I finally set my sapphire

[Cinders]

@stracci2000 Were you able to set the stone in the setting by repositioning the top & bottom prongs? I'm curious about the complexity of using a round setting for an oval. You did such a good job!!

Is everything already fired? If not, you can buy tabbed bezels that you embed in the silver clay and then fire together. My Youtube channel has a video on setting stones. Sorry @stracci2000 for highjacking your thread x

Thank you, @LD ! I will watch your videos. Everything is already fired except the bezel. (I've fired the ring & the base of the bezel, if that makes any sense.) I could always start over & just repurpose what I've already made.

I'd love to find the tabbed bezels but the gemstones are odd sizes. I've not had any luck so far finding the right size yet. Do you think they could be altered/hacked to make them work?

 

[stracci2000]

@stracci2000 Were you able to set the stone in the setting by repositioning the top & bottom prongs? I'm curious about the complexity of using a round setting for an oval. You did such a good job!!



Thank you, @LD ! I will watch your videos. Everything is already fired except the bezel. (I've fired the ring & the base of the bezel, if that makes any sense.) I could always start over & just repurpose what I've already made.

I'd love to find the tabbed bezels but the gemstones are odd sizes. I've not had any luck so far finding the right size yet. Do you think they could be altered/hacked to make them work?

Yes, I had to reposition the prongs. And when I did that, the ones that were now north and south were then a hair too short. So I had to file down the 4 side prongs to make them all even.
Naturally, the proportions going from round to oval will change.
But I love a good challenge!

 

[LD]

@stracci2000 Were you able to set the stone in the setting by repositioning the top & bottom prongs? I'm curious about the complexity of using a round setting for an oval. You did such a good job!!



Thank you, @LD ! I will watch your videos. Everything is already fired except the bezel. (I've fired the ring & the base of the bezel, if that makes any sense.) I could always start over & just repurpose what I've already made.

I'd love to find the tabbed bezels but the gemstones are odd sizes. I've not had any luck so far finding the right size yet. Do you think they could be altered/hacked to make them work?

Why not use bezel wire - fuse the ends together and then either embed into a piece before firing OR solder on after firing (which is more tricky).

The red/pink stones are examples of something set in a tabbed pre-sized bezel and the labradorite has been set using bezel wire. Here’s a link to my YouTube video about setting stones.

 

[stepcutnut]

Beautiful setting job! I love the color of your sapphire

 

[stepcutnut]

I always enjoy seeing the pieces you’ve worked on, I’d love to get into metal smithing at some point!

 

[stepcutnut]

@LD are those your pieces you posted? If so-lovely work as well!

 

[stracci2000]

Why not use bezel wire - fuse the ends together and then either embed into a piece before firing OR solder on after firing (which is more tricky).

The red/pink stones are examples of something set in a tabbed pre-sized bezel and the labradorite has been set using bezel wire. Here’s a link to my YouTube video about setting stones.

@LD
I love your informative video!
I use these techniques when setting stones myself. I cut my own bezel strips, and make my own cups, but the pre-made strips and cups are available at my local jewelry supply store, and I know lots of jewelry artists use them.
I use a couple of different tools to bezel set the stones. I never tried a spoon, but I will next time!

 

[LD]

@LD are those your pieces you posted? If so-lovely work as well!

Yes they are. Thank you.

 

[BrownGinger]

Very impressive!

 

[Cinders]

Why not use bezel wire - fuse the ends together and then either embed into a piece before firing OR solder on after firing (which is more tricky).

The red/pink stones are examples of something set in a tabbed pre-sized bezel and the labradorite has been set using bezel wire. Here’s a link to my YouTube video about setting stones.

This is so useful, thank you! I've been planning to use bezel strips but I haven't purchased any yet. I'm still waffling on size.

 

[Cinders]

@LD
I love your informative video!
I use these techniques when setting stones myself. I cut my own bezel strips, and make my own cups, but the pre-made strips and cups are available at my local jewelry supply store, and I know lots of jewelry artists use them.
I use a couple of different tools to bezel set the stones. I never tried a spoon, but I will next time!

You are so lucky to live near such great jewelry stores! I think being able to see components & wires in person would make things so much easier for me.

 

[LD]

You are so lucky to live near such great jewelry stores! I think being able to see components & wires in person would make things so much easier for me.

@Cinders i don’t live anywhere near a store so I always buy online. Why not take some online courses because they always tell you what to buy and you can usually get them from places like Cool Tools in the US.

 

[shelovesinclusions]

@stracci2000 May I ask: have you found a best practice for making and/or modifying notches on prongs? I like buying vintage settings and putting in my own stones, but have been manually filing if I need to change a prong a little. Have you used a dremel for this? I'm a little scared of knocking off a tip if I try.

 

[stracci2000]

@stracci2000 May I ask: have you found a best practice for making and/or modifying notches on prongs? I like buying vintage settings and putting in my own stones, but have been manually filing if I need to change a prong a little. Have you used a dremel for this? I'm a little scared of knocking off a tip if I try.

I use both the Dremel and needle files.
I prefer the hand files because you have way more control. Yes you can mess up a prong with the Dremel as it can be too aggressive.
What I really like the Dremel for is polishing!

 

[LD]

I use both the Dremel and needle files.
I prefer the hand files because you have way more control. Yes you can mess up a prong with the Dremel as it can be too aggressive.
What I really like the Dremel for is polishing!

Exactly this! I do the same thing.

 

[shelovesinclusions]

Thanks you guys. I'm glad to know the hand files are the way to go! I watched a couple YouTube videos of people using a dremel tip and could see myself destroying something that way. But I was also like- maybe I'm doing it wrong? Glad to see I'm following best practice.

 

[stracci2000]

Thanks you guys. I'm glad to know the hand files are the way to go! I watched a couple YouTube videos of people using a dremel tip and could see myself destroying something that way. But I was also like- maybe I'm doing it wrong? Glad to see I'm following best practice.

You know, YouTube videos are such a fabulous resource. You could look at books all day long and not get the gist of a metal working process.
But one video on YouTube can change your life!
If you're a visual learner like me, you need to see the method being performed.