How to do captive rings?

If you want to see it done live online, email me privately. I can probably even do it later tonight for you.

- Andrew

Well I'll take a stab at trying to describe it...

You first have to decide on the goblet stem diameter, the outside diameter of the ring and the ring width. With that you can begin to remove wood. For your two rings, you'd mark out the ring widths at points appx. 1/3 and 2/3 of the stem length - then make depth cuts to almost the stem diameter on each side of each ring. Remove the majority of the wood to create the stem - leaving the ring sections alone. At this point your stem should look something like this: -|-|- Round over the top portion of each ring to a pleasing bead then using whatever tool you may have or make, undercut each ring by making angled cuts from each side - being careful not to cut into what will be the stem diameter. If you visualize the undercuts beforehand, you should be able to get the "inside" bead close. Each ring will come free as you meet in the center of the undercut.

Allow me to backup just a second. Do as much sanding on the outside of the ring as possible before it comes free. You have to go through extra steps to sand the outside afterwards if you don't.

Once the rings are free, move them off to one side and smooth and blend the stem under each ring. Wrap sand paper with the grit facing outward around the stem and hold the ring stationary while the lathe runs to blend and sand the inside of the ring.

Undercutting tool: I've used sharpened allen wrenches as well as small diameter drill rod with a home-ground, round nose scraper type end. If you have miniature tools they might work too. My homemade tools are nothing fancy - I don't even use them in a handle, just clamp them with a Vise-Grip. Make sure the tool rest is very close to the ring to keep any catches minimal.

I think that about covers it - I welcome any clarifications from the masses.

Here you go. Hope it helps....

you have questions or need to see something different, let me know. LikeI said, I, often, am on the Cam and can do it for you "live" if you need.

- Andrew

That's very kind, Andrew. Unfortunately, the time difference might make this rather difficult (I'm in the UK.)

So how do these online broadcasts work? Do I need some special software? Or what? Is this something that is done often?

Steve

Excellent, Owen. I shall read this carefully and have a bit of a go in the morning.

Thanks,

Steve

Thank again,

Steve

The way I do it is that I have cameras capturing images in my woodturning shop every 10 seconds. It's "live" but it's not full motion video. That would require heavy resources on my part to service more than 2 or 3 viewers at a time. So, that's why I do the "screen-shots" type of thing instead. All that's needed on the viewers' part is just a web browser and the URL address.

I've done full-motion video with some instant messaging programs (Yahoo, AIM, MSN messengers along with ICQ for instance) for those turners that use those programs too. That's another option.

Done often? By me, yes. Let me know if/when you want to set it up and we'll see if we can schedule it for us both.

- Andrew

They're a good bunch of woodturners. They let me use some of their website space sometimes.

- Andrew

> Thanks for the link. I shall study it carefully before having a go> myself. This looks like a good site all round - one I've not seen before. >> Thank again,