Nylon nosed pliers

[Patstone]

Ah, that's probably the problem. I file it to a knife edge and it ends up serrated at the edge.

[Patstone]

Thanks Dennis I have some polymorph and I did think of using it. The last time I used it was to put a holder for the lead on my vacuum cleaner, works a treat too.

If you still want to use the pliers Pat, make up the other side with Polymorph, which you heat in hot water tuld around the beak and screws. If you don't have any, PM me and I'll send you a sample in the post. Dennis.

[theresa]

I use .5mm fine silver and I buy it in 3mm & 5mm widths ready cut which saves a lot of fiddle as I can't saw a straight a line very accurately!
Also, with cabs I sometimes put in the stone then into my ring clamp to give it a little squeeze to get it seated. Of course it will depend on the design of your piece!

[Patstone]

So Theresa you are basically doing what I do but with a different tool.

[Aurarius]

I use .5mm fine silver and I buy it in 3mm & 5mm widths ready cut which saves a lot of fiddle as I can't saw a straight a line very accurately!

Perhaps you mean "0.3mm fine silver...in 3mm & 5mm widths"? I've not seen any 0.5mm thick bezel strip for sale in the UK.

[CJ57]

[QUOTE=Aurarius;69462]Perhaps you mean "0.3mm fine silver...in 3mm & 5mm widths"? I've not seen any 0.5mm thick bezel strip for sale in the UK.[/QUOTE

I think Theresa is meaning silver sheet rather than bezel. I'm pretty sure James has always shown his settings as being made with .5mm strip x whatever length you need. The general feeling being that bezel is too thin

[Patstone]

Well I was told that 0.3ml was sufficient, perhaps the size of the stone makes a difference as most of my stones are 5 mm or so across.

[Aurarius]

I think Theresa is meaning silver sheet rather than bezel. I'm pretty sure James has always shown his settings as being made with .5mm strip x whatever length you need. The general feeling being that bezel is too thin

Theresa said: "I use .5mm fine silver and I buy it in 3mm & 5mm widths ready cut which saves a lot of fiddle as I can't saw a straight a line very accurately!"
To me this can only mean she's buying pre-cut bezel strip. I don't see another interpretation.
My point was that as far as I'm aware the only 3 and 5mm wide fine silver bezel strip generally available in this country is 0.3mm thick not 0.5mm.

[Gemsetterchris]

Sufficient doesn't necessarily mean ideal. I'd go for 0.5+ & experiment with your setting & filing.
Stone size is mostly irrelevant.

[mizgeorge]

Theresa said: "I use .5mm fine silver and I buy it in 3mm & 5mm widths ready cut which saves a lot of fiddle as I can't saw a straight a line very accurately!"
To me this can only mean she's buying pre-cut bezel strip. I don't see another interpretation.
My point was that as far as I'm aware the only 3 and 5mm wide fine silver bezel strip generally available in this country is 0.3mm thick not 0.5mm.

Like others, I just buy fine silver sheet for making bezels. I generally use 0.5mm for smaller stones and 0.7 for large ones where I prefer to file a bevelled edge. I have my own shear, but before I did, I simply bought it in pre-cut half metre lengths, in 3, 4 and 5mm widths. So it could be said that fine silver bezel strip is available from pretty much all bullions suppliers in whatever gauge of fine silver they stock.

http://www.cooksongold.com/Sheet/Fin...prcode-CSF-050