Small stones Flush setting

Hello,

I bought tthe Blane Lewis video Bezel in a Box a year or so ago and
found I have no problem flush setting 3.5mm and larger colored
stones. Smaller stones are another story. Is their a method of
setting the stones using a punch to form the metal over the stone
leaving a chamfered inside edge. I believe a few years ago I read
that beading tools can be used but are their punches made for this
specific purpose. If so, where can I purchase them?

Todd Roberts

Hey Todd,

i just got back from the Blaine Lewis advanced setting course, did
you go out there? if you did not sign up today and get out there. i
have been setting for 18 years, and i have increased my setting speed
30%, no s…t it is worth every penny i spent, my two employees are
going there in july for the setting 1 class. in repsonse to you
question. i had this same problem. Blaine said when you set small
stone you need to have the tables flush with the metal, if you do
this with stones larger than 2.25 mm it will not work. we were
taught to use setting burs for this, the stone must be tight, if it
is loose it will not work. then he showed us how to make a really
nice burnishing tool for this. if you give me you email address i
will email you a photo of the tool. then you burnish the metal
around then stone with the burnisher perpendicular to the stones
table this is the important part i was originally taught to do this
on a slight angle. be sure the stone is going in the hole tight
enough were it takes a brass pusher to work it in. if you cut the
hole to big blaine showed us a great trick for that to. use the
rounded part of your hammer and slighty tap the surface, this will
decrease the hole but doesnt mess up the top metal. again i highly
recommend his class, i can not wait to go back, he said Kate Wolf
shows just as many short cuts and tricks in carving as he does in
setting, i am hoping to go to her October carving class, it is very
hard to get away from my studio.

talk to you soon
Matthew
mhgjewelry.com

Hi Todd,

As Matthew stated, one of the things that is different about small
stone flush setting is the depth. The stone may be flush or slightly
lower if you are talking two pointers or less. If the stone seat
becomes over-cut or deformed slightly, the simple solution is to
tap the surface of the metal just like the way I show flush setting
fancy cuts. You would use the same tapping punch that is supplied
with the video. After tapping the surface, you should use the needle
burnisher then remove the surface blemishes and finish accordingly.

Go back and watch the video, it is in there. I intentionally did not
repeat some of the simpler steps to give more time in the 2 -1/2
hours for more complex stuff. The tapping of the bezel is basically
the same steps that you would use to tighten small flush set stones.

Good luck,
Blaine Lewis
New Approach School for Jewelers
800-529-4763
Fax 757-486-0082
blainelewis@newapproachschool.com