Can You Make a Nickel Into a Ring?

Ring Blank

• One of the simplest ways to make a nickel into a ring is to attach it to a ring blank, which are available in the jewelry aisle of your local craft store, but you'll find a larger selection from online retailers. Ring blanks are metal rings sized to fit or are adjustable, with a flat metal platform on top. If you're making a decorative ring for your home, attach the nickel to a wooden, plastic or metal napkin or shower curtain holder ring. Attach the nickel to the platform using one-part epoxy adhesive. Apply pressure until the glue starts to harden, and wait at least 24 hours before you wear the nickel ring. One-part epoxy is waterproof, so you can use the nickel rings in a bathroom setting.

Beaded Bezel

• To make a more decorative nickel ring, surround the nickel with a beaded bezel before gluing it to the ring blank. Techniques for making a beaded bezel around the nickel are the same as making a beaded rivoli bezel. High quality seed beads that are uniform in size work best to stitch a bezel; use a tubular peyote stitch to make a beaded ring that fits the circumference of the nickel. Glue the beaded ring to the perimeter of the nickel, then glue the nickel to your choice of ring.

Fabric-beaded Bezel

• If stitching beads is not your cup of tea, make a simplified beaded bezel around the nickel using felt and microbeads. Place the nickel on a section of felt, and then trace the desired bezel size and pattern onto the felt around the nickel. You'll want to leave at least 1/4 inch of felt extending from the circumference of the nickel. Center and glue the nickel to the felt cutout using one-part epoxy, and cover the exposed felt edge with liquid jeweler's glue. Cover the glued area with microbeads, which have no holes but look like seed beads. Wait 24 hours before gluing the underside of the felt to the ring.

Resin

• Embed the nickel into a picture frame charm designed for making a brooch. Brooch frame charms have no visible bail that will interfere with your ring design. Apply a strip of packing tape across the back side of an open frame before adding a layer of resin. If the back of the frame is closed, place the nickel inside, and then cover it with mixed epoxy resin. After the resin hardens, peel the tape from the back if necessary. Glue the framed resin nickel to any type of ring.