WIP my most challenging project to date

[sam.k]

so a little while ago I asked this question
http://www.cooksongold.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7820

and decided to give it ago, its no where near finished yet, obviously I have quite a way to go but this is attempt 1. I have more materials coming for attempt 2 coming tomorrow.
its not perfect but I think it has what I tried to draw. my fingers are tired however so finishing will be a job for another day.
really I just wanted to show people what ive been working on.

[Dennis]

Congratulations on realising your idea Sam. I shall be looking forward to seeing it finished, although I have reservations about having it mounted on a nose ring.

No offence intended, but to me it would be pretty enough on its own with just a hidden ring, or tube, for the chain at the back. Dennis.

[sam.k]

Honestly dennis the ring was added to give me something to hold, I was really thrashing out a concept with this so no offence taken.
The original idea was to have a little tube for the chain or solder into a ring shank

[josef1]

Great Job ! the stone spacing is nice and tight, I find this great to hold things http://www.grstools.com/workholding/...oc-sticks.html

[enigma]

I never thought you would pull that off ! well done!

[sam.k]

so its as done as I am going to make it.

its been a bit of a journey, an honestly its been a struggle.
Making the setting was pretty tricky and setting the stone was a damn nightmare. I managed to snap the left centre pin off during the process. luckily it doesn't really support much but its still flipping annoying.
so what have I learnt... well I am pretty sure I must be insane to contemplate doing these kind of things without instruction, ive also learnt that I have a stubborn streak about a mile wide that refused to allow me to give up a silly idea.
ive learnt that little stones in claw settings are very tricky to set, even more so when they are rammed in a small space.
I think I need a wider wire for my pins, something I can really cut into for a more secure setting, also I need a new burr as mine is blunt as buggery.
also I think cutting and drilling the two plates that make up this setting at the same time would be a good idea but I guess hind sight is a splendid thing.

on a positive I am glad I jumped in and gave it a go and will revisit the design when my skills are more honed but I think I need to practice setting small stones more before trying something as challenging again (so he says, next week will likely be trying to guess how to cut 5 bead pave settings....)

[metalsmith]

so its as done as I am going to make it.
its been a bit of a journey, an honestly its been a struggle...
so what have I learnt... well I am pretty sure I must be insane to contemplate doing these kind of things without instruction, ive also learnt that I have a stubborn streak about a mile wide that refused to allow me to give up a silly idea...I guess hind sight is a splendid thing.

Good on you for trying and thanks for sharing your tribulations.

[Dennis]

Well Sam, small stones turn into big stones if you have magnification, so you might try a headband magnifier, because it will even work over your normal glasses.

This cheapo one will allow you to see the difference at once, but you can leave off the light, and ignore the little swinging lens.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/WANGSCANIS-H...band+magnifier

Dennis.