Question, questions. Prong settings...

Hello all!

I must say this place is a gold mine for amazing tips so firstly, thank you to everyone that posts the tips and tricks.

I hope someone is able to enlighten me...

I am teaching myself how to solder and make jewellery, I'd love to do a short course alas my budget does not yet allow so I am attending the school of YouTube. So here we go...

Prong setting rings. I've tried to find some tutorials on the best way to do it but not had much luck. I'm trying to create a rustic look like this:
Attachment 6819 and really unsure as to how to go about it. Do I set each prong individually or does one piece of wire sit atop the band eventually making two prongs? Also how does one then work harden the setting after it has been soldered and set? Would tumbling it not damage a stone?

Thank you in advance to anyone who can help :)

Amy

Amy, I think your best option is a decent book. Christmas is coming up and what better than requesting 'Creative Stone Setting' by John Cogswell. This will be far more sophisticated than the school of U Tube.

We all have so much to learn that if you are on a budget, you might even consider a less specialised book, such as 'The workbench Guide To Jewellery Techniques', by Anastasia Young, which gives an introduction to most techniques in our field.

Coming back to your request, I am not a fan of claw setting and what we see of beginners' work here, they can totally overwhelm a stone they are meant to enhance and look more like the claws of a bird of prey.

At its simplest you can make a claw setting for a stone with a flat back, by soldering two or three crossed wires at their centres and then tapping the centre until it is flat.
Position the stone where you want it and hold it in place while you bend up the wires around it. All this is much easier if the wires are long.
Once the stone is firmly held you can shorten the prongs to be less obtrusive, by cutting almost through with a saw and then breaking them off.
The tops of the prongs can be flattened a little with a file and the ends rounded.
Files are generally OK near stones, but one edge can be made safer by grinding and polishing. Sandpaper and grind stones should be avoided. Dennis

I went to an evening class in a local college, a couple of hours a week for 9 weeks, although you learn the basics like piercing and simple bezel setting cabs, it isnt very informative really. Like you I learnt a lot by the seat of my pants and books, but the guys on here have taught me most of what I know now, and I have even had a visit from one of the members in my own home to show me how to tube set stones, plus one kind lady let me visit her to show me how to make large amounts of jumprings in one go, easy stuff when you know how. I can now turn my hand to making most things, the only thing I havent tried is pave set stones, but as I dont like them, I am in no hurry to learn. Sorry if my typing is a bit hit and miss, but I have a small border terrier on my lap who desperately needs cuddles (the other one is chewing a deer antler and driving me mad with the constant chewing scraping noise, while the big Labrador looks on).

Thank you both, I think a book is my best bet then. I suppose it's better to learn the right way and then make it my own than to try a specific style. Thanks again!

Haha at your dog situation, I know it too well.

Soham Harrison has some helpful videos on his youtube channel, there are several on claw settings if you scroll through:
https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...+harrison+claw

you might also find some of the articles and projects on the art jewelry magazine useful, as this style seems pretty popular there.

Take a look at this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5G8kmEDJ2A
Will White (shop on Etsy) shows how to make a prong setting which would suit your stone.
It's quite an easy setting to do.
Good luck

Thank you all, so helpful!

I havent done much in the claw setting either so I may give it a go. The video looks fairly simple to do, will post pics when done (maybe, if its tidy!!!!)