Sizing Rings on a Ring Mandrel

by Tammy Honaman, Author, Jewelry-Making Expert and Educator,
Exclusively for Fire Mountain Gems and BeadsĀ®
A55S

If you need to size a ring up within a 0.25 (1/4) to 0.50 (1/2) ring size, and there are no settings with stones in your ring band, then the ring mandrel and a hammer are the tools you need.

STEP 1
Place the ring to be sized onto a steel ring mandrel. Slide it onto the mandrel until it is snug.
STEP 2
Using a raw-hide mallet, tap the ring down the mandrel, striking the ring a few times. Rotate the mandrel and repeat all the way around the ring, so you are stretching the ring equally around the band.
STEP 3
Remove the ring from the mandrel, flip it over and repeat striking it all the way around the ring again. This will ensure you have sized the ring equally from both sides of the ring--not stretching it more from one direction than the other.

If you are sizing a ring with a bezel or setting, without a stone, follow Steps 1 - 3 but avoid hitting the area with the setting, so as not to damage it.

To size a ring up within the 0.25-0.50 size range, with a setting with a stone in place, be sure to use the ring stretcher that is suited for this task, as well as review the instructions and 3D animated how-to video ''Ring Stretcher'' and illustrated instructions to see how the process works.

If you need to size a ring higher than 0.25-0.50 a ring size, it is best to seek help from a jeweler who can insert a section of metal into your ring seamlessly.

If you want to use the Ring Mandrel to form a ring band from a strip of wire, review the instructions for ''Rings Around the Finger.''

Have a question regarding this project? Email Customer Service.

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