Excellent demonstration and very clear instructions. I love the fact that there is no annoying music to ruin it like so many videos. I would point out however that you were measuring the circumference and not the diameter.
I realize this is an older video, want to point out an inexpensive small pipe bender is all this tool is so if your'e looking to make your own rings w/o a large outlay for the tools, look into that option. Great video and thanks to Melissa Muir for posting.
There are many different tools you can use to make spoon rings, from generic pipe benders, as you say to a hammer and mandrel all the way up to tools that make the job easier, such as the ring benders by Pepetools and others. I just like showing different ways that tools can be used to different jobs. Thanks for your comments. Glad you enjoy the videos.
Great video Melissa. Thanks for showing me how to do the bend. It is a little tricky and you showed how to go about getting around that. So I thank you.
This tool really is a great one. There is still a bit of strength needed if you have really thick or stiff material. But if you have a softer material such as annealed sterling or copper, I think it would be great for you.
Hi Al Lopez, I believe the ring bender is $225 and the nylon inserts are $75. But if you can't afford to get the inserts, you can try to pad the pushers with a bit packing foam or material to help prevent marring on heavier stock.
Melissa, Thank you for this demonstration/tutorial. Oh how I would love to have one of these tools. As I am disabled, I do not have the upper body strength to do a lot of the work I would really love to do. This tool could help me so much. I just wish it wasn't so expensive! Maybe some day.
That is really good to know. I haven't had mine, nor used it long enough, to have come across that issue. I will be sure to mention that in my next tutorial I am working on for this tool.
This was one of the videos I hadn't seen. Maybe that's why YT recommends it all the time. Looking at your vise, I'm not entirely sure that it's cast iron. Its slide and horn definitely are not. If I had to guess, obviously without having my hands on it, I'd say that it's a low pressure ductile iron casting, which is a form of steel. As a point of interest, industrial vises use a high pressure ductile iron casting, usually around 60,000PSI. Ductile iron has some give to it, unlike cast iron which is fairly brittle. Really makes a difference when one is pounding on some metal with, say, a chisel and a 4lb mini-sledge. Cast iron cracks, ductile iron doesn't. Engine blocks are often said to be cast iron, but if they were they'd lack all sorts of reliability. They're ductile iron. Can't even explain just how excited I am to finally have the TX! Might even come next week. Jewelers are a terrible influence on my wallet.
Felix F I honestly don’t know what it is. I bought it so long ago. And the beat part is, I only paid $35 for it. But it has been a wonderful vise in my studio. You are going to love that TX.
I was thinking about doing that exact thing. Just not sure I am all that happy with it in general to even keep it. Thanks tho for you answering me. I have been making rings for about 25 years and my old tried and true method feels better and can make many more in much less time. Peace. Emily
***** It looks like Otto Frei has it at $250. But you could check with Gesswein, Contenti and some others too. www.ottofrei.com/Pepetools-301.00A-Superior-Ring-Bending-Tool.html
Oh, don't I know that! You should see my list. Of course, I am now down to all the REALLY expensive tools since I have all the reasonably priced ones. :) If you win the lotto...... You could always share with me. :D
Melissa, I'd like to suggest that once you get a good bend push it around yourself, it will help save to insert as far as wear goes and make it much more easy to get rounded out. Also get yourself a ring mandrel if you don't already have one.
You can do all that with a hollow pipe hold the end of the spoon with pliers one side inside and one side outside the end of the pipe with a small piece of sufficent cardboard inbetween the pliers to protect the spoon design then use your palm and hand to bend the spoon around it or use a wooden block to force it around , this machine does it with far less effort but nevertheless can do it with pipe
Yes, there are many ways to make spoon rings. You are right that would work as well. This video served to demonstrate how it can be done with this particular tool. There are also many other things that can be accomplished with this tool. Thank you for the additional method.
It seems to be a rather well built jig but to be hones, I think that a proper mini-roll bender could take of than in 10 seconds flat and would end up as a proper round with no further work other than soldering and polishing. Try it out. Like your vids! Thanks for sharing
What a wonderful tool! Thank you for the demonstration. Could fabric tape be applied to the metal dye and mandrel to prevent scratching the spoon handle?
If you heat it up first to red hot (anneal it) then it will be waaay softer to bend even in the ring bender ,and I would suggest once you clamp it in, then pull the rest of the spoon right on around first to round it out, then maybe go over it with the ring bender again to finish up the shaping. Afterward s follow up with a good polishing. Great Video though! :0)
Thanks. The problem with annealing the spoons is that sometimes you don't know what they are made of, especially the plated ones. Many of them that are plated have quite toxic fumes that are released when heated. There would be absolutely no problem annealing a sterling piece, but you really should avoid heating the plated ones.
