A Useable Tool Ring?

[Tofty]

Hi all,

A while ago the ring linked to in this thread http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?topic=48537.0 got a fair amount of lampooning due to it's rather high cost and limited function. However i see it as more of a homage to the idea of multitools than an attempt to create something that's actually useful, which for something so small is certainly quite difficult.

But is it possible to make a ring that contains a selection of useful and useable tools?

A google image search for "tool ring" will uncover little except for the aforementioned item and it turns out that it's to 3D printing we must again go to find interesting designs:

A simple ring with a slotted screwdriver (not designed as a wearable ring, rather as a keyring but the principle is the same).
https://www.shapeways.com/model/629254/screwdriver-keyring.html?li=shop-results&materialId=23

A slightly increased function slotted/phillips driver ring.
https://www.shapeways.com/model/1053333/screwdriver-ring-thing.html?li=search-results&materialId=90

An interesting two piece ring with a phillips driver and a few allen hex drivers.
https://www.shapeways.com/model/311994/screwdriver-ring.html?li=search-results&materialId=23

A stylish ring called the 1086 with both open and closed 10, 8 and 6mm hex spanners (it should be noted that 6mm is a very underused metric spanner size with 5.5 and 7mm being much more utilised, perhaps they are actually 1/4", 5/16" and 3/8" spanners instead, also the layout of the two larger open spanners doesn't look right as the slot is big enough for the hex to set point to point not side to side as it should be and so couldn't work, i though i'd point this out just in case i'd encouraged anyone to buy one)
https://www.shapeways.com/model/202513/1086-toolring-size-11-20-60-mm.html?li=search-results&materialId=23

And lastly there's this design for a folding ring containing a phillips driver on one side and a slotted driver and sharp edge on the other.
https://www.shapeways.com/model/208108/toolringb.html?li=search-results&materialId=23

I don't know if it's because of my experience with designing and printing various tools or that i'm just a dick but i can think of a few way to improve all of the rings i've listed above and in time i just might, but for now i've just had a go at the last one. I tried to contact the tools original designer twice over Shapeways but with no success so far.

Tool Ring.
The changes i've made to the original are: Added a 1/4" hex bit driver, removed the cutting edge, added bushings and spacers between all metal on metal rotation points, changed the materials to brass and stainless, removed the need for nuts to secure the bolts by threading the brass arms themselves. The result being....





I thought it turned out quite well so i pressed ahead with a plastic prototype.









Although i can't comment on it's ability to actually drive screws or bits due to it's plastic construction i think it's worth taking further with a full metal version but not as a sensible or practical design, simply as a curiosity; the ring will always feel too bulky under the finger and is generally quite gross. However since the plastic prototype i have added an o-ring bit retention feature to the hex driver, added some text to the brass parts and skeletonised some of the stainless components to cut down on cost and weight.


I've also made a couple of other rings as a fun design exercise. They were going to be my Gold, Silver and Bronze Rings series but i still haven't thought of anything suitable for the gold ring yet and the bronze ring still needs a lot of work.

Silver Tritium Ring.
This ring was designed to be printed in polished silver, hold 18 2x8mm tritium vials and be screwed together with 6 stainless M2 socket screws.



Again i had a plastic prototype made, this time in alumide but since i don't have any 2x8mm tritium vials (plus they would cost more than the ring would cost in silver), i used some carbon-fibre rod in it's place.






Bronze Ring.
This was the design that started off my whole ring design distraction.
I first came across the design in this CPF thread: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?374908-Machining-a-titanium-ring-a-work-of-art which in turn led me back to the original manufacturers website: https://www.roguedzn.com/home.php#/products/revolver.
All well and good but $2000 seems a bit steep and i don't have access to such multi-axis CNC milling machines so i wondered what 3D printing could achieve.



The renders came out looking pretty good but it takes a physical version to really show up a models short-comings and after receiving the plastic prototype i realised that some changes need to be made to the angles of the screw housings.







Of course the biggest problem with the ring is that it's not my design at all, i couldn't ever sell the models and any versions of this could only be for my own personal use. I therefore came up with this:



Not the best but it's a start at something.

[derekmac]

Wow, that's some really cool work there Tofty!!   I really like these two, and think the bottom one will look awesome!

Again i had a plastic prototype made, this time in alumide but since i don't have any 2x8mm tritium vials (plus they would cost more than the ring would cost in silver), i used some carbon-fibre rod in it's place.





Not the best but it's a start at something.

[ducttapetech]

Those are cool looking tofty!
I like the one with tritium and looks just as cool with the carbon in it too.
that's us mobile

[Tofty]

Thanks Guys, i'm going to make some changes to both the tritium ring and second bronze ring soon; the tritium ring to make it vastly more cost effective and comfortable to wear and the bronze ring to make it 183.5% more awesome.....you'll see.

[ducttapetech]

I have no doubts with your skillz. Rock on!

that's us mobile

[dks]

  knuckleduster ?   

