Aviation and Military Themed Rings

Ever since I made the SR-71 Blackbird Titanium and USS North Carolina Deck Teak custom project, I have managed to accidentally become the go-to artisan for custom aviation and military rings. 

SR-71 Blackbird Exhaust Nozzle Titanium with USS North Carolina Deck Teak Interior

I emphasize accidental because customers seem to think I have these materials laying around, ready for use.  In reality, I have completed many of these kinds of rings, which I will show below.  However, in every case the customer was responsible for sourcing the material.  

Consider these examples:

This ring was made using the steel machine gun barrel of an F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet.  The marine fighter jock himself provided the material for his custom wedding ring.  Unfortunately, I was not able to retain any of the surplus.

F/A-18 Gun Barrel Steel and USS North Carolina Deck Teak Ring

This all-metal ring was machined from a solid block of steel - one of the rotor bearings of a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter. 

This ring was made using a compressor vane of an Aerospatiale / BAC Concorde Jet.

February 11, 2019 UPDATE: A new favorite. This ring was made from the deck teak of the USS Missouri (BB-63), the ship upon which the Japanese surrendered in 1945. See this blog article.

Important notes to those who would like to commission this kind of project:

• KNOW WHAT SIZE, WIDTH, AND STYLE RING YOU WANT BEFORE YOU ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT MATERIALS REQUIREMENTS. I can't answer any of your questions without this basic information.

• You must source your own material. I have no special connections or ability to find these materials.

• The exact dimensions of the material you source can dictate the design possibilities. In general, thin pieces are going to limit the ring design to an all-metal inlay type ring, like the concorde ring.

• I will not be able to provide a quote for the machining costs until I have the piece in hand or I am given very precise measurements coupled with detailed pictures of the material.

• Lastly, and most importantly, my dream ring is mission-flown SpaceX rocket parts. If you can source this material with any accompanying documentation, your ring will be free. No questions asked, no social media, no blog posts. This is purely a personal project for me.