Tube setting a diamond in wood.

[art925]

So today a client called with a piece of driftwood and a 2mm diamond. She wants the diamond set in the driftwood. I am thinking tube or flush setting in gold, but do I just glue the setting into the wood, make a screw fitting then glue in the wood for added security or is there a tried and tested method I have not considered?

Many thanks.
Les.

[Dennis]

I's rather an open question at present Les, until we know what kind of piece( brooch, pendant etc) and have more of an idea of your design.

Wood is not as stable as metal and can be quite soft. It will also contain salt, and therefore be hygroscopic, that is, become more moist in humid conditions.

Short of taking advice from an expert in conservation of objects recovered from the sea, I would use 18ct gold for my metal to avoid corrosion and screw or rivet and glue it on a dry day. For glue I would use a two part slow setting epoxy, such as Two Ton Clear Weld Devcon. This is at least claimed to be waterproof and will spread into the pores of the wood.

I don't much like screws on jewellery, but I am quite fond of tube rivets, as they can be spread gently with a scriber and only a few light taps with a riveting hammer. For wood you also need a small washer or back plate. You can also avoid hammering altogether, by glueing a headed pin into the end of the rivet. Dennis.

[ShinyLauren]

I can't offer any insight I'm afraid, but looking forward to seeing it!

[josef1]

maybe make a small setting plate solder this to a thin walled tube counter bore the wood so the setting fits flush with the top of the wood then open the rear of the wood into a slight cone shape then burnish the tube outwards to hold it into the wood ,then set the stone

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[art925]

Thanks Dennis,
it is to be a Pendant, the wood has been soaking in water, which should draw out some of the salt, the water being refreshed regularly. The next step would be to place the wood in the sun to dry for a few days, but as that is no longer possible; I figured a few hours in a fan oven, with a very low temperature should dry it out. I am loving the riveting idea, those pictures are just what I needed to visualise this Josef, thanks for going to the effort of creating them for me.

I will post pics when complete.
Les

[medusa]

if you put the tube into the wood whilst the wood is still wet/damp, won't it clamp the tube tightly into place as the wood dries and contracts.

[CJ57]

[QUOTE=art925;60094]Thanks Dennis,
it is to be a Pendant, the wood has been soaking in water, which should draw out some of the salt, the water being refreshed regularly. The next step would be to place the wood in the sun to dry for a few days, but as that is no longer possible; I figured a few hours in a fan oven, with a very low temperature should dry it out. I am loving the riveting idea, those pictures are just what I needed to visualise this Josef, thanks for going to the effort of creating them for me.


Do you have an oven with a cold air setting, I know we have a defrost cool air in our grill oven but maybe that's not normal? It's air and not warmth needed to dry wood out and I wondered if it would warp by being heated

[art925]

Thanks further for the tips, it is great to read that I am thinking this through as others would approach it. The wood defo contracts whilst drying; it has been in the oven today. Caroline one of my ovens allows fan with no temp. so I opted for that. Over the next few days I will see how it goes, it needs to be bone dry before any further work, but it appears to have some nice graining coming through.

[FloWolF]

Hi Les,
I work with a lot of wood (wood brought me to jewellery) - wood that's sat in water for a long time tends to dry better with less likelihood of splitting, but still I'd take it really slow in the oven.

For small pieces I tend to do mine in the microwave with the piece wrapped in a plastic bag - this forces the moisture out from the inside first whilst keeping the outside wettest so it shrinks last (put in microwave, full power for 5/10/15 seconds at a time whilst keeping a close eye on it (wood can burn in a microwave if left unattended) - when it's gotten really hot remove from microwave and leave to cool down in the bag, then take out of bag, wipe down the wood, then turn bag inside out put wood back into it and into the microwave again if it still needs more.

Is your intent to use the whole piece of wood as-is, or will you be cutting and shaping a piece out of it? - If the latter then you can always have it stabilised - I've done and do a lot of this and it works wonders - the wood looks and feels like wood afterwards but it works a little more like bone and won't shrink or expand anymore - no good for using the whole piece as-is though as stabilising resin will mess up the surface detail.

Shaun.

[art925]

Hi Les,
I work with a lot of wood (wood brought me to jewellery) - wood that's sat in water for a long time tends to dry better with less likelihood of splitting, but still I'd take it really slow in the oven.

For small pieces I tend to do mine in the microwave with the piece wrapped in a plastic bag - this forces the moisture out from the inside first whilst keeping the outside wettest so it shrinks last (put in microwave, full power for 5/10/15 seconds at a time whilst keeping a close eye on it (wood can burn in a microwave if left unattended) - when it's gotten really hot remove from microwave and leave to cool down in the bag, then take out of bag, wipe down the wood, then turn bag inside out put wood back into it and into the microwave again if it still needs more.

Is your intent to use the whole piece of wood as-is, or will you be cutting and shaping a piece out of it? - If the latter then you can always have it stabilised - I've done and do a lot of this and it works wonders - the wood looks and feels like wood afterwards but it works a little more like bone and won't shrink or expand anymore - no good for using the whole piece as-is though as stabilising resin will mess up the surface detail.

Shaun.

Wow thanks for this info Shaun, I will try try the microwave technique today. I am using the piece as whole.

[FloWolF]

Wow thanks for this info Shaun, I will try try the microwave technique today. I am using the piece as whole.


Just take it easy - it doesn't 'work' right for me every time, and it's easy to overdo it, so I can't offer you any guarantees - just keep the bag wrapped tight and don't open it while the piece is hot.

GL!

Shaun.

[LydiaNiz]

Nothing useful to add, but I am really looking forward to seeing this. Love silver/gold with wood of any kind.

[Tabby66]

Nothing useful to add, but I am really looking forward to seeing this. Love silver/gold with wood of any kind.

Me too!!
Really interesting thread to read too!!