The jewellers rolling mill is the back bone of a Claddagh ring maker's workshop. These heavy solid mills last a life time.
The rolling mill as its name suggests is used to hand roll bars of gold or silver into the various dimensions used to make up the Claddagh ring's band.
Pictured here is a Claddagh ring beside a piece of white gold bar before it has been shaped through the rollers.
A jewelry rolling mill as pictured above is a tool used to thin and flatten metal sheets and wire for jewelry making. It typically consists of two rollers, mounted on a base, that can be adjusted for different thicknesses and textures. The rollers are made from a hard, durable material, such as steel or hardened aluminum, and are often coated with a hard, smooth surface to help prevent the metal from sticking.
There are several types of jewelry rolling mills available, including flat mills, wire mills, and combination mills. Flat mills are used for rolling out sheet metal, while wire mills are used for rolling out wire. Combination mills, as the name suggests, can be used for both sheet metal and wire. I use a combination mill.
To use a jewelry rolling mill, the metal to be rolled is placed between the rollers and the handle is turned to rotate the rollers. The pressure applied to the metal depends on the thickness and texture desired, as well as the type of mill being used. The rollers can be adjusted to create a variety of textures, including a smooth, even finish or a more textured, patterned finish.
Jewelry rolling mills are an essential tool for many jewelry makers and metal workers. They allow for precise control over the thickness and texture of the metal, and can be used to create a wide range of jewelry components, such as claddagh rings, pendants, and earrings.
When you see one is a workshop you know that this workshop engages in handcrafting jewelry.
You can expect these mills the last a couple of lifetimes. The only maintenance required is to add grease to the mills each year and avoid allowing hard objects like borax crystals from pitting the rollers.