[derekmac]

Thanks Guys, i'm going to make some changes to both the tritium ring and second bronze ring soon; the tritium ring to make it vastly more cost effective and comfortable to wear and the bronze ring to make it 183.5% more awesome.....you'll see.

Can't wait to see what you come up with!

[Sparky415]

As ever a great post with interesting 'stuff' Peter 

[Tofty]

Thanks Guys,
Here's the next version of the tritium ring:







I think this is pretty much done except for adding some text to the inside of the band. The vials used are now 2x6mm rather than the original's 2x8mm vials.


Also here's an early attempt at the next bronze ring:



The design has changed hugely since this render but as it takes about 10 hours to render one image it will be a while until i can show the latest version off.

[J-sews]

Very impressive concepts there sir. I think I like the original bronze version best of all. Elegant, yet simple, etc. Is the "next" bronze ring intended to be an improvement over the first one, or is it simply in addition to the first one?

[ducttapetech]

Same I like the first one alittle more. But the last one kinda looks like armour. Very cool!
Nice job!

that's us mobile

[Tofty]

Very impressive concepts there sir. I think I like the original bronze version best of all. Elegant, yet simple, etc. Is the "next" bronze ring intended to be an improvement over the first one, or is it simply in addition to the first one?

Thanks, the new bronze ring (below) will also be simplified down into a one-piece ring similar to the first one. I still think the original has it's merits and will be offered as well as others, when i get round to making a selection of models for various ring sizes.

Same I like the first one alittle more. But the last one kinda looks like armour. Very cool!
Nice job!

Armour eh? Looks like you're thinking along the right lines.

[WWW]

  Simply FANTASTIC sir!!! They all look really awesome, I particularly like the armoured one.   

[ducttapetech]

Yeah, the more I look at the armour one, the more I love it.

that's us mobile

[Tofty]

Cheers,
Here are the merged version renders:








I've ordered one of these from shapeways so i should have some nice photos in a few weeks.
I also ordered one of these:

[derekmac]

Looks great Tofty! 

[ducttapetech]

Wow! Those are sweet looking.

that's us mobile

[Tofty]

It took a while but here are the two bronze rings i ordered:






Ring III.






Ring VIII.








Next to order will be the updated Silver & Tritium Ring (arbitrarily called ring VI)

[derekmac]

Wow, those really turned out great Tofty!! Well done!


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[ducttapetech]

SA WEET!!! Those look bad ass!

that's us mobile

[PTRSAK]

Nice.  If they can print in wax you could use then as patterns for "Lost Wax" casting in gold. 

[Tofty]

Thanks guys.

@ PTRSAK: They can and you could; i.materialise and Kraftworx offer gold casting from printed wax models.
Although i don't think anyone offers the purchase of just the wax models as i doubt they are strong enough to survive shipping.

[WWW]

  My precious'es!!! 

Fantastic work sir!! They all look really nice!!

[Tofty]

Thanks W³, how about this one:

[ducttapetech]

Wow!!!


that's us mobile

[Aloha]

I dont wear rings but I wear a trit ring.  It looks awesome. 

[Cogito]

I don't know why, but I like the first tritium ring design more than the second one, although the second one is nice too

It looks like that original ring manufacturer raised his prices from 2k to 4.3k!

[Tofty]

Wow!!!

I dont wear rings but I wear a trit ring.  It looks awesome. 

Thanks Guys, like everything though, the design could do with some changes; there's no real reason why the ring should be in two parts and screwed together, the vials rattle a little in the ring so would need to be glued in place anyway. An impovement would be to design the ring as one piece, with the vials installed from the outside, or possibly from the inside of the ring and glued in place with optically clear Norland 61.
At the moment assembly takes up a fair amount of time, due to resizing and threading the screw holes. It's not something i can expect other people to be able to do with ease either, since tapping soft materials like silver and copper is very difficult and can easily result in a broken tap, which would ruin the ring. Therefore making the ring as a single piece, with only the vials to install is the most practical option.

I don't know why, but I like the first tritium ring design more than the second one, although the second one is nice too
It looks like that original ring manufacturer raised his prices from 2k to 4.3k!

Thanks Cogito, the problem is that the first tritium ring is just too bulky. It's 4mm thick, which i felt was pretty much unwearable. This ring could also benefit from a redesign into a single piece, to cut down on some of it's thickness, but to populate the ring with all the vials needed (18), would cost around $130.

That's quite a bold price hike, i wonder what the justification for that was? I can only assume it was to make some of the other, less impressive, rings on the site look like a more attractive option in comparison. Of course the other 3 rings have a thickness of something close to 4mm, making them close to as unwearable as my first tritium ring. If i paid $2000 on a ring, i'd at least want it to be comfortable.

[Cogito]

I have an idea for a tritium ring that I think you will like, should I post it here or pm you?

[Tofty]

I'm intrigued now, PM me please.