people - tried to stay out of the stone/tube setting thingy - but …
here’s my own method of tube setting any stones (a lot!):
find tube that fits stone, or vice versa, so that stone sets
barely down into tube,
cut off desired heighth/lenghth,
grind bottom level & ‘feather’ top edge (you can do both with 220
grit wheel or paper disc or even cratex wheel) so that edge tapers to
nothing,
cut strip of silver, etc., - hereafter it becomes the ‘rolled
thingy’ - coil rolled thingy so that it fits snugly inside tube - for
faceted stone: trim so edges meet (a smaller tube that allows the
pavilion to nest inside); for a cab you can just roll it up & the
coiled part will support the cab. for now it doesn’t matter if rolled
thingy sticks out the bottom of tube,
holding the rolled thingy inside the tube, set the stone into top
of tube - if it’s a little too tight flare a bit with something
pointy & slightly larger than tube opening - put stone back in at the
right depth & hold rolled thingy in place while you mark how much of
the part sticking out to cut off. remove, trim & set aside.
remove stone, solder tube in place, polish, etc., put rolled
thingy back inside, set stone into tube & roll that ‘feathered’ edge
over the stone. no, the rolled thingy does not have to be soldered
under the stone; it’s not going anywhere.
while this reads long, it is actually a simple process & eliminates a
lot of time by not having to cut a seat, etc. etc. life is short, use
shortcuts… good luck -
people - tried to stay out of the stone/tube setting thingy -
but ... here's my own method of tube setting any stones (a lot!):
Dear Ive, I have also been reading the postings about tube settings
and want to add that I do mine the exact same way that you do and it
is a lot easier by far. I have a question for you if you do this type
of setting a lot - when you are setting a faceted stone this way do
you have trouble pushing the “bezel” down without the stone shifting
back and forth?? If not what is your secret to keeping the stone
level??
here's my own method of tube setting any stones (a lot!):
[snip]
Hi Ive
Loved the technical terms! So the ‘rolled-thingy’ is a loose sleeve
under the stone? Nice idea. Especially nice if say a cab was
see-throughy and the coiled sleeve visible. And, say, a contrasting
material.
I have a question for you if you do this type of setting a lot - when
you are setting a faceted stone this way do you have trouble pushing
the “bezel” down without the stone shifting back and forth?? If not
what is your secret to keeping the stone level?? Grace
grace - i cheat. before i slip the faceted stone into the tube i
gently push over one point on the bezeled tube edge at ‘12:00’ &
another at '9:00" (or '3:00) just so they are not 180 degrees apart.
don’t push not all the way down but enough to catch the stone’s edge
that’s why i ‘slip’ the stone - to slide it under those smooched
points (there i go getting technical again) then i push down the
point opposite one of them on the edge - just like regular bezel
burnishing. having the 2 points to catch the stone holds it in place
enough to finish pushing the bezel all the way around. forgot to add
the easiest way to cut those tubes sections: one of the little
pipe/tube cutters from any hardware store (ironmongers) - there are 2
sized cutters in my tools & the smaller one cuts the smallest tubing.