I've been following Oppi Untracht's book on bevelled/gypsy setting.
On my practice ring I've made the holes for 3 2mm round faceted stones to sit, they all sit just right.
The next step is to file away the metal around the edge of the bevel to reduce the thickness and leave a raised edge to push over onto the stone.
Any idea how much metal should be removed? I've not used a bur yet but I think I will as it will probably be easier than trying to file! I've also got some CZ's on the way to practice the setting.
With small stones like this you can do a flush setting without removing any external metal. The stones should fit well in their holes and their girdles be about a quarter of a millimetre below the metal edge. Some setters raise a little rim around the edge of the hole by inserting a beak of some pointy flat(snipe nosed) pliers and rotating, but this requires practice.
Ideally you now push the rim of metal a little way onto the stone, first North and South then East and West, then points in between. But you only use short strokes, doing as little damage to the surroundings as possible, so there is hardly any cleaning up.
Here is the pusher I made for this on a stone setting course, but you might be able to grind something similar from a bought bezel pusher. When the stone is set and resists removal with a clean bit of Blue-Tack you can finish the metal rim with a tiny ball burnisher or the tip of an old burr with the head broken off and polished. Don’t be disappointed if this takes many experiments before you get it right . Try it on some copper which is cheaper fist. Kind regards, Dennis.
thanks for that dennis, going back in my shed now its warmer, my butane heater would not work in the extreme cold! I've acquired an electric heater now
My pusher is made from aluminium and a similar shape to yours, would that be ok to use, ie hard enough to push the metal, I made it in uni for bezel settings and is a treat for those.
Hi, Sarah,
I am not that sure. In my picture you will see that the bottom front edge of the tool is a little longer than the top and that is what you push with. The strokes are very short, but the pressure is quite heavy. Pushers are generally made of steel and I worry that with flush settings the aluminium will rub off on the silver and contaminate it. But I dont Know.
By the way you will notice that the flat on my handle is at the top instead of resting on the bench. That is because my teacher uses this tool the other way up. Confusingly there are may ways to skin a rabbit. Dennis.
Hya Dennis,
I've got 3 stones set in a piece of guilding metal I've been using, I've cooked dinner and done lots of washing up, I'm pleased to say they are all in-situ and non have been swallowed! The aluminium was far to soft, I used a rounded off nail that was a redundant burnisher. The pressure needed is quite a lot, and I did find that hard but I'm going to have a go at setting another 5 czs before I start the silver one.
Thanks for the advice & when its done will post an image
sarah
Good on you Sarah,
If you can make a good handle for your nail, it will become much easier. Failing a bought one, I have read that a golf ball with an undersized hole drilled in it works well. The main challenge is to move the pusher hard over a very short distance so as not to have a mess to clear up. Dennis
Hya Dennis,
I've seen a picture of the golf ball pusher and think I'll make one of those as it should fit well in my hand. I could do with tweaking the shape of the pushers face too. It's just a case of keep on practising and learning.
The forum is brilliant, I'd have been well stuck without the help now I'm out of a classroom. I've looked at the summer school in Birmingham and have thought I could do with going on the stone course to help develop my skills.
Good on you Sarah.
You will note now that the problem is to judge the depth of the stone so that it ends up within a whisker of being too shallow. This would give the neatest result. It is easy enough to do on a flat sheet, but on a curved ring there is yet another problem. In yours, made from rectangular strip the stone will end up deeper from side to side than it is lengthwise. In a ring made from round wire the opposite is true. Both these situations, when the stone is set, create more easy and more lumpy parts to deal with and this is where practice and extra tuition come in.
It is also worth noting that the thicker the pusher, within reason, the better the effect. Mine is made from a 5.0mm diameter steel rod, with a curved and sloping end, so your trusty nail might not be thick enough.
However my first efforts were much like yours and I do think you have given it a fab texture. kind regards and season’s greetings, Dennis.
I know when making anything I always think that could be better if .....
everything was done in small steps, you can always take it away but you can't stick it back on! all my practise was done on a shank, I'll try on some round wire and sheet to see how they work.
I did anneal the ring after making the holes, i thought the drill & burr was likely to harden the metal where I needed to push and as my hands are rubbish its a case of every little helps. My nail was a 6 incher from somewhere, similar diameter to yours but i do need to improve the face.
The texture is from wire wool, I'm not over fond on a high polish finish.
bevelled setting
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