Help, please: My first stone set

eastslope

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Well, this is my first stone setting. It's a pretty rough job and the 3 mm cz is is setting crooked in the 14 guage silver, but I got it to stay in there somehow. I have the GRS dvd w/ Mr. Don Glaser, which is darn good if you ask me, and I wish I could have met him. I was a bit confused by the tool he used to raise the metal for the bead. Was it an onglette, or can you use a regular single point square graver. What do most of you use? I don't have any stone setting burs yet becuase Rio Grande has them on back order, but hopefully soon. Do most of you drill the first holes all the way through the metal? It sorta looks weird with the hole in the back, but I really don't know any better either way. Any advise is more than welcome as this is new territory for me, kinda like the moon. Thanks and take care, Seth:confused:
 

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jcsilver

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Whitesboro, Texas, United States
Seth I'm no expert on this but have set several. I learned more by trail and error but I drill a smaller hole all the way through are a least deeper then the stone point. I use a square one poiint and push enough material over for the bead. Looks like you did it about same way I do. I would have the pedals of my flower equal in distance from each other and use 5 to 6 tabs. I use a chisel the help hold the stone while I push material over it, then when I form the bead I do it like lug nuts on a tire one side to the other. Good luck Joe
 

Gemsetterchris

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Use a tool that has a rounded underside for the bead raising.
Try to keep the beads spaced evenly, you could use 3 or 4 or 6 beads..

Wether you drill through the metal depends on the metal thickness & stone size, always counter-sink the hole from the back a little to neaten it!
If you drill through & the stone sits crooked, push it out from the back with a toothpick or similar & re-seat it.

The trick is to seat the stone snugly so that it does not rock about as you bead raise.
Always raise a bead just enough to touch the stone, then do the next one opposite...then go back to gently tighten.
Get a bead grainer to go over the beads to round them off nicely.

Here is Sams cheap method for a half round bead raiser....http://www.igraver.com/roundgravers.shtml

The theory is dead simple :thumbs up: , just takes abit of practice & confidence.

Keep at it :)
 

jimzim75

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Buy a package of 100 assorted sizes of CZ and then get a sheet of 1mm copper.
Set them all. You will break some, this teaches how much pressure you can put on a stone.
After you start setting, things like are they loose will become self evident.
Are they level will also stick out. For now just do four tip and beading them off.

If your getting board by stone 50, start putting them in a rows. After that try a seven
stone cluster.

Stone setting is a matter of repetition and developing hand memory, just like engraving.
You have to know what feels right.

Talk to ya later,
Jim
 

eastslope

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Thanks again everyone. I will order some more cz's (a bunch) and force myself to set them. I have only 9 cz's left mostly because I am such a cheap bugger, but that will change. Thanks for the good advice, Seth
 

Kevin P.

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Hi Seth, the first thing is the the reason metal is drilled all the way through. With diamonds that allows one to clean the diamond. Diamonds attract oils, etc which causes them to lose their brilliance. Cleaning restores the brilliance.
Another reason would be that this avoids breakage of the culet (the point on the pavilion).

When one uses a setting burr it should be just a tiny bit smaller than the stone at the girdle. You will hear a little click if done properly. This does not apply to stones softer than diamond. It may work with CZs but if not it's not a great loss. Practice before you do it in a piece you want to sell.
Kevin P.
 

armcarve

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montville ct.
Hi Seth,

This is the way I do the type of stone setting you are describing. I always drill a hole first. One reason is on a clear or translucent stone like a cz,diamond or colored stone, it lets the light go through & after wearing or using the jewelry/money clip, it is easier to clean the piece. After using the drill, I open hole or seat using round burrs so I don't wear out my setting burs. I also use a burr stick lubricant like Burr Life. I use either a stone setting bur, a 90 degree hart bur or a 45 degree hart bur. Just make sure whatever bur you use is a little smaller or the exact same size as your stone. I use a brass slide millimeter gauge to measure. This way your stone fits snug so it doesn't wiggle around when you set it. I always use a round graver to bead set, usually a #52. However I make a lot of my own round gravers with old bead setting tools as described in the tips archive. The round tool gives you a nice heavy piece of metel to raise. Then I finish with the appropiate size beading tool for rounding the prong.

I hope this helps & good luck with setting.
Amy
 

JIA

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Stone setting.

well my 2 C about this is this: Robert R Wooding, if you get your suply from RIO look to there books and Videos: The Professional Approach , and Diamond Setting Manual:procedures & Techniques ,

these two books have infromation and illustration about all kind of setting, if you can afford it he have a setting off books, channel setting, bead setting, flush setting, fish setting fancy setting what ever you name it, its a good books to own.
 

Kevin P.

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Amy, everything you say should help Seth in his setting efforts.

"One reason is on a clear or translucent stone like a cz,diamond or colored stone, it lets the light go through."

Amy, this is a common misconception: all the light enters the table of the stone and if correctly faceted the light will bounce around and return to the viewer's eye. If not correctly faceted the light will leak out the pavilion producing what is called a 'windowed' stone; which will not return the light.
I offer this as a helpful correction; I don't want to discourage you from posting.
Kevin P.
 
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diane b

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Seth, I took Todd Daniels stone setting class last year and will be glad to send you my notes. He gave us a good handout for bead setting. I already had some stone setting experience via a jewelry program so my notes are not written from an absolute beginners perspective, but almost. If you want the notes, send me your address and I'll copy them and mail them. I live in Marion, Mt which is about 20 miles west of Kalispell.
Diane
 

eastslope

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Diane B, that is a very generous offer and I will p.m. you. All of you thank you very much for the terrific info. I did a necklace today with all of your advice in mind, and I posted it this evening if you are curious. I love to post my work, even if it is only so so, as it keeps me trying harder, and I enjoy the comradery (spelling?). Much funner than going it alone. Again, thanks and I can someday give to this site instead of just taking away. Seth
 

Arnaud Van Tilburgh

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Lope, with a head like yours I can see on your avatar, no you will never be able to do nice stone setting. :justkidding:

LOL, arnaud
 
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