I have tried Jett Set, shellac, pitch, and dopping wax to try and hold a small tapered bezel setting where I am cutting a seat. Nothing holds it from spinning once the metal warms up from the action of cutting the seat. Any other suggestions? I’m reduced to holding it in my fingers which is very tiring and it’s hard to see whether I’m cutting the seat straight.
I keep a couple pieces of scrap gold aside, for the specific purpose of using them to hold bezels for setting.
I solder the bezel s onto the scrap, which I can then hold in a ring clamp, engraving block or GRS clamp.
This way the bezel is very, very solidly held in the clamp while I set the stone.
If the gemstone all not take the heat of smoldering it from the scrap, I will saw it off when the job is done.
1 Like
Sorry, Un-soldering.
Damn phone.
Knew Concepts sells a clamp that is easy to hold, and which can also be held in a vise or a BenchMate: It might work for you.
Neil A
I use thermo-loc sticks from Otto Frei. I believe that it is item 103.666. It is a thermal plastic that can be reused. We had a long discussion of this earlier in the summer. I have also used lapidary dop wax and even hot glue…Rob
I use a GRS shellac pad and Setters Cement, a shellac-like material that’s water-soluble. I think if you slow down a bit while cutting your seats and not cut so fast that it gets hot you’ll have much better luck.
A lower RPM and a lighter touch will prevent the over-heating, and at the same time, give you better control. I think you’ll also find that your burs will last much longer. If the bezel is getting hot enough to melt the shellac, it’s getting hot enough to burn up your burs too.
Dave
1 Like
I use a wooden stick, forcing the bezel till it is quite tight.
When filing, the wood gets filed too but won’t let go of the bezel.
There is an easy solution to your Problem When it happened to me I took a small piece of 3/4’ board about 2 " long and one and a half inches high… I drew a line down the center of the narrow side than drilled three holes on the line spaced about 1/4 inch apart. I used a 3/16 - 1/8 and 3/8 inch drills in a drill press to ensure that the holes were vertical to the horizontal top. I than sawed the block in two. Using a small drill vise I than place the tubing in one of the holes to drill out the seat and burnish the top of the bezel down to hold the stone. By varying the size of the holes a jig like this can be made for any size tubing or rod. Photos attached to show my ine for 3 0r 4 mm tubing.
Thanks for all the suggestions. The one that worked was to temporarily solder the tapered bezel onto a flat piece of scrap – then it is held tight by the scrap in whatever holding medium you choose to use. Easy to saw off the scrap after the seat is perfect. I am attempting a double setting where an upside down diamond and a right side up amethyst meet culet to culet in perfect alignment. On my fifth try to get it perfect. Stones are different sizes too to make my life even more challenging. 7 mm round amethyst and 4.8 mm round diamond. I’ve discovered that pavilions may not be directly in the middle of the diameter of the stone. Grrr.
You could also try Polymorph. It’s brilliant!