Stonesetting with Brad Simon

Stonesetting: Managing Your Melee

Managing Your Melee

Jeffrey Connolly CMBJ

Friday April 25th & Saturday April 26th

They’re marvelous, miniscule and sometimes malicious – they’re melee stones, and they’re everywhere.  In this seminar you’ll learn Skills, Techniques, and Tips designed to take the frustrations out of handling and setting these little gems.  You’ll also discover how to improve the quality of your work and reduce the time required to complete a melee job.  This seminar will cover many setting techniques, including prong, bead & bright, channel, pave and flush.

This seminar sponsored by Jewelers of America, is part of the program at the Bench Jewelers Conference & Expo, April 24 – 27, 2008 in Los Angeles.  For details on all the seminars offered, more conference & expo information, and to register go to: www.BenchConference.com.

Brad

Pumice Wheels

Test your pumice wheels and other abrasive wheels on a piece of glass.  If they do not abrade the glass, they will not scratch most faceted colored stones, and would be safe to use cleaning up the prongs.  Glass is around 5 ½ on the Mohs scale, which is softer than most faceted colored stones.  Although these wheels will not scratch harder gemstones, you still must use caution as the wheel may chip the facet lines of fragile stones.

Brad

Setting a Curved Channel

Undercut the wall on the outside of the curve when setting stones into a curved channel.  Then, secure the stones by hammering or bending the inside channel wall over the stones.  Although some mounting designs will not allow you to set in this manner it is more efficient than trying to secure the stones with the metal from the outside wall.  When metal is forced inward in a curve, it tends to buckle, or spring back.  In addition, pressing in on the stones to tighten them may force the stones together causing them to chip. 

Brad

Stonesetting: Stone Setting Discussion Group

Stone Setting

Un-Moderated Discussion Group

Thursday April 24th

Do you have questions about stone setting or have tips you’re willing to share?  This round table discussion is all about stone setting.  Discuss with your peers what works and what doesn’t.  Find solutions to your setting problems and learn new tips.

In this un-moderated discussion attendees will have the opportunity to speak their minds in an energetic discussion of pressing topics affecting bench jewelers today.  Bring your opinions, your notepads, and your throat lozenges!

This seminar is part of the program at the Bench Jewelers Conference & Expo, April 24 – 27, 2008 in Los Angeles.  For details on all the seminars offered, more conference & expo information, and to register go to: www.BenchConference.com.

Brad

Using Burs

Grind a bevel on the end of the shank on all your burs.  Then they will be easier to insert into your flex-shaft handpiece when using.

When using burs, you should insert the shank all the way into the handpiece.  The chuck should hold the shank as close to the bur head as possible.  This will provide more accurate control and it is safer to operate this way.

Always use a steady speed and even pressure.  Varying the speed by pumping the foot pedal or un-even pressure while cutting will cause un-even cutting and wear out the flex-shaft prematurely.

Brad

Stonesetting: Advanced Setting

Advanced Setting

Joel McFadden

Friday April 25th & Saturday April 26th

Learn safe and efficient techniques to set stones without fear of damaging them.  This seminar will demonstrate advanced instruction in Flush Setting, Bezel Setting and V-Prongs on Fancy-Shaped Stones.  In addition, common problems with fragile stones will be discussed.  You’ll learn techniques that dramatically improve your skills while avoiding many of the pitfalls common to fancy-shaped stones. 

This seminar is part of the program at the Bench Jewelers Conference & Expo, April 24 – 27, 2008 in Los Angeles.  For details on all the seminars offered, more conference & expo information, and to register go to: www.BenchConference.com.

Brad

Stonesetting: Bead Setting

Bead Setting

A mistake many beginning jewelers make is to cut the seat too shallow, not allowing them to form adequate beads to hold the stones.  On the other hand, be careful when cutting that you do not cut all the way through the metal.  As a general rule, cut the seat deep enough that the table of the stone will set just below the plate surface.

Brad

Stonesetting: Bezel Setting Tip

Bezel Setting Tip

When trimming the edge of a bezel use a flat graver.  Make certain the cutting edge of the graver is perpendicular to the stone.  If the cutting edge is held at an angle less than 90 degrees it will have a tendency to cut in toward the stone possibly chipping or abrading it.  By keeping the cutting edge of the graver at a 90 degree angle will allow it to glide smoothly around the bezel.

A flat graver can also be used to burnish the bezel.  Place the graver point on the bezel as you would if cutting.  However, pull backwards on the graver to burnish the metal, rather than pushing forward on it.

Brad

Stonesetting: Basic Setting

Basic Setting

Joel McFadden

Thursday April 24th & Sunday April 27th

Setting stones in prongs is one of the most common methods of stone setting.  In this seminar you’ll learn this fundamental setting procedure from a Master Setter.  Setting round stones in center crowns and side prongs will be the focus of this demonstration, and will also demonstrate shared-prong settings and dealing with colored stones and large belly-bottom stones.

This seminar is part of the program at the Bench Jewelers Conference & Expo, April 24 – 27, 2008 in Los Angeles.  For details on all the seminars offered, more conference & expo information, and to register go to: www.BenchConference.com.

Brad

Stonesetting: Tool Tips

Tool Tips

While using burs you should use a steady, slow to medium speed.  Flex-shafts can operate at speeds up to 14,000 rpm, some even faster.  Burs and drills should not approach this speed while cutting metal (carbide and diamond tipped burs and drills are the exception to this).  You should operate the flex-shaft at no more than medium speed while using steel burs and drills, and the larger the bur the slower the speed.  High speed steel burs are a description of the type of steel used and not indicative of the speed used to operate.

Brad