Do you need a lathe to make a ring shape?

[Ives]

People keep asking me to make teething rings and I figure I need a lathe, so I tell them I can't. Just want to check and make sure, is that what I'd need? I have a scroll saw and bandsaw, and could cut the shape out, but it would be flat and then take tons of sanding, both on the outside and inside of the ring, it would take forever. People are wanting them in bulk to make things with.

like these here: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=woode ... 66&bih=643

 

[Allubo]

For the inside circle you can use an appropriate sized forstner bit and then bandsaw it the outer circle and sand as best you can, You can then use a router table with a round over cutter with a bearing guide to make the donut shape.

Alex

 

[Steve Maskery]

The answer is No, but it helps.
S

 

[carlb40]

Can you not make a piece of mdf with a circle the same size as the inner diameter. Rout out the inner of the ring.
Then a second mdf template with a larger hole to allow the use of the router with a round over bit. Round over both inner edges of the ring.
Then a 3rd template the bottom part the same diameter as the external size you want, with another piece the same size as the inner of the ring. Screw the 2 pieces together, rout the outer of the ring using a pattern bit.
Remove the bottom mdf section and use the router to round over the external section.

Then finish off with a lightish sanding

 

[Steve Blackdog]

I'd buy a small lathe - they are a five minute job with a ring cutting tool.

 

[Ives]

I'd buy a small lathe - they are a five minute job with a ring cutting tool.

Thanks, I'll look into that! Just told this person I can't, but will look into it for the next enquiry I get!

 

[John Brown]

I made a pair of napkin rings out of a piece(log) of holly. I bandsawed the outside, then drilled the inside with a flat blade drill.
As luck would have it, I found that the rubber cylinder of one of my pillar drill mounted cylindrical sander things fitted the inner diameter, so I was able to sand the outside on the pillar drill.

I would not do it again, not with holly, anyway. I had no idea how hard it is to work.

 

[Jacob]

Overhead router?

 

[AndyT]

You might enjoy making a few as a challenge, but I don't think you could compete commercially with machinery that turns them out by the thousand for curtain poles and suchlike. Our local hardware shop sells them loose for a few pence each.

 

[siggy_7]

Router and a trammel for the flat ring, then router and a round-over bit to put a round on the cross-section. Should be a pretty quick operation?

 

[thomvic]

Is it a good idea to make teething rings from wood? Its a long time since I had needed to pay attention to such things but I don't recall seeing any wooden ones.

Richard

 

[AndyT]

Is it a good idea to make teething rings from wood? Its a long time since I had needed to pay attention to such things but I don't recall seeing any wooden ones.

Richard

A close-grained non-splintery wood such as beech or sycamore would be fine.

If you want to read about the hazards of plastics, just search for "phthalates and teethers."

 

[Sheffield Tony]

If you want to read about the hazards of plastics, just search for "phthalates and teethers."

I once read the small print on one of my son's toys, which said

Not suitable for children under 3 years of age - may cause small parts

Now I assumed that was just poor Chinese English, but maybe, seeing that some phthalates are oestrogenic, it was correct !

Seriously, a standard item for pole lathe turners is the child's rattle - heres a cherry wood one I made earlier - don't know how many actually get given to children to play with though. Actually, given how easy it is to make a pole lathe, it could be an option ...

 

[dickm]

Would always recommend a lathe if you have space - think of the other things you could make with it!
But if you want something cheap and quick, how about a couple of holesaws of the appropriate diameters for the inside and outside; just remember to cut the outside first

 

[Ives]

So, the quickest way would be a lathe? I've messaged this lady back and said I'm looking into making them and how many would she want at a time, and she said she's going to be using them to make things to sell, so she'd buy 10 at a time, and knows at least 3 other people who'd buy them from me as supplies to make things with them and sell, and a few other who would buy them to use as is. So I'm thinking of getting a lathe now.

So, I'd need a lathe and a ring cutting tool and it's a 5 minute job? I need to figure out how long it really would take, how much i'd want to sell them for and see if it would be worth me buying this equipment.

Also, after you make them on the lathe, would they need to be sanded or do they come out smooth?

 

[nanscombe]

Since these would be for resale and use by very small children are you sure there are legal implications?

There was a previous thread about the use of paint on children's toys, although not strictly relevant to this thread.

 

[=Adam=]

If they are only small quantities then would it not be easier to outsource the work? The reason I say this is because a lathe is quite a large investment for the promise of 10 rings at a time.

I'm sure that someone would only charge a minimal amount for these. Out of interest, how much would you be looking to sell these on for?

 

[Ives]

If they are only small quantities then would it not be easier to outsource the work? The reason I say this is because a lathe is quite a large investment for the promise of 10 rings at a time.

I'm sure that someone would only charge a minimal amount for these. Out of interest, how much would you be looking to sell these on for?

The person who most recently contacted me said she found them somewhere online for £1-£1.30 each, depending on how many you buy. I can't imagine making something to sell for £1. I'd need to try a lathe and try making a ring to see how much work it really was before I could decide how much to sell them for! I would sell them one at a time as well, maybe for £4 each? And have a set of 20 for £25, something like that? But if you get 1 for £4, and 20 for £25, that's weird, I don't know how I would work the price individually versus bulk. Haven't thought much about it, just thinking out loud. I can't set a price on something till I've made it

 

[AndyT]

If they are only small quantities then would it not be easier to outsource the work? The reason I say this is because a lathe is quite a large investment for the promise of 10 rings at a time.

I'm sure that someone would only charge a minimal amount for these. Out of interest, how much would you be looking to sell these on for?

The person who most recently contacted me said she found them somewhere online for £1-£1.30 each, depending on how many you buy. I can't imagine making something to sell for £1. I'd need to try a lathe and try making a ring to see how much work it really was before I could decide how much to sell them for! I would sell them one at a time as well, maybe for £4 each? And have a set of 20 for £25, something like that? But if you get 1 for £4, and 20 for £25, that's weird, I don't know how I would work the price individually versus bulk. Haven't thought much about it, just thinking out loud. I can't set a price on something till I've made it

I really don't want to put you off having fun with a lathe or other woodwork, but before you commit yourself to a lifetime of drudgery, please follow this link to ebay and see what the competition is doing!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_t...&_nkw=wooden+curtain+rings&_sacat=0&_from=R40

- plenty at four for a pound or less - and that's from people who have bought them in bulk and are making a profit!!

 

[Ives]

I really don't want to put you off having fun with a lathe or other woodwork, but before you commit yourself to a lifetime of drudgery, please follow this link to ebay and see what the competition is doing!


http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_t...&_nkw=wooden+curtain+rings&_sacat=0&_from=R40

- plenty at four for a pound or less - and that's from people who have bought them in bulk and are making a profit!!

Oh, those are totally different from what these people want to buy from me. This is what they want:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=woode ... 66&bih=643