I’ve made a handful of rings from hickory, no metal insert. They are quick and easy to turn.
The first set I finished with poly. Each ring would break after a few weeks (I wear them all the time: while washing hands, showering, working with wrenches., etc.
The next batch I did with epoxy coating. I haven’t broken one of these after months of wearing, but some water did seep into the end grain after 2-3 months causing dark spots. I tried a second and third time with similar results (difficult to get good coating on the edges , a technique issue that surely could be solved, but I haven’t yet).
The last set I used CA for a finish, much easier to apply than epoxy. The ring I’m wearing right now seems to be holding up well with CA a month or two in so far.
Good luck, let us know your experiences.
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