Not long ago I got some good advice on this forum about how to set
oval cabochons into stamped, open-backed gold bezels. So here’s a
little payback, maybe.
I was having a little trouble using a dop stick I had made from a
broom handle. So I noticed I had a piece of inexpensive basswood
laying around, 3"x3"x12", and melted some diamond setter’s cement
onto the side of it, and then stuck my bezel into that. For me it’s
much handier than a stick, because the large size makes it easier to
bear down on the side of the bezel. I can grip the block with one
hand, with the thumb pressing down on the stone and bezel to make
sure they stay in place. As I push down on the bezel, the block rests
stably on my legs, but it isn’t so large that I can’t easily turn it
around to get to all sides of the bezel. The wood gets singed a
little when I remelt the cement, but it isn’t a problem at all.
DMGreer, LLC