Stumbled across a Van Cleef & Arpels short video on something wicked
they made up, and when they did a few short video blips on the
processes, I saw a diamond setter working over the beads on a pave
diamond field.
He used a beading tool alright, but he was carefully hand pumping up
and down the beading tool shaft so it was Spinning in the most
controlled elegant manner, final forming each bead to perfection!
Never seen anything used like this, this way but it sure makes
sense.
Couldn’t tell exactly what it was he was holding, but it looked
hand-powered, for better finesse control (touch pressure) I would
imagine.
I remember back in 1969 when I first started, a German fellow in the
tradeshop brought me to his house to show me his own shop setup, and
there I saw and used his very old hand-powered(string) drill. I
recall being astonished with that, until he made me learn how to
solder with a blowpipe!
I want one, no,…make that two!
Anyone familiar with the tool I’m describing?..and if so, point me
in the direction to buy a couple.
It sounds like a miniature pump drill but fitted with a beading tool
rather than a bit. Something you could knock out yourself without
too much difficulty.
It might also be a small Archimedes or spiral drill. These are
available from several suppliers.
Sorry, I should have known to post the link to the brief visual of a
spiining hand-powered beading tool.
I’ve checked some American tool companies, but see nothing like it.
Hey. I’ve seen there’s some Stuller guys hanging out here at this
forum… perhaps THEY(Stuller) should take the lead and make this
tool for sale to the industry! I’m absolutely certain a setting tool
like this would become a staple in every setter’s tool repetoire…
But if I have to buy it overseas, no problemo for me, just gotta
find it.
Here’e the link, there’s a brief visual of the tool being used, it’s
about 2:15 mark:
Sorry, I should have known to post the link to the brief visual of
a spiining hand-powered beading tool.
Marko, after watching that several times, I’m convinced that it’s
not spinning, nor is the hand moving up and down. That’s an optical
illusion. The hand, holding a standard beading tool, is instead
moving side to side, in the direction of the camera and away. Because
to the eye, this translates as up and down relative to the flat plane
of the image, it appears the hand is moving up and down the shaft of
the tool. But look carefully at the tool, not the hand, and you’ll
see that as the hand appears to move down (it’s rocking towards the
camera), you can also see the angle of the tool shift towards the
viewer. It’s not staying in the same axis as it would if that were a
spinning operation. It’s simply being rocked gently back and forth.
Standard beading tool being used by an expert.
Sorry, I should have known to post the link to the brief visual of
a spiining hand-powered beading tool.
The most interesting about this video is what we do not see.
We do not see CAD masters performing miracles of digital tour de
force. Instead, a live person with a brush. Wow, what a concept! This
video is probably 200 years old.
Another thing to pay attention too is use of emery buff. Goldsmith
caresses with it, exactly following all curves. Look at from the
point of recent discussion of how to use files and reached consensus
of filing back and forth. That should tell how valuable that
recommendation was.
The filing is done only forward. File is retreated gliding over
metal, which creates appearance of back and forth for uninitiated. We
really should know better.
The system you are describing is likely a Graver Max. They are
wonderful and take alot of the push work out of bead setting. Here is
a link to the equipment. Although it is to RIO, several others offer
it. You must also have it hooked up to a compressor system which most
people use a Sil-Aire type because of how quiet they run compared to
general compressors. Good luck.
This is simply just a traditional Beading tool. There is no great
strength needed when beading grains its mainly done with the rocking
motion. The setting is done when the grains are pulled up not when it
is beaded. The secret of good grains beside the way they are pulled
up as the video shows is cutting away the metal around the grains
with a fine spit stick (onglette graver) and then beading them with
the correct size beading tool so you don’t poach egg them (squash) as
I call it. This leaves them tall and proud. Chris
The hand, holding a standard beading tool, is instead moving side
to side, in the direction of the camera and away.
Yep, a standard beading tool dong standard beading. I only looked
once. Well, twiceto be sure. I’ll point out that if you DID want it
to spin, to which there is no advantage, you don’t need to buy a
special gizmo because you’ve got your flex shaft right there
already.
I actually found a related video - enameling a watch dial - much
more interesting: The hand, holdinga standard beading tool, is
instead
The hand in the video holding the tool handle is going up and down,
the beading shaft is not. Reflections of light on the beading shaft
show an in-place spinning motion as the shaft remains relatively
stationary in it’s angle… If the hand was doing the usual
circular motion holding the handle, the shaft angle would follow
that, but it does not.
Karen, I don’t think the tool you mention spins, but good try!
Holly, I have Gravermax, and use it for all sorts of things.
However, there’s no attachment they put out that does what the
Setter at Van Cleef & Arpels is doing. If there was, I’d already
have it!
Leonid, I’m glad you appreciate watching Van Cleef’s video. It is
indeed a joy to witness a gathering of top talent all working to the
very highest standards, no matter what. End results? Absolutely
stunning!
I wonder if the Stuller member here can shed some light on this?
The hand in the video holding the tool handle is going up and
down, the beading shaft is not. Reflections of light on the beading
shaft show an in-place spinning motion as the shaft remains
relatively stationary in it's angle.... If the hand was doing the
usual circular motion holding the handle, the shaft angle would
follow that, but it does not.
Look again. Expand the video to full screen.
For one, beading tools are sufficiently polished that reflections on
the shaft of the tool don’t “see” spinning. Looks the same spinning
or not. Second, the hand is not making a circular motion. It’s
rocking back and forth, towards and away from the viewer. This
appears up and down, but that’s an illusion. This is also why you
cannot seem to identify some secret tool used to spin the beading
tool.
There isn’t one. And you can clearly see the shaft of the tool,
especially near it’s tip, angle towards and away from the viewer. it
is indeed being rocked back and forth. Besides. Try this experiment.
Raise some good beads. put your beading tool in your flex shaft, and
with very little pressure, just hold it there. Note the result. Now
step on the pedal, spinning the tool, and again note the result. With
no increase in that little pressure, the rotation of the beading
tool, if the tip is in good condition (cleanly shaped, smooth, no
dings and nicks), does really not much of anything to the bead other
than very slightly burnishing it. It’s the pressure of a properly
used beading tool, and rocking it back and forth or in a circular
path, that causes the metal to actually be formed and burnished into
a nice bead. Rotation won’t add too much to that action, other than
perhaps slightly evening out anything caused by an uneven tool tip.
..... you can also see the angle of the tool shift towards the
viewer. It's not staying in the same axis as it would if that were
a spinning operation. It's simply being rocked gently back and
forth.
Standard beading tool being used by an expert.
Looks like a standard pump drill to me. You can easily change the
drill angle while you are drilling (one of its great advantages),
especially if it is fitted with a beading-tool-type attachment.
Janet in Jerusalem
I have watched the clip over and over again, and although at first I
agreed with you Marko, as it did indeed appear to be a pump
drill-type action, the more I watched it, the more it became clear
that it appears to be a standard beading tool being rocked back and
forth, albeit very quickly. As the hand isrocked towards the viewer,
it is more over the top of the pivot point than when further back,
making the shaft of the tool appear shorter, and thus giving it the
appearance if being pumped.