Melissa Muir I had assumed that you were using sterling silver or stainless steel mostly because that's what I usually find myself : 0) good point tho. :0)
Hi Cyndy W - Please check our website at www.pepetools.com/dealer-locator to find your nearest authorized Pepetools distributor and to get more information regarding pricing. Thank you, -Pepetools
Melissa I love your videos and how detailed they are!! I have one question please. What size saw blade do you recommend for cutting ailverware with our jewlers saw please? Again thank you for all the great tutorials and information you bring us!!
Love my Pepe Ring Bender. I was only disappointed that the knob on the handle stripped off in a matter of weeks. Now I have something on the end that hurts my hand but I can at least still use the tool.
I have some of this: eurotool.com/index.php?p=catalog&mode=search&search_in=all&search_str=Jett+Basic&x=0&y=0 Let me know if you are interested. I have one extra "jar" of it. It is $29 plus shipping.
No sé dónde se encuentra, pero se puede encontrar a través de Otto Frei, Río Grande y Contenti por nombrar sólo algunos. Estas son todas en los Estados Unidos
Is it possible to take a spoon ring that was already made (many years ago) and open it up a ring size ? The wrap meets at the ends with a maybe 1/3 " to spare....the cut end wraps behind the fatter ornate end..(not a spiral unfortunately). All this is provided there is enough ring length left to work with? Assuming the ring has room to open, can it even be done? (this ring is worth the effort/"Morrison Hotel)
Hello again :). I live in CA and this summer purchased a beautiful bracelet at an antique swap meet, it's not an antique but I love it. I'm sing an iPad so I'm not sure how to inbox you for info if you were going to see rings.
i have the super bendor and i was unable to bend a silver plate community spoon i think it is too tick....what brand of spoon would be best or how tick ?
Daniel Fecteau I believe they recommend that you use sterling silver no thicker than 16 gauge. I also found that the silver plate spoons are VERY difficult to bend and was not able to get a satisfactory result. once I moved to a sterling spoon that I could anneal, I didn't have a problem.
I'm looking for a good spoon bender for rings. I called Pepe and was told that I need to anneal my spoons. She wouldn't give me information on how to do this. Will you explain all this to me before I purchase one.
Ann Ayers It depends on what material you are using. You don't want to anneal silverplate spoons as you never know what the base metal might be and can release toxic fumes. If you are working with sterling you want to heat the piece with a torch until it is just barely red. I have a video on annealing metal that you might find helpful. Tool Time Tuesday - Anneal Your Metal
Hi Zoe, it really isn't deep enough for the bowl of the spoon, the mandrels are only about 1" tall. Of course, you could always do one side, flip it over and do the next. So it is possible, just a lot of work.
hi melissa, i love your videos, very informative and you say them slow enough to understand. I did by the ring ending tool . my problem is it didn't come with the vice piece and i can't find it on the pepe web sight. and i can't seem to get ahold of any one there . left several mess. do you have any idea where i might get one? please and thank you helen
Hi Helen, shortly after this vide, they redesigned this tool. The base is now all one piece with an upper lip. So you place the base into the vise and close it under the upper lip. I hope that helps a little.
thanks, after reexamining i tried that and it works . thanks for telling me. not sure i would used it without your advice for fear of ruining the tool.
Diese Ringbiegemaschine habe ich selbst ausprobiert (aus Amerika für viel Geld inc. Zoll Importier) wobei der Hebel bereits in den ersten Tagen abbrach, (wohl wegen der zu starken Beanspruchung. Das 8mm. Gewinde an den Verlängerungshebel war wohl nicht stabil genug. Nach der Reparatur (Anschweizung des Hebels) und vorsichtigeren Umgangs des Geräts gibt es nach meiner Meinung kein besseres Gerät um Ringe aus Essbesteck zu verbiegen.
Thank you for the review. I am glad to hear that you have had some good success with it. And yes, I am told that it can certainly break with too heavy of a load. Sorry you had to deal with that.
Cesar Gomez if you are here in the U.S. then you can check at Otto Frei, Gesswein and Contenti. I believe all three of those places carry it. If you are outside of the States, then I am not sure where you could purchase it, but you could check with any of your local jewelry supply places.
Martin Carlberg benders typically aren’t precise as they are meant to help you get the shape of an object started. Rather than a mandrel where you would get the final shape.
While explaining your intro of what a person would like to do..... it would of been cool for you to have actual samples ... to be more visual. Show and tell.... right? You explain so well but a first time person understands nothing without seeing what you're talking about.
