Filler for bezel-set cabs?

Hello - I have had a look and couldn't find a previous post about this before - apologies if I'm wrong.

I'm aiming to set some rather flat cabs into bezels and rather than make the bezel walls lower I would like to try to raise the cab higher, and I have heard that you can use sawdust for this. Having never done this before I wonder if any experts out there can advise - is this a durable option? does water not seep in if the bezel gets wet? and are we talking about any old sawdust or is there a specific one for the job?

What other means of raising a cabochon do others use? I'd be really interested to find out more if anyone has any tips.

Thanks very much everyone!

We were doing this in my jewellery class last week and the tutor suggested popping a closed jump ring in the cup under the cab. Not sure if anyone in the class actually did this or not so don't know the results. Someone more experienced may be along with a better idea later!

I've used jump rings (soldered to the base) and also bits of copper sheet as fillers. Both seemed to work fine, but I've no idea if there's a better way.

Jasmin, There are many things to take into consideration when raising a cab, if the cab is not at all transparent then the easiest way to raise it is to place a metal thickener or a jump ring, one method I have used is to super glue a piece of scrap metal to the cab and then just pierce around the cab, if the cab is slightly transparent then just pierce out a loose shape and polish the surface that may show through the cab before setting it as usual. If the cab is of a red or brown colour then copper will surfice, but if the cab is of a pale colour then a polished silver under liner will be better. I do know of some setters who use shellac melted into settings to raise the cab.
Good luck with your efforts.
James

I guess nobody uses the sawdust trick anymore!

Thanks to all for the info - especially to James for all the suggestions. Can I just ask, James, why would you superglue a metal piece to the cab as opposed to soldering it into the bezel?

Thanks again.

Jasmin

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Originally Posted by Jasmin

I guess nobody uses the sawdust trick anymore!

Thanks to all for the info - especially to James for all the suggestions. Can I just ask, James, why would you superglue a metal piece to the cab as opposed to soldering it into the bezel?

Thanks again.

Jasmin

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Jasmin, Hallmarking rules, if you soldered copper to silver or gold then it could not be hallmarked as precious metal. It is legal to set non precious metal into hallmarked items. If the job is to set a cab into a deep bezel then you could solder a seat inside the bezel setting, I did a short photo tutorial on this method on another forum. It's shown below if it helps.
James
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May I just mention that you don't necessarily have to solder your jump ring in. If it has not been soldered together in the first place it can even be opened slightly to spring into place.
This is particularly useful if you are making earrings and one cab turns out to be slightly shallower than the other. You just put a jumpring, say 1.0mm thick under one and keep rubing down the wire on an emery sheet until by eye the stones look the same. Dont forget to lay a piece of dental floss under the stone so that you can pull on the end to get it out again until you are ready to set it. Dennis.

Thank you so much James and Dennis - it all makes sense now. I did wonder about the superglue as I was thinking of using only sterling ...though I had not considered the trick that Dennis suggests. Very glad of your advice, thanks again to you both.
Jasmin