What have you done?! You’ve been working on your first spinner ring, and you’ve minded the math, and perfected the details, and… SNAP! You hear it split in the final seconds of completion.
It’s heartbreaking, I know, but there is hope. Here are some possibilities…
Go with it!
If it’s a slight split and shows no signs of complete band failure, file and buff that baby until it’s yummy—personality is a feature, not a fault.
Fill it
But NOT with solder. Clean up the split and snip a shard of silver that will wedge into the space. Let it extend too far out, you can finish the edge as a unified whole. The spinning component lends the design an off-beat vibe, and this will be a compliment. Finishing will make it or break it. Try to blend into the existing band. If possible, snip the shard from the original texture, or pattern.
Plan ahead
It may be that your creative journey included more work hardening events than it could handle. Although it’s a discouraging thought to do it, anneal before you flare your spinner. Save the final clean/up until you are ready for your final flare.
Repurpose
If you feel there is no way to salvage what you started, consider an alternate design:
Accept the split and saw right through it. Keep going, take out a healthy chunk. It might be hard to get inside, but maybe your spinner didn’t need to be caged in completely, anyway! Filing and perfecting those newly exposed edges will be key.
If the spinner now falls off, solder it in place.
Or, skip the spin and go for a snatched silhouette by replacing it with a messy multi wrapped fine gauge wire, to match or contrast.
At the very worst you have some awesome metal to repurpose by starting that silver reclamation stash you’ve been meaning to get serious about! 👍
During an open air studio, Justin creates his first spinner ring while Tim (husband) looks on.