AC0F3u

Rotary tool bits

Rotary tool
US: https://amzn.to/359G70m
UK: https://amzn.to/2AGjYIJ

Flex shaft
US: https://amzn.to/30csrTn
UK: https://amzn.to/2LIuVQx

Sanding drums
US: https://amzn.to/2OkFxa9
UK: https://amzn.to/34WSNaG
Buffing wheels
US: https://amzn.to/2V5EXy6
UK: https://amzn.to/2AyOXqg

Diamond Burrs
US: https://amzn.to/30hneJW
UK: https://amzn.to/2OfjmSG

Handy bench tools

Drill press
US: https://amzn.to/31J6Tu8
UK: https://amzn.to/2OezNhP

Forstner bits
US: https://amzn.to/359J7Ka
UK: https://amzn.to/34SJQ22

Drill bits set

US: https://amzn.to/31Fh2Ix
UK: https://amzn.to/2AwWypp

Bandsaw
US: https://amzn.to/351IYZa
UK: https://amzn.to/2OflsC2

Scroll saw
US: https://amzn.to/2MbTTqm
UK: https://amzn.to/2O9S1RM

Round SS blades
US: https://amzn.to/2V6TcCV
UK: https://amzn.to/2QmTQh2

Bench sander
US: https://amzn.to/35092Ut
UK: https://amzn.to/2NpQdEF