How do you set tongues and bullets so that the metal is tight
over the stone? I know it can be done with out the aid of epoxy
but I’m not sure how.
Katrina
Katrina, The secret is getting a press fit when you make the
bezel for the stone. The stone must fit into the bezel very
tightly. I use epoxy as a backup, but don’t like to rely on it.
Well I use a method that most people would probably be horrified
at but I have found that if you take a chain nose pliers and
squeeze the base of the bezel (the bottom) and the edge of the
bezel it will crimp the metal tightly onto the stone. Just do
it all the way around the bezel. You have to do some extra
clean up on the bezel and sometimes you get a little bowing out
of it but the stones never come out if you do it tight enough.
Of course you need to be extra careful with those fragile gem
materials.
How do you set tongues and bullets so that the metal is tight
over the stone? I know it can be done with out the aid of epoxy
but I’m not sure how.
It does take some work. The bezels for the tongues and bullets
and cones that I’ve set were about 3mm deep or less, the first
step is a really tight bezel. No slop, no slack. Holding the
piece securely, especially if it is a simple cap, can be a
problem as well. I thin out the bezel edge (usually 18ky) and
push down with a pusher at about 30-40 degrees relative to the
stone’s surface. Keep going around until the stone is tight. It
is a challenge. Good luck!
Richard D. Hamilton
A goldsmith on Martha’s Vineyard
USA
Fabricated 14k, 18k, 22k, and platinum Jewelry
wax carving, modelmaking, jewelry photography,
and sailing whenever I can…
http://www.rick-hamilton.com