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View Full Version : rubover collet, help!



katherina1984
30-09-2010, 04:52 PM
Hi,

i have only ever set a couple of stones at an evening class and made my collets from scratch. This time i am doing it on my own for the fist time and thought i would cheat! I bought a rubover collet to set a round cabochen in.

Do i still need to thin out the top of the walls of the collet before i push the edges in?

Any tips would be hugely appreciated!!

Thanks guys!

Goldsmith
30-09-2010, 05:11 PM
Is the collet silver? if it is then try closing the collet as it is, work on opposite sides until the stone is firm and once the stone is set if there is any unevenness around the setting, just file it smooth before polishing. Usually shop bought collets are thin enough to rub over from raw. Have you made yourself a push tool for setting or are you going to just use a burnisher. My push tool is just a piece of brass set in a scorper/graver wooden handle with a slight groove filed in the top. On larger rub overs I use a hammer attachment on my pendant drill for bezel setting.
Sorry if this is too much info. Good luck.
James

Dennis
30-09-2010, 07:30 PM
Dear Katherina,
To add one thing to James's post, please make sure that when filing your collet, the side of the file in contact with the stone is as smooth as possible. Otherwise the stone is likely to be damaged before you realise it is happening. Files can be made safe with a mounted stone on your flexshaft followed by an abrasive rubber wheel, or failing that maybe rubbing on various grades of sharpening stone and emery paper.
Sorry to but in James, but my own mistakes still rankle. Dennis.

katherina1984
01-10-2010, 03:22 PM
Brilliant, thanks guys, fingers crossed it goes well, if it does ill post the finished product!