Really interesting thread and piccies, thanks both.
Good work in progress there Wallace!!
Really interesting thread and piccies, thanks both.
Good work in progress there Wallace!!
Wallace I am really, really impressed with that, what an achievement. I am definately going to book on a course, but after the olympics. It will probably break the bank but I am sure my daughter Sam would like to go too. Well done, clever girl. (Got a mind blank trying to spell olympix) hahaha
It says "advanced" on the link, did you do the advanced course? There seems to be a Simon Tigg as well. I wonder if I am capable of being advanced enough to go on a course like that. Still struggling with a basket setting, and havent attempted a tube setting yet.
That's very familiar - the same exercises Tom had us doing, by the looks of it. Cutting to the line rather than away from it I presume?
Nice going; I particularly like the star setting & the square - was the latter done by raising the metal with a flat scorper before bright cutting it? I've done that for round stones, I quite like the effect.
Your channel setting looks neater than my first effort - did you move the metal over the stones with a pusher or a different method?
thank you - I am guessing there must be master classes that always get you to do the basics of just pushing the gravers. But it was a bit of a mare the graver seemed to have a mind of it's own, compounded by my ability to completely loose control of the dop stick without notice! Thanks everyone else too for the kind comments - work in progress!
I enjoyed using the flat scorper the most and always polish it with fine grit after a sharpening (I use both oilstone and a spyderco ceramic)
To get the square, first the round hole was made square and opened out with the bullstick, then the lines were drawn and metal 'cut away' with the spitstick (does it feel like I am talking another language??? sorry - these are the tools and it took me ages to get them right, but by day 99 had got there...lol okay, by day 3) Getting the corners right has taken a little practice, but it is similar to setting a Pavé which, I guess, is why we learned that first.
Channel setting came easily, we were on day three by then and it took me the better part of four hours in all to learn and achieve the process. So, to do it, I had to make a groove cut along the out at the inner part of the plate. The bullstick helped to take some metal away, but mostly I used the flat scorper, seemed to have better control and it helped to take out the metal and open up the little bridges very easily. The spitstick was good for getting the corner to have enough space for the square stone. Once the first stone was in the outside was given a push along the length of the stone and then the next one repeated the first bit. The flat scorper was excellent for getting nice straight lines (a little failing I have with boxes!)
My only worry now is how I work out the number of stones needed and where the drill holes go for a nice channel set pendant........ oooooh, the possibilities......
but first, chocolate! lol
I have actuallly used the grains technique for setting an old 1930's ring that had marcasites and replaced them with sapphire, ruby and diamonds (very small, but a lot of fun to do).
Last edited by Wallace; 18-04-2012 at 03:34 PM.
My Facebook page. http://www.sleepingdragon.co.uk
thank you Pat, both Carole and I managed similar plates, Carole did better with the side grains than I did. lol It will take years and hopefully I still have a fair few of them to keep on practicing. I did manage to do a side grain with the one of the square stones over the weekend (in the after the course plate with the two squares and circular cut out).
It does say advanced and this is something I discussed with Tony - he says he doesn't mind who ever comes, he is happy to teach them. I knew nothing of how to do these settings other than what I had read and he made it possible to achieve all that I have. I have a problem with grip and he even came up with a solution for me to hold my dop stick. The man is a genius.
His son is Simon Tigg - Simon does similar classes during term time. Tony covers holidays.
He will help so much, I know I feel more confident. Just need to practice a lot more and start coming up with designs that will work with what I now know. Be warned, stone setting is addictive and very expensive if you go for all of the tools. Stick to the basics, get only what you need - but keep your thumbs covered! lol
Last edited by Wallace; 18-04-2012 at 03:55 PM.
My Facebook page. http://www.sleepingdragon.co.uk
Thanks Wallace for your last 2 posts, though I don't know my spits from my bulls it's helped me have a little more insight into what you've been doing and to just what you've achieved and in only 3 days!!
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