Bezels

[Dennis]

If you are setting round faceted stones, you can easily do this by hand Jon and save the wear on expensive burrs, by turning them in a universal handle like this: http://www.cooksongold.com/category_...p?query=999AZM

Start first with a round burr on its side and a little oil. when you are nearly there, change to a setting burr, until you have between a quarter and a half mm to push over.
http://www.cooksongold.com/category_...y=setting+burr

Stones of a nominal size can actually vary considerably, so:
if you don't have one already you will be much the wiser also using some six inch electronic callipers to match the stone with the burr. There are good bargains around in Maplin and sometimes the German budget supermarkets.

Dennis.

[JonLendrum]

Great advice dennis i would never of thought to use a burr manually. Would i need to clamp the ring into a vice to do this? Also silly question but what type of oil can i use?

[Dennis]

Hi Jon, you can use a vice, but it will need to have a groove so as not to squash the tube. Personally I use a filing block, also called a mitre cutter and hold it by hand, resting on the bench with the tube horizontal: http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery...rcode-997-169A.

If you look around you can find cheaper ones. Any oil at all will do, you need very little, but a small can of 3-in-1 is handy.

[Sandra]

So I tried out the technique using tube that is the same diameter as my stones and using a jumpring as a seat underneath. It turned out ok, but there was a slight problem of the tube being too small in diameter once it was soldered on for some reason, so I had to work with them to get the stones to fit again. It took a while but I finally managed to do it. I also used a piece of the same tube to create the bail on top. I think I'm getting a little better at all this but still have much to learn. In case it's not clear on the picture, the pendant has a fish on the bottom and turquoise stones as air bubbles. For some reason jewellery pics look so much better in person, I guess the lens picks up every flaw!

[Dennis]

Sandra you did good, as they say over the pond and your work is full of character. I like the decorated snake chain too.

Yes, heating does things to tubing, so you will probably leave the finishing touches to just before setting in future.

As for pictures, we all struggle with those. One of the problems is that cropping also results in the magnification defects, so I try to frame my pictures as well as possible with the camera. Dennis.

[Sandra]

Thanks Dennis I played around with different techniques trying to get that water texture on the base. I tried various bits, chasing and more. I could've etched it but I'm tired of etching! In the end I took bits of wire and bent them different ways then taped it on to the pendant and hammered them.

[Patstone]

Well it looks lovely, well done.

[EmmaC]

Beautiful pendant Sandra, I really like your style of jewellery

[Tabby66]

That is lovely Sandra, if you find that you're settings seem smaller, just double check that you are not using too much solder,.....it can sometimes take up some of the room that you've allowed inside the bezel.

[Keia]

That's brilliant. Love the attention to detail too with the chain =D