Meteorite Ring

A meteorite is a solid piece of debris from an object, such as a comet, asteroid, or meteoroid, that originates in outer space and survives its passage through the Earth's atmosphere and impact with the Earth's surface or that of another planet. When the object enters the atmosphere, various factors like friction, pressure, and chemical interactions with the atmospheric gases cause it to heat up and radiate that energy. It then becomes a meteor and forms a fireball, also known as a shooting/falling star; astronomers call the brightest examples "bolides." Meteorites that survive atmospheric entry and impact vary greatly in size. For geologists, a bolide is a meteorite large enough to create a crater. (Wikipedia)

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I got this slab of the Meteorite on ebay with intention to make something out of it. Originally I was thinking to make a custom watch case, but since I was getting married I decided to make my own wedding band. I think It's very sentimental and deep =)

List of tools for this project:
Slab of a real meteorite - http://ebay.to/2foeM3I
Jewelry metal cutting saw (you can use a hacksaw of an angle grinder)
Spring Clamp - http://amzn.to/2dQQOMJ
Center punch - http://amzn.to/2ejozqh

Drill - http://amzn.to/2fdINPP

Drill bits - http://amzn.to/2f9eUBh

Cutting oil (you can use WD40) - http://amzn.to/2e9YSVO

Mini Metal Lathe - http://amzn.to/2e9W5Md

Expanding Ring Mandrel
Sand paper (400, 800, 1000, 4000grit)
Polishing compound - http://amzn.to/2ea57ZC

Ferric chloride (etching solution) - http://amzn.to/2dYSohb

This piece of meteorite made mostly out of iron. And it's much harder than I thought it's would be. I used my jewelry saw to cut out the proper size piece for the ring. It took me quite a while to do. Next time I would use a hack saw or an angle grinder with a cutting disk.

I used a centre punch to mark a hole for the drilling. With a cutting oil I start drilling the pice out to fit on the bolt mandrel.

I used my Sherline mini lathe to shape the metal piece in to the ring shape.

Then I got the ring size and thickens right, I mount it on the expandable mandril to make facets and do the initial polishing. Working thought 400 to 1000 grit sand paper mounted on a flat part of a chisel.

To do the final polish I've used diamond powder buffing compound and a piece of cloth. I put some polishing compound on a wooden rod to polish the ring from the inside. I polished the edges on a flat surface using 1000 - 4000grit sand paper.

To reveal the internal crystal structure of the metal I dipped the ring in to the ferric chloride solution for a few seconds. Ferric chloride is a metal etching liquid. It acts as an acid so be very careful around it.

Here is the final result. I think wearing a piece of rock from out of space as a ring is awesome. According to my friends it's a best wedding band ever =))

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