I need to repair a silver bracelet with a rose quartz cabachon. I
pulled the wire away from the stone, it was glued in. I have let it
set in acetone 4 times over night. It still is attached.
Can anyone recommend another means for removing the stone?
Thanks so very much.
Angela Hampton
Hello Angela, Acetone will not dissolve epoxy. Use a product called
"attack" from a jewelry supply co. Much cheaper is paint remover,
which works just as well (its the same chemical). A bit of heat will
soften the epoxy if you want to try that first.
Have fun.
Tom Arnold
Hey Angela, try using heat to help break the glue bond. Just don’t
induce any thermal shock to the stone, heat it up slowly and let it
cool slowly and don’t breathe the fumes from the glue. The heat from
an alcohol lamp is sufficient to break an epoxy bond. If your not
comfortable using flame on the piece then I would try boiling it in
water for a while and see if that doesn’t break the glue bond.
Good luck, Jim Doherty
Angela, GENTLY apply heat to the underside. That should break the
glue bond and the stone will come right out. DO NOT OVERHEAT!!
Cheers from don in SOFL.
gentle heating with a torch will cause the glue to soften and loosen
john
Angela, try white vinegar.
Veva
Heat the setting GENTLY from the back of the setting. Heat it just
enough to break the glue bond. You may see some smoke and at that
point the glue bond should be broken and you will be able to get the
stone out. BE CAREFUL…not too much heat…Teddy
Much cheaper is paint remover, which works just as well (its the same chemical).
That’s incorrect. But ‘Attack’ works well if it has access to the
epoxy. Attack is very volatile. Put in a tightly sealed container
with Attack and give it 24 hours
Carburetor (sp?) cleaner works I have been told. I have no experience
with that.
KPK
You can heat the setting, just don’t get it too hot. I have used a
small electric soldering iron for the purpose as it allows better
control.
Jerry in Kodiak
The heat from an alcohol lamp is sufficient to break an epoxy bond.
Am curious – would the warm part of a dopping pot work?
Lorraine
Am curious -- would the warm part of a dopping pot work?
Lorraine, Possibly but it would probably take a long time. Don’t
worry about the heat…the alcohol lamp is an excellent suggestion or
even the heat from a Bic lighter or some such.
Cheers from Don in SOFL.
Try methylene chloride. You can find it as carburetor cleaner in
auto parts stores or as paint stripper in hardware stores. Check the
ingredients label. Use it with plenty of ventilation. Do not immerse
plastic or flesh in it. It should do the job.
Mike DeBurgh, GJG
Alliance, OH
That's incorrect. But 'Attack' works well if it has access to the epoxy. Attack is very volatile. Put in a tightly sealed container
Both paint stripper and Attack have methylene chloride, which
dissolves epoxy. Attack has more than most strippers, so it will
probably work faster, but cost a lot more.
A layer of water will help keep Attack from evaporating.
Al Balmer
Sun City, AZ
I hope this has been resolved but mention about tight bezels in
another thread has some relevance here. It was stated that the stone
should be a tight fit in the bezel before you set it. Well, this is
exactly what can happen in such circumstance.
I can’t speak for anyone else but I trial fit stones a number of
times before the final set. I mean that’s common sense, no? If the
bezel is real tight you are going to have problems removing it. Make
it a little loose, not floppy but it shouldn’t be a press fit, unless
you like drilling a hole in the back to get it out. You should be
able to pop the stone in and out with just a wax stick (beeswax with
some schmutz mixed in and wrapped on a dead bur…Ooooo, exotic
tooling!)
I suspect if 4 days of acetone didn’t remove the glue, there may not
be any glue, it may be the press fit I caution about.
If the bezel is real tight you are going to have problems removing it. Make it a little loose, not floppy but it shouldn't be a press fit, unless you like drilling a hole in the back to get it out.
This may be introducing different topic, but I believe it is
relevant.
Stone must be fitted to bezel by using gravers exclusively. Everybody
was told that at one time of another. However, because of gravers
learning curve can be quite steep, some of us discover that flexshaft
appears to word as well. And here lies the trap for unaware. Bezel
walls must be vertical, which is very difficult to do with flexshaft,
almost impossible. With flexshaft, the top is either smaller, or
flared. Gemstone may fit quite well, but the top creates a lot of
problems. Flared top one of the causes of buckling, and smaller top
creates condition, which engineers call interference fit. One can put
stone in, but cannot take it out, and to force it, risks stone
breakage. It appear what we have here is the stone fitted with
flexshaft.
Leonid Surpin
Hi Neil,
One solution to removing a stone from a bezel while in the fitting
stage is to use some dental floss.
Before putting the stone in the bezel, lay a piece of dental floss
across the bezel so there’s enough on each side to grasp when the
stone is to be removed.
I’ve never found it necessary to lay more than 1 piece of dental
floss under the stone to remove it.
Dave
Two words: Dental Floss
Lay a piece of dental floss into the cabochon mounting before you
insert the stone for a test. The dental floss should stick out for
several inches on either side of the stone. When you need to remove
the stone, just pull both ends of the dental floss.
Works even with a tight fit into the setting.
RC
Dave
I know the dental floss works because that was how I was taught, but
I use 2 pieces at right angles to each other, hence making the pull
even when you lift it out of the setting. I keep several rolls of
dental floss on my work bench specifically for this purpose.
Kay
beeswax to remove a stone from the bezel, I didn’t have any schmutz!
Can you tell me where I can get a small quantity?
Jerry in Kodiak
Rather than beeswax I use the red wax rind of Edam cheeses. It’s
much stickier.
Tony Konrath