Making a lapiz cab ring

[caroleallen]

If you can afford it Pat, I'd recommend the benches that George recommended a few weeks ago. http://www.wnealservices.com/acatalo...rkbenches.html

I don't have one for myself (yet!) but my girls love them. They like the fact that you can rest your arms on the supports.

[Patstone]

I love those benches, but how sturdy they are is debatable. I punch out silver discs sometimes and need something strong, or have to go into the other spare bedroom and use the door lintel which is over an interior downstairs wall, so its very sturdy or go in the garage (flying disc never to be found again), saying that I dont do that often. I have lots of space on my bench and it is sufficient for doing normal stuff really. Getting back to Chris's comment about the knife edge, it was only that thin because when I hammered the bezel, not realising that it was so soft, tapped it a bit too hard and left marks, so they had to be filed out. Just looked at the silver that I cut the bezel from, it is fine silver 0.40 thick but half hard. Is that the right stuff to use. I am going to have another attempt at doing one around a different stone today in the hope that practice makes perfect.

[Gemsetterchris]

Keep at it & you'll be doing perfect bezels eventually.
Keep with one type of metal till you get used to it, they vary abit so jumping about trying different ones doesn't help.

[Patstone]

Just starting another one !!!!!

[Jon]

Thanks for the the how to. . What's the wooden thing and vice called. Do you buy them or make them up yourself?

[Goldsmith]

Thanks for the the how to. . What's the wooden thing and vice called. Do you buy them or make them up yourself?

The wooden thing is called a jewellers bench peg; http://www.cooksongold.com/category_...uery=bench+peg
The vice is called a hand vice; http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-30785.../dp/B0002BUQ24

James

[Jon]

Thanks James.

[camalidesign]

I can second Carole's suggestion of one of those benches. I bought one a while ago and it is very good, especially for the price! And I also invested in a Benchmate and it is really, really good. I just need to buy the inside ring holder for it now... I knew I should have got it from the start!

Thanks so much James and also Chris for all the useful tips, I certainly learnt a thing or two!

Carin

[Gemsetterchris]

Only thing with inside ring holders is don't overtighten them as rings can stretch..as I found by accident
Then again It maybe useful.

[Vos]

Firstly, James, thank you for a brilliant description and clarity of pictures. And may I add to the praise for making a 'simple' ring look so beautifully crafted.

Could I also ask about the bench recommendations? I'm assuming people are referring to the jewellers bench at the bottom as the recommendation? I only ask as those rubber wood benches look pretty darn sturdy for the price.

Many thanks

Vos