Tube settings help please.

[Gayle]

Hey guys

Could anyone give me a little advice before I go any further with a ring I'm making! I recently purchased from cookson tube and stones to make a ring. I got a peridot (code 61PDA0LH) can I heat these stones as in solder with them in their setting? I wasn't sure if the stones on cookson were synthetic.

Thanks for any advice ;0)

[mizgeorge]

That will be a natural stone, and should be set at the very end of the process.

[Wallace]

Hi Gayle,
I wouldn't. On top of the reasons that follow, there is work to do after soldering that will affect a stone. However, peridot, along with many stones on the Moh scale of 6 can be heated, like garnets for example. I am aware that some peridot have been used with silver clay and heated in a kiln. Having said that, they must not not be heated with a direct flame, or to high temperatures and rapidly cooled.

Generally, most settings of stones, are done after the mount has been made.

You will need to check and see if it there are any fractures that will make the stone expand and break. Some stones may have had some treatment that only appears with heat, sometimes the heat changes the stone's colour. These fractures are a result of it's composition which may include: Chromite, Spinel or Biotite along with it's base composition of Iron Magnesium Silicate (it is those small traces of iron that are responsible for its green colouring).

When it comes to stones, even diamonds are at risk as they may have had some treatment. But a rule of thumb for any stone I would offer, is to avoid the heat of the direct flame and of course let it cool naturally. If possible set afterwards and if repairing, remove where possible before any heat.

When it comes to getting stones hot, if in doubt, leave it out. Gayle, this is just my point of view. I would not let it go near heat at all. But, I have only been at this a for about 5 years and very part time, and that is not really much compared to some and I would imagine more advice will appear shortly.

[Gayle]

Thank you for the quick replies guys. I thought I would have to rethink the design if I totally honest. But thought I'd ask the experts. I'm the kind of person to just do and see what happens but on this occasion time is of the essence.

Thanx again xxx

[Dennis]

Gayle, from your question I presume that with your present design, there would be no access for setting at the end of the process. If you could describe the problem more fully, there might still be a way out. Dennis.

[Gayle]

Ok Dennis hear goes. I'm making a tube set ring. The shank is ready for soldering the tube on. When I've done that I wanted to solder on a spiral of silver wire around the tube to simply bulk the thing out a little and a bit more depth to the piece. So there lies the problem if I soldered the spiral round the setting there's no room to do the actual setting of the stone.
Although a way round it is not to take the spiral right to the top of the tube so there's room for using the pusher. This is only the second tube set ring I've made but I do like to do things the hard way lol.


Thanks for listening to my inane ramblings. It's usually my two Staffies I ramble onto coz the hubbie doesn't listen ha ha.

[Gemsetterchris]

Flush set it? you can buff the end of the tube to thicken it up enough to burnish the stone in rather than pushing over the "wall".

[trialuser]

"... you can buff the end of the tube...l".
Could you elaborate a bit on this please Chris?
My only knowledge of the term buff relates to sanding / polishing.
Is it the same process that a blacksmith would refer to as jump up - heating the end you want to be thicker and then striking it into the anvil by hitting the other end with a hammer?
This give a slightly more bulbous end with a bit more material to work with.
Cheers
Martyn

[Gemsetterchris]

I meant buff as in sand, or lightly file it.
So long as you have a little bit of thickness to the tube at the stone end you should be ok.
Basically i`d try & cut a fine bearing for the girdle to slot into & burnish.

[Dennis]

if I soldered the spiral round the setting there's no room to do the actual setting of the stone.

Yes I thought it would be something like that. Chris is our professional, so he will explain his method.

For myself, I would make sure the tube is soldered on, made ready to receive the stone and bevelled from the outside so the rim is quite thin. Then put on the spiral decoration and finish the metal work.

Finally insert the stone holding it with a pointy bit of BluTack. Then close the setting with fine round/round pliers, north/south, east/west, etc until the stone is set. You will need to hold the table of the stone level at first with a thin stick and make sure you only squeeze the very edge of the tube. Dennis.

[Gayle]

Wow thank you Dennis that advice is fab. Will take a pic to sure you how it turns out.

Thanx Gayle ;0)

[Gayle]

I did it phew! The whole setting the stone with round nosed pliers was a genius idea lol. Thanks for everyone's input. Will post a pic when I've polished it up and figured how to post a pic lol.

Thanx again guys I knew I could rely on you :0) xxx

[Dennis]

Well done Gayle. We look forward to seeing your ring. To post a pic, open 'reply-go advanced', then press the paper clip like you do for emails. Dennis.