Setting 2mm facetted stones

[Patstone]

Can you tell me what you use to hold very small stones while setting them. I tried blu tack and it wasn't very successful, I haven't tried red setters cement but it doesn't look a good idea as all I want to do is place it in the tube to keep the faceted stone level.

[josef1]

Hi Pat,

If you cut the setting correctly the stone should 'push' in and stay put while you set it, I use sticky wax to pick the stones up

[enigma]

I use blu tack but only to pick the stone up and place it in the setting, once in I just work around it and adjust if necessary as I go.

[Aurarius]

What you need, Pat, is a beeswax stone placer. Josef is probably using one.

Get a small amount of beeswax, warm it so it's malleable, then mix it with about the same quantity of powdered charcoal (I obtained this by sanding off one edge of my charcoal block). Mix the wax and the charcoal together evenly like a dough, then mould it into a cone shape. Now you can use the tip to pick and place stones.

[susieq]

I just use my fingers or fine tweezers and put the stone upside down on a level surface (usually an upside down lid so I don't lose the stone if I need to push it back out of the tube) and push the tube over the stone. Mind you, I'm only using cheap czs. If I was using diamonds I'd probably be more careful!

[Patstone]

The beeswax idea seems ideal, now where do I find beeswax, and dont say from bees. I bought a picker with a sticky rubber end but the sticky has worn off and it doesnt pick up any more. I want it for placing stones into the tube, I tried to use blue tac but it didnt seem to work, its too soft I think, the stone disappeared into it. I am using c.z's but its annoying if you drop it on the carpet ( I work from a spare bedroom). Is it the same as pitch sticks melted, or is that something different.

[ajda]

Beeswax is useful for all sorts of things (and very pleasing stuff - sometimes I just sit and sniff it) and it's readily available:
eg http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Beeswax-32g1oz-Block-prcode-998-018 or very cheap on eBay - search "beeswax block" to find anything from raw lumps to pretty little bars.
Alan

[ps_bond]

The beeswax idea seems ideal, now where do I find beeswax, and dont say from bees. I bought a picker with a sticky rubber end but the sticky has worn off and it doesnt pick up any more. I want it for placing stones into the tube, I tried to use blue tac but it didnt seem to work, its too soft I think, the stone disappeared into it. I am using c.z's but its annoying if you drop it on the carpet ( I work from a spare bedroom). Is it the same as pitch sticks melted, or is that something different.

Craft fairs for beeswax, any of the country shows usually have someone selling some. Any local apiarists.
The pickers are a bit naff (yes, I have one) - they can often be sorted with some warm soapy water but they die in time.
Blutak only really works when it's cold, once it warms up it's not much use.
For small stones I use what is effectively a beading tool (or grain tool, depending on parlance) - dip it in water and the surface tension of the water holds the stone on. Too much or too little and it doesn't work.

[Dennis]

There's beeswax on offer here:https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=beeswax&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=lc_7VfKrNYjWU_jklMgF.

Traditionally setters mixed it with ground up charcoal, for instance from a broken block, to create the ideal degree of stickiness. Then it was mounted on the end of a short stick.
Fischer even sold it ready prepared as Wacksbein but I hate dirty things that leave a residue, so it's BluTak for me for all its faults. Dennis.

[enigma]

They used beeswax mixed with ash on the setting course I did but I prefer Blu tack as it doesn't leave a residue as Dennis mentions.
I find I have to warm the Blu tack a little though by rolling it between my finger and thumb, you seem to have to have it just the right temperature and softness to work best.

[Patstone]

Since starting this thread I found some beeswax that I bought ages ago for lubricating saw blades. I mixed it with a little chunk of dust from my charcoal block and hey presto I have a thingymajig, anyway I warmed the wax up in my hands and put it onto the end of a stick and its waiting for me to do something with it as I used blue tac last night cos I was desperate to get it set and polished as its for a commission. I will keep you posted - watch this space.......

[SteveLAO]

In one of my previous lives I used pure beeswax...what does the charcoal do? I also used beeswax for layouts of stones for bracelets, necklaces and so on. The wax was melted into a very shallow aluminum tray and the stones laid out "face up". A word of caution though....its a pain in the neck to get the wax off the stones that aren't used!! I did try blu tak but found it too soft.

I used a tiny lump of beeswax rubbed between the fingers into a cone with a fine point for picking up stones, table first, for setting. (These lumps of wax were known as "bogies" btw....for obvious reasons!)

[ps_bond]

The charcoal makes it a bit less tacky when warm.

[Nick martin]

Blu-Tac for me, rolled into a rough cone shape.

If tube setting, I'll place the small stone table / crown side down and place the tube over the top of it in order to gently position it into place.

If I'm flush setting a small stone, then I use the blu-tac to pick it up and position it. I then use a wooden toothpick with the sharp point cut off to push the stone into place until it clicks so to speak.

Also using a GRS benchmate to hold the piece as opposed to a handheld clamp is an absolute godsend. Something I didnt truly appreciate until I decided to upgrade a while ago!

Cheers,

Nick

[SteveLAO]

The charcoal makes it a bit less tacky when warm.

Thanks Peter, learning something new every day!