Flush setting

Jewelry Discussion
1

OK, this is a burning question that I’ve never really gotten an
answer to. I’m carbon copying this to Peter Rowe (hi Peter) whom
I’ve annoyed beyond belief for his unending knowledge and my
gratitude to him is beyond words. I keep seeing gold earrings
with tiny diamonds flush set into the gold. The gold looks like
it was bead blasted as it has a sandy satin texture. I understand
the part up to making the seats etc. but never have found a good
explanation of how to push metal overl the diamond so they don’t
fall out. The books say you gouge out around it with a graver
then burnish it over and thats about all they say and no good
illustrations. Well…? By the way, has anyone heard how the
vote at rec.crafs.jewelry went? Dave

Art Jewelry for Conscious People
http://www.opendoor.com/stephensdesign/crystalguy.html

2

I was taught a slightly different method by Abby Taylor while
working for him in Tucson. Drill a hole through the metal smaller
than the diameter of the stone (diamond or corrundum). Cut aseat
for the stone with a setting bur so that the stone is a press
fit, and the table is level with the surface of the metal. I then
use a pusher to move the metal over the stone a bit to hold it in
place. The final step is a circular motion with a rounded tip
burnisher (in agraver handle) to push the metal down around the
stone.

My last diamond setter used a hart bur to undercut a seat, then
"snapped" the stone into place.

Rick Hamilton
Richard D Hamilton, Jr.
@rick_hamilton

3

Dave,

To flush mount, use a reamer bur (conical shape, nasty point) to
make your hole just barely smaller than your diamond, maybe
90-95% of the stone’s diameter. Take a small hart bur and groove
the opening just below the surface of the metal all the way
around, deep enough to accomodate the diamond diameter. Place
your stone over the opening and push down with a brass stone
pusher (brass rod polished at the end). If the opening is the
right size, you will hear a very definate ‘snap’ as the stone
seats.(cheering from the crowd) Take a straight burnisher
(rounded and highly polished nail) and run it along the inside
edge of the metal over the stone. With a little luck, you’re
done!

Good Luck,
Sharon Ziemek

4

Dave, Once the hole is about 95% the diameter of the stone, bur
the seat using a small hart bur. You form an undercut seat so
that when the stone is pressed into the hole with a brass pusher,
it snaps in. All that is required afterword, is to take a small
pointed burnisher and burnish around the edge. No gravers are
necessary. The important part is that the seat not be too loose
so that the stone snaps in. It just takes a little practice.
Hope that helps.

Workman

5

The method I use is not much different from what the rest of you
are saying.However,I believe in power tools.I have made a
“rotary burnisher” from an old 6mm.setting bur.First,grind off
the point.Then remove the teeth from the side.Next,use a
seperating disc to cut grooves in the head of the bur that run
parrallel to the shaft.5 or 6 grooves are enough.When run in a
flex shaft it will "burnish "very well.It can be used to tighten
flush set or channel set stones.It can also be used to
"burnish"porosity.It works better when well worn.

         Scott Hepner
6

I’m more than a little amazed that so many people describe
“snapping” a stone into position when flush setting. Another thing
is the use of hart burs to undercut. I was taught these methods
myself, but have found them to be quite useless. By snapping the
stones into the setting, I’ve enhanced my broken stone account by
about 20-30%. The deal is that no stone should be forced into a
setting. By undercutting, one tends to be cutting away the very
metal that can be used to set the stone. I used a standard setting
bur. It cuts a straight walled seat. Burnishing the edge down will
brung the metal closest to the stone into the hole and over the
stone. Imagine a sheet of metal with a sharp edge. By burnishing,
it is possible to move that edge slightly up or down , depending
on which way you wish to move it. By using a polished burnisher,
one will even get a highly polished surface. One exception to
using a setting bur, is when I have colored stones, I might use
a bud or even a ball bur to account for the pavillion of the
stone. I hope I wasn’t too obnoxious, but no one told me to do it
differently, and I wasted the better part of ten years flush
setting the hard way.

  • Bruce
    D. Holmgrain e-mail: @Bruce_Holmgrain
    http:\www.knight-hub.com\manmtndense\bhh3.htm snail mail: pob 7972,
    McLean, VA 22106-7972 phone:: 703593-4652
7

Hi David

This is a bit difficult for me to describe with actually showing
you, but I’ll try.

The tool used is a pointed burnisher, every setter probably has
one. It looks like a small awl, with a sharp but rounded tip, and
is very highly polished. You can make one from an old bur, punch,
or awl, etc. The one is use I purchased as a stipple punch from
GRS and mounted it into a beading tool handle.

