What can you see with a "Digital Microscope"? => 15 photos

 I've been using a 'Digital Microscope' for many years, and the sights are just unbelievable. I can make the 'teeth of a steel file' resemble the shores of the Niagara River. 

 My digital microscope is a piece of modern technology. I'll be showing how our tools really appear; the power of this viewing can reach 600x (or more) magnification.

 This stone is 0.50 carats in size, and you can even see that the claw on the right isn't even touching the stone.

 This saw blade has a #4/0 cut, as it looks just like the teeth of a Dinosaur.

 The fine engraving was a photo of one of my gravers.

 No, these are not 'stars at night', but of #2/0 grit emery paper.

  These are the teeth of a #2/0 grit file taken at 600x power viewing.

  This is a "Medium" grit (Snap-On) Emery wheel.

 This is the same wheel, taken at maximum 600x magnification.

 This is a genuine diamond before any intensive faceting was started. The metal claw is holding the stone while it is being carefully "Faceted".

 BTW, this stone has been in our family since 1927, when my Father learned his Diamond Polishing craft on it in Antwerp.

 These photos are of a "Medium" grit teeth on a file; you can still see the metal residue remaining between the teeth.

  This 0.50 carat just had the preliminary facets formed.

 You are now looking at a 0.50-carat 'test diamond' that every diamond polisher learns how to familiarise themselves with. 

 This triangular diamond still shows the natural facets on its surface. (These features look just like a mountain).

 What you are looking at is an "Industrial Diamond" just after it was taken out of the Earth. These diamonds are not for jewellery, but only for industrial purposes.

  This photo displays some of the workings of a battery-driven watch.

How do you REPAIR a "Pin Set" disk from a wax casting? => 12 photos

  These are the two most important words that I learned circa 1965. "PIN SETTING" or otherwise known as setting gemstones within these 'little wire claws'.

  Any name you wish to use, we will use it with great fondness.

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 Let's first discuss how these are created in the 'wax stage'.

You will notice how well-formed these mini-claws appear. There is no need for any 'improvement' to any of them.

1) You will notice that some holes look 'oval' in appearance. These can be made 'round' when the disk is cast in metal.

2) There are a few remaining wax-pins joining the outside of the wax disk. Let's deal with this problem when the wax is formed.

Multiple holes are filled with wax; THESE MUST BE CLEANED..NOW!

 In this next wax, there are a few setting holes that are plugged up. Why is this occurring so often?

 There are additional problems with the wax mold we will deal with them further on in this essay.

 

 These defects need to be remedied while still in the wax stage of development.

  The answer to these wax problems are these '3 tooth' cutting burs.

 Here is the close-up of how these two burs look. These are as sharp as glass; please handle them with absolute care!

 Try and avoid putting them in your handpiece; rotating them slowly with your fingers is best. 

Every hole must be made clear of wax.

 This is what we are aiming for: a clean-looking wax ready for metal casting.

 This is the culprit; there are defects all around the outside edge (screaming) to be repaired.

 In the metal stage, it is now possible to see where the rubber mold must be repaired.

 Here are 3 gemstones just now set into the wax. Don't heat up the stones, as they will get buried deep into the wax and become useless. Make sure that all of the holes are absolutely clean of any remaining wax.

How do you "Pin Set" stones in metal? => 23 photos

   In this essay, we will explore how gemstones are set in metal. There are also 'errors' shown in this essay. 

 In the first of three photos, I'll be explaining how the 'pin-setting claws' are moved over each stone.

 

 The hollowed tip rests on the pin-set claw. This tube-like device enables the setter to actually move, but never push the claw. That 'pushing' will deform the shape of the pin-like claw.

 The flange, as seen here, protects the edge of the pin as it is moved over. Yes, some of these hollow pins tend to wear down.

 With my 10x power 'hand-held' loupe, you can see the pin-claw about to start the 'moving' process.

"Errors in Pin-Setting"

1) The base of the claws was cloth-wheel polished. I suggest that a 'Magnetic Tumbler' pre-polish the metal. This will be shown below.

2) The very tip of each claw has been severely over-polished and is rendered nearly useless.

3) The wax was deemed defective, and the pin-claws are now nonexistent. This resulted in the user not paying any attention to the poorly injected wax.

 4) There was no 'pre-polishing' with the aid of any 'Magnetic Tumbling' techniques. Any cleaning must be made immediately, if not sooner.

5) These 'little stumps' are not actually claws; they cannot be used for any stone setting.

6) The centre disk still has many wax claw settings that have not been cleaned before any metal casting. Poor preparation!!

 7) There haven't been any high polishing methods being observed. If this were to be done after setting, the 'pin-setting' claws could be ruined in an instant.

 The minimum number of jewellery tools still provides an adequate number of tools to be used. You can nicely see how clean the workbench is.

Here is another technique for moving a claw. The graver is resting against the base of the claw, and the 'face' is just GENTLY moving the claw.

 Here is exactly where those 'larger' stones are placed. There may be additional, larger places for these stones. 

It's best to keep them made available, just if they are needed.

For every stone that is to be set, a 'bearing' must be drilled.

 I separated the largest stones just for the 'corners'. This is because there is more space, thus allowing a larger stone to be set.

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 This photo was used in a previous essay; it shows the 'Magnetic Tumbler' in action. 

 These are the metal pins that, when rotating, will hit and lightly polish anything they come in contact with.

 Here is the specialised soap that will enable the metal pins to do their polishing.

 Always keep the 'bead burnisher' in a near vertical position; this way, the burnisher will be able to 'move' the claw over the stone.

 REMEMBER that each claw must have little bearings created for each stone.

 If the bur is being held crooked, so will be the stone. Always keep the handpiece held vertically at all times.

  Always be aware of any crooked stones that might be set. 

 Final suggestion: clean out each & every hole before all stone setting has started.