How I Did It

A short description on how the cactus ring was made.


After creating the design, it is traced on transparent paper and placed on a flat piece of silver using double sided tape.



The design is cut out with a fine saw and the transparent paper is burned off with a torch.



Using pliers, the ring is rounded up for soldering. Afterwards, it is shaped into a perfect circle by slipping it onto a ring mandrel and tapping around it with a wooden hammer.

Marks on the ring are removed by using files and various grades of sandpaper.


The ring is brought to a mirror finish by using two polishing compounds: tripoli, an abrasive polishing compound, and rouge, for a final burnish.