How's this made?

[Nick martin]

Evening all,

I've seen a fair few of these style rings on the web lately, I like them as they look great for rough uncut stones, but how on earth are they made?

Surely the recess isn't carved out, followed by furnishing the edges over or is it?

I'm sure there's a simple answer but I can't figure it out. Suggestions please!

Cheers,

Nick

http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u663/Louiseandnixon/Mobile%20Uploads/Screenshot_20170415-220811_zpsxrg4gqam.png (http://s1327.photobucket.com/user/Louiseandnixon/media/Mobile%20Uploads/Screenshot_20170415-220811_zpsxrg4gqam.png.html)

[Dennis]

Well Nick it's a rough and organic looking channel setting and I feel that in minutes you could make a fine saw cut as a guide. Then increase the blade size and finally carve out a suitable channel with burrs. Dennis.

[josef1]

It's probably cad cast as a master then molded, wax injected then cast again . As Dennis said its just a channel setting.

[Nick martin]

Thanks chaps,

I realised it was a channel setting used but intrigued by it's organic design.

Thought it could have been made out of a flat strip then folded over on itself and with part of the seam soldered, but I suppose that would be a lot of work.

Cheers,

Nick

[Aurarius]

10102Dennis is surely right. From the number of similar rings on the seller's website and the variety shown in the size and shape of the channels I'm not sure casting is the method that's been used. It looks to me in most cases as if channels have been roughly hogged out, the resulting thin edges bent outwards, the stones forced in, and then the edges of the channel pushed back down to hold the stones in place. I like the stones, but the rings aren't my cup of tea.

[CJ57]

10102Dennis is surely right. From the number of similar rings on the seller's website and the variety shown in the size and shape of the channels I'm not sure casting is the method that's been used. It looks to me in most cases as if channels have been roughly hogged out, the resulting thin edges bent outwards, the stones forced in, and then the edges of the channel pushed back down to hold the stones in place. I like the stones, but the rings aren't my cup of tea.

I'm all for organic but the channels are very rough, even doing it with a file a clean edge for the lovely rough stones would be a nice contrast

[Faith]

Hi all,

Temporarily resurrecting Nicks thread here if I may, in my ongoing "learn to set stones" project I hadn't been planning to do channel setting as there are few examples of it that are to my personal taste, but this kind of style I've fallen for a bit since seeing this thread and researching it more.

I'm wondering though if anyone with a more experienced eye can hazard a guess as to what ratio between stone size and wire depth you might shoot for? You obviously need to allow for say 0.25mm of metal thickness to make the walls, but also it looks nice if the set part of the ring widens out a little, so I'm maybe thinking the same size, i.e 1.7mm stones and 1.7mm wire for example, but what do you guys think?

I know it's a bit just up to whatever you prefer, I was just hoping for some advice as to what might work?

Many thanks :)

Faith

[Dennis]

Faith, you measure the stone's depth, or at estimate the part to be trapped within the tube. Then look at Cooksons list, which gives the internal diameter of each tube and you will have your answer.

My picture shows a cabochon (top left), trapped by a bezel but set by the corners of the cut tube. Another take on the same idea. Dennis

[Faith]

Thanks Dennis,

I'd thought tho, maybe from the posts above that rings like this would be made from solid wire, with a portion kind of excavated to make the channel? Surely tube would get dented very easily in the shank part?

Thanks :) Faith

PS I like the necklace, it reminds me of crop circles :)

[Dennis]

Sorry, it's me being absent minded. Yes we decided the ring was made from solid wire and then excavated. So you would need about 1.5mm more thickness than the depth of stone.
Obviously unless you have drawing down facilities, the wire comes in stock sizes and you will have to pair it with suitable stones.
Dennis.

[Faith]

Ta Dennis and no worries :)

1.5 tho, really!? I was thinking maybe wire 0.5, 0.6mm wider than the diameter of the stones at the most? 1.5 would leave walls of about 0.75mm thickness wouldn't it, which must be tricky to push over, or am I seeing it wrong in my head (which happens!)

