Crafting the Perfect Captive Ring Tool: A Woodturner’s Guide

I demonstrate how to make and use a captive ring tool to add captive rings to your woodturning projects such as a baby rattle, goblet or coffee scoop and more.
The Woodturning Store is a great place to buy Record Power chucks and many other woodturning accessories www.thewoodtur... As a marketing affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Crown Captive Ring Tool amzn.to/387jmNk
You can download demonstration handouts, downloadable copies of articles I have published, and other useful woodturning information available on my website www.mikepeacew...

[@bobfisher8605]

THANK YOU! we have a baby shower this weekend. Your demonstration allowed me to create a cats-claw from a starter set small skew. 1st time out, a made a perfect 3 ring rattle just like yours. I enjoy your vids...right to the point. Thanks again!

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Glad I could help!

[@billy19461]

If you are new to wood turning you are watching the best teacher on KZbin! Thank you for sharing. I have learned so much from your videos.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Wow, thank you!

[@rottiwoodturning6184]

Great job. great technique

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@stephenmandy5101]

Hi Mike, Thanks for another great video. This afternoon I mad a Captive Ring tool from am old 6.5 mm Allen key and mad my first 2 captive rings. It worked great. Next the baby rattle for my first future grand child. Thanks

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Nice work!

[@vernsteinbrecker3759]

Great video Mike

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks, Vern!

[@homemadetools]

Great job. We shared this video in our homemade tools forum this week :)

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@hfbowerndesigns810]

Thanks for the demo Mike Take care all and stay safe and well Cheers Harold

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

You as well, Harold

[@alanmiller4012]

Another excellent video. I enjoyed both the demonstration of the captive rings and the discussion about the possible ways the tools can be made. This is a very clear demonstration on something that I've been wanting to try.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thank you very much!

[@anaphylaxis2548]

Thank you for another useful video.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

So nice of you

[@stuartbruton48]

Many thanks Mike. I watched your video and then went and made it and then made a three ring rattle for my granddaughter. Thanks to you I got inspired and am very pleased with my first attempt. It’s great that beginners like me have people like you to learn from. Keep up the good work. Many thanks, Stu from Wales 👍

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Excellent! That is what I like to hear.

[@trurex007lee7]

Thank you Mike, very helpful.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Very welcome

[@gordcameron4409]

The valuable insight from this video is that if you can turn the bead--which anyone can--you want the ring tool to be like Mike's, with a pointed hook that gets you behind the bead. In the Crown and Sorby specialty captive ring tools, with their half-circle shape, the base of the half-circle either requires a complex rotation of the tool or gets in the way and flattens or grooves the bead (see Baconsoda's video). So, the tool Mike made looks ideal: I have ordered my HSS blank.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Glad you found this useful, Gord.

[@glencrandall7051]

Good tips on tool making. Thanks Mike.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Any time!

[@alanmullock381]

Always a learning experience Mike,thank you!👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍😎

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

You are very welcome

[@ed.sol.crafts]

Awesome video! Thanks so much Mike!

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Glad you liked it!

[@robcpwoodturner]

Great information Mike 👍👍👍

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks 👍

[@knothead5]

Takes the mystery out of captive rings. The various DIY tools proved to be invaluable. I'm thinking that screwdrivers from the hardware store might work. Softer metal would require more sharpening. Wrapping the sandpaper around the stem could also be done with double side carpet tape. Thanks!

[@DaveGatton]

Thanks for this great video Mike. I've been wanting to try some captive rings. I have lots of allen wrenches so I will try to make a tool from one of those. 👍🏻

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Go for it!

[@royboggs3849]

BIG help, Mike! TU!! 👏👏👌👌👍👍

[@deyyoung42]

This is very timely for me, Mike. I have been working on a baby rattle for a friend, and have really struggled with getting the rings just right (that and the rattles just end up being too big to a small baby!). I was using multiple home-made tools for each side of the ring, but now I think I'm going to grind one to be able to cut on both sides. I'd also like to echo some of the comments below. You have the "knack" for teaching and I really learn a lot from your videos. Thanks so much!

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Wonderful! I appreciate the feedback.

[@suzetteedwards7956]

Mike, I am totally addicted to making captive rings. I use the Allen wrench version so far. It does a pretty good job although I like the second one you showed with the cove on it. I likely would get smoother rings

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Practise, practise, practise!

[@missteeturns]

Great video Mike and some good ideas for ring tools. I have one made from a half inch ring spanner (wrench) which works quite well and I'm thinking of making one from an open ended wrench 🔧

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Lots of steel tool options that only trial and error will let you know how well they will take and hold an edge.

[@georgegibson1030]

Great video. I guess it is best to use a fine grain wood, right?

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

That is correct

[@MarklTucson]

Very cool. I’ve got to make a couple of these tools and try this. A couple of questions: 1) Instead of using CA glue on the sandpaper, would a couple of zip-ties work as long as there is adequate room to keep one’s fingers away from the zip tie clip part? And 2) Is there any use for those assembly wrenches that come in the “some assembly required” products for use as turning tools. They appear to be stamped steel, so I’m curious if anyone has tried using them and whether they would hold an edge for any useful period of time.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

I will have to try the zip ties. Sounds like they would work well. I am guessing the assembly wrenches are intended for one time use and probably not nearly as hard as a regular Allen wrench.