The action used is thus: you must fit the stone very accurately,
and tightly. I recommend that you do not undercut the seat, but
use either a round bur or a setting bur. In the case of melle,
say .01 or .02 ct, I put the table flush with the surface of the
gold. You then hold the burnisher a few degrees from parallel
with the gold surface, and pressing the very tip of the burnisher
against the edge of the gold next to the stone (but not touching
the stone), and keeping the tool perpendicular to the edge, go
around the entire edge. I usually clamp the ring in a ring clamp,
and turn the clamp (and ring) while holding the tool somewhat
still (I also move the tool against the motion of the ring).
After making a revolution or two, change the angle of the tool to
closer to 45 degrees and and go around again, then change the
angle to closer to about 60 degrees and go around again, and so
on until the tool is nearly at 90 degrees, and be careful not to
press the burnisher tip against the stone, if possible. By the
time you’re done, you’ll have a bright circle surrounding the
stone, but very close to it. It’s a great technique, and holds
the stone very tightly when done correctly. It’s the technique
that some setters use to set fancy cut diamond melle (1/2 moon,
tapered baguette, square, etc) into patterns like the famous wine
glass shape, into the flat top of gent’s rings. It takes a bit of
practice, but is really extremely simple, and is one of the first
techniques taught to aspiring diamond setters, at least it was
with me. It can take quite a bit of pressure with hard golds, and
the smaller the burnisher tip, the more effect it will have on
the gold.

I hope this description helps, if not, I’ll mail you some
sketches.

Jeffrey

8

The deal here is that the seat must be cut to very close
tolerances. The upper edge is sharp. If any pressure bears down
on that edge, is will tend to spead over the stone. Much the same
as the hammered end of a chisel spreads with use. I really wish
right now that I could draw with a word processor. The deal is
that any burnishing right next to the stone will cause the metal
to flow to the largest open space. That is, the area directly
onto the stone. If the tolerances in cutting the seat were close
enough to begin with, very little metal will have to be moved. I
usually use a burnisher made from an old bur shaft. Highly
polished. On colored stones I will use a brass burnished as no
matter how careful I am, I will almost always end up touching the
stone. Don’t want to touch a colored stone with a piece of
hardened steel. HTHs

  • Bruce
    D. Holmgrain e-mail: @Bruce_Holmgrain
    http:\www.knight-hub.com\manmtndense\bhh3.htm snail mail: pob 7972,
    McLean, VA 22106-7972 phone:: 703593-4652

From: Dave Stephens StephensDesign@opendoor.com
To:
Subject: flush setting
Date: Wednesday, March 12, 1997 7:29 AM

==== > > OK, this is a burning question that I’ve never
really gotten an > answer to. I’m carbon copying this to Peter
Rowe (hi Peter) whom > I’ve annoyed beyond belief for his unending
knowledge and my > gratitude to him is beyond words. I keep seeing
gold earrings > with tiny diamonds flush set into the gold. The
gold looks like > it was bead blasted as it has a sandy satin
texture. I understand > the part up to making the seats etc. but
never have found a good > explanation of how to push metal overl
the diamond so they don’t > fall out. The books say you gouge out
around it with a graver > then burnish it over and thats about all
they say and no good > illustrations. Well…? By the way, has
anyone heard how the > vote at rec.crafs.jewelry went? Dave > >
Art Jewelry for Conscious People >
http://www.opendoor.com/stephensdesign/crystalguy.html > > > *

for jewelry manufacturing methods and > procedures > *Brought to you
by Ganoksin Online http://www.ganoksin.com/ > *Unsubscribe: Email

Compiled and Maintained by: Eve Wallace evew@netONE.com >

9

Scott, Could you e-mail me a picture of this?? What kind of
setting burr are you talking about? Wendy Newman at
@Wendy_Newman

10

Scott, Could you e-mail me a picture of this?? What kind of
setting burr are you talking about?

        [For picture request Email @Scott_Hepner]

The setting bur starts out as an ordinary bur.I use one that is
worn out. I begin by grinding off the point and teeth.This leaves
me with a cylinder on a shaft.I then cut a series of grooves in
the head running parrallel to the shaft.My picture may not be of
much help.The setting bur I begin with, is about 6 mm…This can
vary,however.A smaller bur will be less agressive. A larger bur
will be more agressive.

When flush setting,it makes no difference if you use a setting
bur or a hart bur.If the seat is well cut the stone should fit in
without moving. If it rocks in it’s seat,the seat is too big.If
the seat is well cut, then a minimum effort is required to
tighten the stone.The less deformed the metal is,the less
clean-up there is.Less is better.When I say a stone "snaps"into
it’s seat,I mean it fits tightly.I dont expect it to emit a crisp
snap upon being forced into its seat.

            Scott Hepner
11

Dave in the October 2000 issue of the JCK (jewelers circular
keystone) magazine there is an article on how to do the flush setting
by the Jewelers of America Inc. They also have a video (Riogrande or
the Lapidary Journal should have it) which is much, much cheaper than
the one you mentioned. I have been doing a similar type of setting
for many years, requiring no muscle work, with a round pointed tool
on the Magnagraver. Min Azama in Tokyo.

12

Dave and all, While the videos mentioned from Rio and thru Lap.
Journal may be inexpensive I can promise you that spending the few
extra dollars for Blaine Lewis’ video is the right choice. In fact if
you buy the video, you will get to practice what he teaches
immediatley witht the mountings he provides in with the video. After
you watch the video and learn the setting technique, you will no doubt
make your money back ten fold in no time… I highly suggest this
video. you will NOT be dissapointed… Go crazy and spend those couple
extra bucks it is WELL worth it… The detial in this video is mind
blowing!!! Marc Williams http://marccogold.com/