Making a Concrete Ring

Total Time: 40 Minutes + 3-4 days for the concrete to dry

Supplies:

• 1/2 potato, not rotten, keep it in water
• copper wire 0.8 mm from an old transformer
• cement high quality
• very finely sifted sand
• water
• vegetable carving tools, I used these Simple Vegetable Carving Tools: https://www.thriftyfun.com/How-to-Make-Simple-Vegetable-Carving-Tools.html
• container for mixing concrete
• tea spoon
• wire cutters
• pliers
• ruler
• compass or a round object of the right size, I used a coin)
• board
• nail
• hammer
• sandpaper
• instant glue
• concrete form release agent and paintbrush, you can use handmade release agent: mix equal parts of vegetable oil and mineral oil, that are free of paraffin and other kinds of waxes and are not water-soluble

Steps:

1. Using the Carving Tool-Knife cut a circle, for example around a coin. Using the Carving Tool for Notch carve pattern for the head of this concrete ring (see photo). This will be a concrete casting mold for the head of the ring. Keep this mold in water.

 
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2. Determinate the ring blank length:
   Ring blank length (mm) = inside diameter (mm) + 2 (thickness of the braided strip, mm) x 3.14
   
   Cut 3 pieces of 0.8 mm wire to the following length: Ring blank length (mm) x 3,2.
   
   Bend the wire pieces in half and insert the nail where the fold is and fix these wire pieces by nailing them to the board. You will have 6 pieces of wire with which you will braid.
3. * Bring the outside right strand over the two right hand strands. Bring the outside left strand under the two left hand strands and over one hand strand. Repeat from *. Braid until you get the length you need. Using pliers press the wire strip. In the result you will get tight braided wire strip.
   
   Bend the braided wire to form a ring. Join the ends of the wire. Check the size of the ring for you. Cut off the wire, leaving the ends slightly smaller than the casting mold.

 

 
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4. Prepare a concrete: mix 1 part cement and 1 part sand well, then add water and mix well. Get the mold out of the water, lubricate the mold. Using the spoon pour some concrete in the mold. Stick the wire shank of the ring into the concrete. Leave the concrete to harden and dry for several days.
5. Carefully cut mold and remove the ring. Sand the edges carefully, rinse. I liked the rough texture of the concrete so I barely sand.
   
   To make the ring as strong and smooth as possible, cover the surface of the concrete with instant glue. Your unusual concrete ring is ready.