Tube Setting Faceted Stones

[susieq]

In the spirit of the "back to school" theme for this month, I am tackling tube setting. This is my fifth attempt - not bad, but not good either.

The stone is 4mm cz, the silver tube od 4.5mm, burnishing by hand using a curved burnisher.

This is as good a photo of the setting as I can get:-



So, the stone is firmly set. The table was just a smidgen above the height of the tube beforehand. It's burnished reasonably round, but if I run my finger from the middle of the stone to the edges, the inner edges of the burnished metal feel slightly sharp. On close inspection, it doesn't look like the inner edges are in complete contact with the stone. If you look at the setting along the 9 - 12 o'clock edge, where the stone meets the metal there's a shadow/dark line which is in fact the slight gap I'm trying to explain. I've tried pushing down with the pointy edge of the burnisher, but it doesn't seem to help. Could it simply be I'm not pushing hard enough as I'm worried about scratching the stone?

I've been looking at some youtube clips where the stones are first set in the tubes, the tube cut to size and then soldered on to the ring. Does anyone use this technique and if so what are the pitfalls?

Thanks in advance, Susie

[susieq]

Following on, was attempting a double ended tube setting today with a different coloured cz each side; as the only coloured czs I have are 2mm, I have been using these and 2.4 outside diameter tubing. Cutting the first setting was fine as I held it securely in the mitre jig I have; I then cut the tube to size, needing a finished size tube of 3.5mm long. So cutting the second setting was a bit of a nightmare. I tried putting it in a ring vice - the type with the wooden wedge - but no matter how hard I pushed in the wedge and held onto the vice, the small tube just slipped down; I tried the bench vice but realised it was distorting the tube, so resorted to holding it carefully between my fingers (using ball burr, then setting burr with foredoom). Took forever. There must be an easier way of holding the tube whilst I prepared the second setting?

Susie

[Dennis]

Yes not bad Susie, but the rim of the first one is a little proud. You can burnish it more, but ultimately the best way to tidy it up, is to select a cup burr that fits over it and turn it by hand in a universal handle. This gives it a perfect bright bevel.

You can set first, cut off and then solder, as I have read too, but only with diamonds which tolerate the heat.

As for setting double ended, it will generally be attached to something, so preventing holding it in a mitre block, but if both ends are pre-prepared, making sure the little tube is long enough so that the culets don't touch, then that can be done in your mitre block.

Metal work completed, these small stones are quickly set in the hand using highly polished round nosed pliers, which ease the metal over the stones. Many charms at the end of my necklace chains are done like that. Dennis.

[ajda]

You can set first, cut off and then solder, as I have read too, but only with diamonds which tolerate the heat.

Sorry I can't help with setting as I have very little experience - but I can add a note re CZs. They have a very high heat tolerance (melting point 2750C) and can cope with rapid changes in temperature. They are quite often used in lampworking - which involves embedding them in molten glass in a torch flame, so taking them in a matter of seconds from room temperature up to somewhere between 800 and 1000C. I've done this with smaller ones no problem, but with larger ones have had them crack on cooling, which I suspect is due to the pressure of the glass shrinking around them rather than thermal shock in the CZs themselves. I've only used clear ones - some colours may fade or change at high temperatures. So, although I've not tried it myself, I think you could probably solder with the CZs in place. At least a failure would not be too costly, so might be worth the experiment...
Alan

[susieq]

Thanks for the replies Dennis and Alan.

Dennis - when you say the rim is too proud, should I have cut the setting slightly deeper so the edge of the tube was exactly level with the table of the stone? I'm confused on the suggested use of the cup burr - won't I end up removing the rub over which is holding the stone in place or do I literally give it only one or two turns. I've looked at Cookies website and the largest cup burr they do is this one at 2.9mm, http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery...prcode-989-087 , so nowhere near the size of the 4.5mm tube.

I explained myself badly with the mitre jig - I use it first to file the end of the tube level and then continue to hold it in there whilst I drill the seat for the stone. After I cut the tube in preparation for cutting he second seat, but it was very fiddly to hold a piece of 2.5mm x 3.5mm tubing between thumb and first finger whilst I cut the seat. Perhaps I'm doing my usual trying to run before I can walk.

Like the idea of using the round nose pliers to set the stone - I'm guessing this way you rub over opposing sides at the same time? Will give this a go later on and report back.

Alan - I got my czs from here http://www.diamondcz.co.uk as they have been recommended on here. They are really nice, with a lovely sparkle (which I can't capture in the photo). The clear ones I have all say kiln and b.torch safe so I think I'll give it a go. Maybe not today though.

I've been asked by quite a few people now if I sell my jewellery and our local college has talked about holding a craft fayre in the run up to xmas, so I'd like to perfect this sometime soon. The youtube vids make it seem so easy!

[Goldsmith]

Susie, if you carefully file the outer edge of your setting thinner, you will find it easier to rub over the setting edge. If you plan on doing a lot of this type of tube setting then you may like to invest in a set of closure tools like these; http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery...prcode-999-271 there is also a video on this link showing these tools in use.

This was one of my bezel settings where I filed the bezel edge thinner, which made it easier to rub over the stone.




James

[susieq]

Thanks James, lovely ring. After cutting the seat in the tube, the wall left to push over the stone was only 0.25 of a mm which seemed very thin already. I'll try filing the next one and see if it improves the setting.

As for the closure tools, I have read some of the discussions on here and some seem to like them and some not - also the cookies ones only start at 3.5mm and I have smaller stones than that to set. At the moment it's just poor technique on my part, so I need to understand what I'm doing wrong and take on board the good advice I get on here.

[Dennis]

To answer some of your questions, Suzie:

1. The table must be level for setting, but the part which concerns you most is the girdle of the stone. The rim of the collet need only be 0.25-0.30mm above the girdle, not the table.

2.The filing block (mitre block) can be used to hold very short pieces of tubing during preparation, if positioned with tweezers. You might however have to tighten it a little more using large pliers.

3. The collet closing set as shown by James is useful for restoring a round shape if the collets have become distorted by setting, but personally I simply do not have the strength, on inclination to press hard enough to close a collet with them. Some members have said they whack them, but I would be fearful of destroying my work.

A further comment is that the set shown in James' link only fits faceted stones, which are flat when set. If you can find a set with deep cups, as in my picture below, they will also serve to round off bezels for cabochons, which is equally useful. They come on a stand, but not in a box. Dennis.

[Patstone]

Mine were in a nice wooden box. If you watch the video it shows you how to use it and they tapped it. It doesn't work by just turning it in your hand. I will try it tomorrow by tapping it to see if it works.

[enigma]

Aren't you very restricted to specific stone sizes with those?
I watched the video and couldn't see that well but the setting still looked a bit 'lumpy' to me ?