Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 28

Thread: Stone setting

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
    Posts
    8,845

    Default Pin Vise

    Cookies ofcourse. Page 513 of the current Cookbook.Either the top one, which is a bit long for a small hand, or the double ended one which will need a felt mop in the other end to protect your palm.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    68

    Default

    Hello Nic,

    This is exactly what I taught myself last weekend, so I have lots of tips. I may be repeating what you've been told already, sorry if I am.

    I have been setting 4mm faceted stones into tube RDA 001, which is a 5mm wide tube with a 3.8mm inner dimension and 0.6mm wall. I've been using a 4mm stonesetting burr.

    I tried quite a few different ways, but using the following method I can create a stud earring in less than half an hour. I'm typing it out here so that I can copy it into my jewellery notes later but it might come in useful for you/some else in future too.

    1. Hold around 1cm of the tube in a ring clamp and place the ring clamp in a vice.
    2. Make sure the face of the tube is flat.
    3. Grease the burr and, making sure it is vertical, insert it into the tube to cut out the seat for the stone.
    4. Turn the tube 90 degrees and repeat step 3. * Put in the stone to check how it sits, cut more of a seat if necessary. **

    * This was a tip from Cogswell's Creative Stonesetting book, and it really ensures that your seat for the stone is even. I didn't do this before, and none of the stones sat level as a result.
    ** Tip from me: make sure your table has a skirt/you have very good eyesight/a torch for crawling about on the floor looking for your 4mm stone, which you are guaranteed to drop at least 15 times!

    5. Remove the tube from the clamp and cut it down to the size you require. (If you're making stud earrings, solder on the post now and clean up).
    6. Put the tube back into the ring clamp held in the vice (making sure you tighten it enough so it doesn't move, but not so much that you squash the tube into an oval shape).
    7. Push in the stone, making sure that it sits level.
    8. Using a cut 2 needle file, bezel over the edge. I spent a lot of time trying various ways to create the bezel: pusher, rocker etc, but I find that filing the silver over the stone to make a bezel is the neatest way.
    9. Use a cut 4 needle file to clean up your filing and polish.

    The finished result looks like this. It still needs a little extra filing, but to the naked eye it looks fine.


  3. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Norfolk
    Posts
    203

    Default

    So to set a 5mm stone would RSA 019, a 5.5mm tube be suitable do you think?

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Market Deeping
    Posts
    2,693

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mila Jewellery View Post
    So to set a 5mm stone would RSA 019, a 5.5mm tube be suitable do you think?
    Pretty please to the Stone setting Gurus
    Just got a really fab 5mm Garnet so is an RSA 019 good for that too?
    Also have some nice 2mm and 2.5mm accent diamonds that came with a mixed parcel
    is that the sort of thing that can be tube set like this... is it harder to set smaller stones?
    Any suggestions re tube sizes for those?
    Nic xx
    Monthly FREE entry giveaways on Blogs!
    Shop Blog: http://muranosilver.blogspot.com/
    Silver Clay Blog: http://pmctips.blogspot.com/
    View images of my work on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/muranosilver

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Winnipeg Beach Manitoba Canada
    Posts
    106

    Default

    I don't know if this is of any interest to you guys...but how I do tube settings is to solder the correct depth of tube onto a backing ,just like you'd do for a bezel setting. I leave a little flange of silver so that I can clamp the tube which is soldered to the backing (before trimming) to my pin. I then have a firm grip and can cut my seat without the worry of the tube coming loose and flying off! After I'm happy with the seat, I trim off the excess silver and buff the edge and am left with a nicely finished bottom on my tube. I can then solder it where I want it and set the stone. The clamp I use is a heavy duty spring clamp I bought in the hardware store. (I have to use both hands to open it... )

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Birmingham England
    Posts
    96

    Default

    Ohh I just have to add that the Blaine Lewis dvd's are awsome, and they would be more than happy to mail them to you. I have both and think they are well worth the money - Blaine is a genius at making the difficut simple