Ta again, sorry if I'm being dopey!
Faith

[Dennis]

Well we all have to do the experiment, Faith. That's why initiation costs are so high.
I was being generous, because with cubes for stones it's easy to perforate the back, or sides. Once you've done the first one, you can be more precise.

I would not necessarily use a pusher to close it, but try some ring pliers with one or both jaws covered in plastic tubing from the ironmongers, perhaps.

You are also assuming that the stones will be dead centre. They can be nearer the top, of course. Dennis.

[Wallace]

And the tidying up / polishing will take away some metal too.

[Faith]

Thanks Dennis and Wallace :)

Perhaps this is a design that will take a couple of iterations. Its good to know to err on the side of smaller stones though, and the pliers tip is a great one too.

Ta again
Faith

[Maria]

Found this a useful thread and wouldn't mind having a go at one these myself but where would you source stones like that?

[Dennis]

Most gem stone dealers have them Maria, even E bay. Here are some at kernowcraft: https://www.kernowcraft.com/products/crystals-minerals/item/undrilled-diamond-crystal-cubes?utm_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=ProductSearch&utm_campaign=GoogleBaseFeed1&gclid=CLWrwPyG3tMCFcm_7QodmF8LrA
Dennis.

[Maria]

Thanks Dennis, I had looked at the undrilled stones at Kernowcraft but thought they still may be a little big

[Dennis]

AE Ward will have some too, but not on their website, so you'll have to phone them. I can talk about it till the cows come home, but it will all come to nothing until someone's done the experiment.

Here are some decisions:
Colour: all matching or assorted?
Number: six or seven?
Size: all the same, or tapering at the ends? The smallest I could work with would be 1.5 mm and possibly have them larger at the centre, say 1.7mm. So say, two two two, or two three two in number.

That now seems to indicate a minimum round wire size of 2.5mm. Dennis.

[theresa]

Faith, you measure the stone's depth, or at estimate the part to be trapped within the tube. Then look at Cooksons list, which gives the internal diameter of each tube and you will have your answer.

My picture shows a cabochon (top left), trapped by a bezel but set by the corners of the cut tube. Another take on the same idea. Dennis

Love the way you did the tube setting - looks really nice Dennis.

[Dennis]

Love the way you did the tube setting - looks really nice Dennis.
Thank you, Theresa. It was part of something I saw on a bus a long time ago. I wrote about it in a post called It's rude to Stare, I think. Dennis.

[Faith]

Hey Maria,

Hope you get on well, I'm toying with using 1.5mm "seed" pearls, from Wards as Dennis suggested and then maybe some raw stones to make it a friend. Do pop some pictures up if you do it :) I have a few busy weekends coming up so I'll be a while just planning unfortunately.

Faith :)

[Dennis]

Hey Maria, I'm toying with using 1.5mm "seed" pearls, from Wards as Dennis suggested . faith :)

No not me. It must have been another Dennis. I would never set pearls, for fear of crushing them. I glue pearls.

To practice I would probably ball up short lengths of thin silver or gold wire in little pits in a charcoal block. The Real Dennis.

[Maria]

Oh ... Real Dennis what a good idea ... Faith thanks , I'm going to have a go , but like you only able to work in my spare time , I really quite like the idea and the look of the ring that Nick posted in the first place. I will post up any pictures , hope you get on well too

[Faith]

Hey Real Dennis,

My appologies, I only meant you suggested Wards as a supplier to Maria in general, not that you suggested, condoned or had any knowledge of my controversial pearl idea! I was gonna do exactly as you said tho with wee silver balls, I even think that might be quite pretty too!

PS: There's only one Dennis ;)

Faith

[Faith]

Hey Maria,

Thanks :) Look forward to your pics :) isn't life pesky getting in the way of Jewellery!

Faith