Rub-over cabochon help

[LapisLazuli]

Hi Experts,

I hope you can see the attachment? It shows a rub over ring blank with an open back, and a stone that fits pretty well inside it. The stone does not sit flush, it's a couple of mm proud. I bought these from Cookson a while ago as a "fun" personal project but I'm having a bit of trouble getting it to work.



I've annealed the ring twice and just can't get the metal to budge at all around the stone. I can see very tiny spaces where I've been trying to push the metal towards the stone. I'm using a notched pusher as I read that these were more effective for this kind of thing.

It obviously needs to be a snug fit but I can't see how.

Do you have any suggestions? At the moment it's solid and I'm not getting anywhere with it.

Should I be glueing the stone first or something? I've used bezels with limited success before but this is quite different.

Any help would be appreciated!

[J Allison]

I use a hammer handpiece for these types of rings. I usually put a bit of superglue in the back to hold the stone while I hammer set it and then drop it in acetone overnight to get the glue off . I will also add that a high dome cab isnt really suited to this type of ring.

[LapisLazuli]

I use a hammer handpiece for these types of rings. I usually put a bit of superglue in the back to hold the stone while I hammer set it and then drop it in acetone overnight to get the glue off . I will also add that a high dome cab isnt really suited to this type of ring.

Thank you, I appreciate your helpful reply!

[Dennis]

You might have more success if you created a set up that allowed you to push harder.
Hold the ring by the shank in a wooden ring clamp with a screw. Then rest the bezel against something fixed, such as a bench peg, or the edge of the bench itself. This will allow much more heft.

Use a plain ended bezel pusher, the end roughened a bit with sandpaper to stop it slipping.

You can also recruit a partner to do the holding, while you use a plain setting punch and a light hammer. Concentrate first on four opposite ponits to hold the stone, and then refine the setting.

The punch can be made from a piece of steel rod, or even a six inch nail.

https://www.cooksongold.com/Jeweller...B&gclsrc=aw.ds Dennis

[LapisLazuli]

You might have more success if you created a set up that allowed you to push harder.
Hold the ring by the shank in a wooden ring clamp with a screw. Then rest the bezel against something fixed, such as a bench peg, or the edge of the bench itself. This will allow much more heft.

Use a plain ended bezel pusher, the end roughened a bit with sandpaper to stop it slipping.

You can also recruit a partner to do the holding, while you use a plain setting punch and a light hammer. Concentrate first on four opposite ponits to hold the stone, and then refine the setting.

The punch can be made from a piece of steel rod, or even a six inch nail.

https://www.cooksongold.com/Jeweller...B&gclsrc=aw.ds Dennis

Thanks Dennis, that's really helpful!