Makin Some Bling

Last weekend my sister and I attended a class where we learned how to make our own Runic message ring.

Runic, I didn't know until the class, is a type of alphabet used by Vikings and some believe it has magical power. We shall see...

This is what the teacher had set out for us when we first walked in. That long, flat piece of metal is what would become my ring!

First we had to saw the rough edges away and this was one of the most difficult parts of the class. It wasn't physically difficult, but rubbing metal on metal is one of the worst sounds I can hear! I was very happy when this part was done!

Next had to put our own special message onto our rings. I chose the word - Believe. It can mean so much really and it was easy to spell out with the Runic stamps! (I wish I would have gotten a pic of this, but I was WAY too into the process and forgot about taking pics for a slight moment)

Next we had to heat the metal so it could be worked with and bent into a ring shape. Here's my sis torching her ring.
Next was time to make the ring, well, a ring! The instructor had these wooden and metal things that we bent the metal around to make it round. It was really fun because we got to pound it out and hammer the metal. Very therapeutic.

Next came time to solder the ring. I will admit that I was very apprehensive about this part. I didn't want to blow his studio sky high! But it ended up being a lot easier and a lot more fun than I anticipated.

Here I am picking up the pieces of solder with the pick and the next photo shows me placing them on the seam of the ring.

After the solder has been placed on the seam, you have to heat it until it fills the wholes. It was a fun process seeing the metal actually "run" where it was supposed to!

After soldering, the rings went into an acidic solution and after that it was time to buff them out. We used various types and grains of sand paper to get the rings to the point where you can't see where they were soldered or any of the dimples I put in mine whacking it into shape.

And the final product! My hand is on the left and that's my sister's on the right. Aren't they shiny?!?!?