Channel Setting
May 10, 2008
May 01, 2008
Azures - A Jour
After drilling the holes, turn the jewelry over and clean up the back of the plate. If the plate is thin, all you can do is scrape away any burs and polish with a bristle brush. If the plate is thick enough, you need to cut away some of the metal surrounding the holes. These cuts are called azures. Azure is the American English derivative of the French term a jour or adjoure.
The easiest method to cut an azure is to taper the hole using a bud or cone bur. Then polish the taper with a hard felt point in your flex-shaft.
On finer jewelry, you will want to cut a square or triangle shaped azure. The results look like bright cutting on the backside of the jewelry. To begin, cut a tapered hole with a bud bur. Then, using a hart bur held sideways cut your corners in each hole. Next, use a small wheel bur to clean away the metal between the corners. Then use a polished flat graver to clean up and polish your cuts.
Brad
March 27, 2008
An Angle on Setting
When channel setting, file the tops of the channel wall at a 30-degree angle. Then, hammer the channel wall at this angle and the metal will form down and out over the stones.
Brad
February 22, 2008
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
February 04, 2008
Stonesetting: Channel Setting Tip
Channel Setting Tip
When channel setting it is of utmost importance to cut a precise seat. If the stone fits loosely in the seat it will be difficult to tighten and problems will develop during the setting process.
Place rings on a steel mandrel when channel setting rather than holding in a ring clamp. This will provide the needed support when hammering.
Brad
