Filing bezels and rings

[klevellcaine]

Morning all,

I'm looking for help again. I'm a self-learner, so I don't have a background with all the tools and much of what I do is trial and error.

I've been soldering for a few months now and seem to have the basics down, but I am still having real trouble filing the two ends of my bezels and rings flat. I am certain that nowadays when a solder fails, it's because the join is not completely flush. It seems to take an age for me to try to get things level. I even bought a mitre jig, but of course that doesn't help when I'm trying to join up a circle - the interior edges touch, but the exterior ones don't. I've recently been trying to file with a thin nail emery board slipped in between the two ends - that sort of seems to work - but it takes even longer.

I've searched the net, but all I see is "make sure the ends are flush". No-one ever explains how. I'd really like to see a video or photos of the process. I'd also like some reassurance that it's not just me that can waste 30 mins to an hour trying to get the damn things flush. I only have a cheap set of nail files - is that the problem? Or is it that I'm not holding the piece correctly? I still don't really know how to file against the bench pin.

As you can see, any help (or reassurance) would really be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Karen

[caroleallen]

Hi Karen. When cutting a piece of wire for a ring or a bezel, I normally hold the piece so that my saw blade makes contact across the width of it, if that makes sense. I then rub the ends lightly on a piece of sandpaper to take off any burrs but not to remove any metal. After bending the ring so that the 2 ends meet, I saw through the cut which gives a good join.

[enigma]

Soham has several videos on bezels which you may fine helpful- heres the first but if you scroll through his video list there are many more:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rbhTrOtdNY

Are you using paste? as I find solder panels better at covering small gaps- yes I know we shouldn't have them to begin with lol

[klevellcaine]

Ah, interesting, Carolle. I've been using wire cutters, but I'll definitely give it a try with my saw. When you say you cut again after bending the wire do you have the wire overlapping (like the start of a coil) or do you mean you cut the ends off both wires as you push them together to fit? Do you hold the ring with your fingers or masking tape?

[klevellcaine]

Thanks, Enigma.

I had a look at the video, but once again there's nothing there showing the filing. He just cuts with the snips and runs the file up once, so I guess the real work was done off camera...

[enigma]

I don't think so, I think the idea is that the cut is neat enough not to need much filing :)

[caroleallen]

My advice was more for making rings than bezels really. I think the problem here may be that you are using the wrong sort of cutters?

I bend the wire around so that the ends meet (not overlap) with a little tension which holds the ends together. I then cut through where the ends meet.

[Hans Meevis]

This tutorial of mine might be of help.

http://www.meevis.com/jewelry-making-class-making-bezel.htm

[CJ57]

You aren't really trying to cut any metal away as such when sawing between the edges just cleaning them up so that they meet cleanly for the solder to flow. I always cut my ring strip with a saw which doesn't give unevenness as snips do. I realise if you are making a lot of them then it's not feasible but it does provide a flatter edge

[enigma]

Great tutorial Hans, thanks for sharing!

[Dennis]

You are basically aiming for a situation where if held up to a light, there is no space between the ends.

Sometimes, this can be dealt with by moving the ends slightly until they fit. The ring/bezel does not have to be perfectly round before soldering.

At other times, you simply work the ends until they are as tightly together as possible .Then with the ring flat on the bench peg, pass a vertical saw blade through, once or sometimes twice. A miracle will happen.

For rings it is also worth knowing, that as a rule of thumb, you will reduce it by one size for every mm lost in this way. Dennis.

[Nick martin]

If you're making a ring shank, here's what I do.

Cut your shank to your required length, then file the two ends perfectly flat. I use a mitre jig for this.

Remove any burrs, form the ring shape, and if you're accurate then the two ends will fit together perfectly. If they're a touch out, make sure they're tensioned and cut through with your piercing saw as mentioned earlier.

Cheers,

Nick


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Claire D]

I've had this problem too and am definitely going to try the passing the saw blade through trick. Fingers crossed for a miracle!

[klevellcaine]

Thanks for all the great info and for the tutorial, Hans. I'm always amazed at your generosity to newbies like me.

And I'm delighted to know I'm not alone in this, Claire.

I'll definitely try using the saw rather than snips and running it through again when the ends are pushed together. I'll let you know how I get on.

[Dennis]

If you're making a ring shank, here's what I do.
Cut your shank to your required length, then file the two ends perfectly flat. I use a mitre jig for this.
Remove any burrs, form the ring shape, and if you're accurate then the two ends will fit together perfectly. If they're a touch out, make sure they're tensioned and cut through with your piercing saw as mentioned earlier.
Cheers,Nick

As one of our treasured members sometimes says,'There are many ways to skin a rabbit'. So here is how I do it. Of course I tend to stick to silver so I don't mind a little waste:

1. I use my ring bending tool to bend up some stock starting with the end, until I have a ring and a half, of a smaller size than intended.
2. Transfer it to a ring stick and move it along until it is about a half to a quarter size smaller than the final ring.
3. Lift it off the ring stick and cut through just short of the end, leaving a little waste.

You now have a ring with a perfectly fitting joint regardless of whether it is straight or wonky, because both ends were cut simultaneously.
Now solder and stretch to the exact size with a ring stretcher. This will round it and harden it without hammering. Dennis.

[pearlescence]

Using the saw blade was how I was taught many years ago.
Don't make the initial cut with snips. use the saw. Otherwise you are making hard work for yourself. Check the size is roughly right (a smidge too small is fine, too big is too big) Bend the metal into an oval.
Offer up the two ends and move them back and forth and up and down so they align under slight tension (like closing a jump ring)
now take your saw blade, squeeze the two sides together and while you are squeezing 'saw' the gap/joint. The saw blade will cut off unnecessary metal and, hopefully, leave you will two perfectly aligned ends to solder . The ring does not have to be round - indeed, an oval with the join in the middle of one of the flatter sides is easier to deal with.

[Goldsmith]

I only use shears or snips for cutting solder pieces, it's my saw frame that gets used for cutting all metals for working, using a saw gives straight edges and no metal distortions.

James

[CJ57]

I only use shears or snips for cutting solder pieces, it's my saw frame that gets used for cutting all metals for working, using a saw gives straight edges and no metal distortions.

James

That's how I was trained too James

[camalidesign]

If it's a ring shank and it's relatively narrow (obviously this doesn't work with a shank that is much more than 3-4 mm wide) I always measure out the length of the blank, plus 3-4mm extra on either side, mark out the actual length needed in the middle. Then bend the ring round with some ring pliers, let the ends go past each other (like when you're making jump rings in a coil), right next to each other. Then line up the 2 lines marking the ends of the ring, then cut straight across with a saw, preferably with the saw touching both pieces at the same time, straight across and flat onto the shank. This way you can then just push the ring ends togehter sideways and they will line up very nicely. Solder and done! I don't tend to have to file or sand at all. This way you also have a ring that is actually round from the start, not oval or wonky, as that would actually mean that when you hammer it round you are putting stress on the solder joint, if that makes sense. Finally, I make sure it's perfectly round with a rawhide mallet on a ring mandrel, turning it at least once to do both "sides". I usually make the ring just under 1/2 size smaller and hammer it to right size. I worry with using a ring stretcher already from the start on a new ring really, but I know probably the majority of people do this. If the ring ends up a little on the large side, I just saw open the joint and solder again, this take out enough metal (depending on your saw blade) to reduce the size a little.

For bezels I just use snippers and then a diamond file to sort the ends out before soldering, but cutting through both layers with a saw would work too and probably not need any filing. Remember to anneal the strip before shaping the bezel so it's very soft and bendy and keeps the shape while soldering the join together.

Carin