    Ohh they have a facebook fan page now too - Welcome to Facebook | Facebook if you are ever in the US and have the chance, you have to take a class there

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Market Deeping
    Posts
    2,693

    Default

    Lucy I'd love to get hold of Blaines DVDs
    nic x
    Monthly FREE entry giveaways on Blogs!
    Shop Blog: http://muranosilver.blogspot.com/
    Silver Clay Blog: http://pmctips.blogspot.com/
    View images of my work on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/muranosilver

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Birmingham England
    Posts
    96

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Market Deeping
    Posts
    2,693

    Default

    I've already contacted New Approach but they haven't got back to me.
    (Peter posted the link earlier) but thank you for posting it again..
    Anyone got any suggestions re tube sizes?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mila Jewellery View Post
    So to set a 5mm stone would RSA 019, a 5.5mm tube be suitable do you think?
    Pretty please to the Stone setting Gurus
    Just got a really fab 5mm Garnet so is an RSA 019 good for that too?
    Also have some nice 2mm and 2.5mm accent diamonds that came with a mixed parcel
    is that the sort of thing that can be tube set like this... is it harder to set smaller stones?
    Any suggestions re tube sizes for those?
    Nic xx
    Monthly FREE entry giveaways on Blogs!
    Shop Blog: http://muranosilver.blogspot.com/
    Silver Clay Blog: http://pmctips.blogspot.com/
    View images of my work on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/muranosilver

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
    Posts
    8,845

    Default On Tube Setting.

    Dear Nic,
    By this time you will have had lots of advice, so I should just like to offer a summary . If you look back to earlier this year, you will see that Peter outlined a method not involving any measuring, while I prefer to use electronic callipers. That is a matter of choice. One problem with callipers is that people have difficulty in getting a true reading because they have to be zeroed each time they are turned on, much like when you use scales for weighing.
    Gemstones of a nominal size will vary even out of the same packet. So say ‘3mm dia.’ stones might measure 2.9, or 3.3. This can make a difference to your choice of tubing. You would aim to have a rim to push over of about 0.2-0.3mm in thickness, so for a 2mm stone you might select 2.4mm outside diameter tubing. That said I much prefer to have a selection of tubes near the size I am after, as tubes can also vary from batch to batch. You could buy say, 6cm of each, which in silver would not be very expensive. That would even allow you to have a practice run, with a cheaper stone, such as a CZ. They can easily be cut out again with a saw and you would only waste about two mm of silver. Not a high price for the experience.
    What size tube settings you make will depend on the size of tubing available, the size of burrs listed and your eyesight. I baulk at anything below 2mm and generally make my own bezels above 6mm.
    I start by holding a long piece of tubing, insert the burr, and open up until the girdle of the stone just fits inside. Later the table of the stone will have to be more or less flush with the rim, giving some metal to push over. I do not complete this until after soldering, because thin tubing tends to widen with heat. Then I cut off the length I need. After soldering I make my final adjustment using a burr with a touch of oil in a pin vice. Some people happily use only round burrs, but I prefer to finish with setting burrs, to get a more positive feel. For size, I refer to the Cook Book.
    When setting smaller stones I squeeze carefully with round nosed pliers, just above the girdle of the stone. Squeezing below would make the stone pop out. Kind regards, Dennis.
    Last edited by Dennis; 30-04-2010 at 02:52 PM.

Similar Threads

  1. Stone Setting
    By Vitty in forum Jewellery Courses
    Replies: 42
    Last Post: 18-02-2012, 09:13 AM
  2. Stone setting
    By leemorris in forum Gemstones and Gem Setting
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 19-09-2010, 12:00 PM
  3. Stone tension setting help
    By scooch in forum Gemstones and Gem Setting
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 06-03-2010, 09:39 PM
  4. Stone Setting
    By Lisa Quinn in forum Gemstones and Gem Setting
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 17-09-2009, 01:16 PM
  5. Setting a stone - best method?
    By Suzedablooze in forum Gemstones and Gem Setting
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 29-08-2009, 01:45 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •