What length should your graver be in your hand? => 6 photos

 I've had a tough time 2 weeks of thinking of a new tutorial-essay, then my brain answered the call. "What length should the graver and handle be while being used?"

 In my extensive 22,000 photo library, I've found the photo's that assist me in my teaching.

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 The thumb, forefinger and middle finger grasp the shaft of the handle. The remaining 2 fingers actually hold the balance of the wooden handle. This alone culminates in a very secure holding pattern.

  You can now easily see where the fingers are aligned.

   The length of the cutting area of the blade is essential in knowing where the fingers should be placed.

The graver blade while it is in the handle, should not be any longer than seen in this photograph.

This is the answer to the question of this tutorial essay.

For safety reasons, I suggest wearing a protective 'thumb-guard'. There is a great tendency to rest the sharp blade against your tender skin and cause cuts.

 

What tools are used in Diamond Setting? => 19 photos

 The list of tools that are used can be very extensive. For example, I'm only listing some of the tools that I presently use.

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1) "Hand held, Pin Vise". This prevents the need of using shellac.

This is also great in holding coins for engraving.

2) These 'bent plier jaws' are fantastic for tightening gemstones in awkward positions.

3) There are many little brushes you can buy instead of your tool supply shop. I look through 'cosmetic stores' for delicate brushes, not to mention 'paint stores'. Three of these coloured brushes were bought in a dental supply store.

4) These strange looking handles can be the best graver handles that were created. These will allow the setter to 'extend the life' of every graver that is used.

These are 3 clamps of various styles, but they are always useful for gemstone setting. My favourite is named the "Inside Ring Clamp".

This "Inside Ring Clamp" tightens the ring so very TIGHTLY.

                                                        

Here are two tools that are so very important. The "Separating Disk" is extremely useful in repairing the HSS bur teeth.

                                                       

 These files come in two grades of teeth, #2 and #4 grit. (Please excuse the rust & dirt)

These 7 setting-tools are self-explanatory.

These "Bent" claws are great in what they can do in awkward situations. The 'hand and fingers' are no longer being twisted.

  I have 10 pliers and all are useful during my intense Diamond Setting projects.

                            =>This is my own invention <=

 Get a large round bur and place 1/3rd of the bur against the rotating emery wheel of your bench grinder, as shown. Keep this in a beaker of cold water during the grinding process.

 What you now have is a very new metal cutting tool. It works 100% for making a seat in a Tube Setting for Cabochon stones.

=> (My second invention) <=

 This photo shows the 'gripping' teeth on those 'Bent' plier jaws. I used a 'Separating Wheel' to grind grooves in the jaws.

 Pumice Wheels come in two grits;  #180 & #1,000grit. The #180 are the "Medium" texture, while the PINK #1,000 grit is the "Fine" texture.

  Either wheel come in a "Tapered" or "Flat" configuration.

  These are the "Snap-On" Medium grit, Emery wheels.

These three handpieces are "our workhorses" in our bench.

=>My Third Invention<=

   Here you can see the 'Mini, 2-Pin' that I created just for earring studs.

  During your days and years at your own bench, you too will find some great ideas of new tools. If they suite you, then use them just to make your time at the bench easier, as I have been doing.

 There are so many tools for gemstone setting, I couldn't display them all. 

REMEMBER, improvise and be creative. It's so interesting setting diamonds & gemstones, agree?

How do you grind your graver for stone setting. => 12photos

  I've covered this topic many times in 'our blog'. One of our readers thinks that this topic should be explained again. I will display photos and text in detail. I'll write as if I am shaping each graver for myself. 

 This photo shows that the very end of the graver is being reduced in length, as it must enter the handle easily.

  

 The preliminary shaping as seen here must be carefully carved. It must be kept cool at all times as to prevent overheating, lest the steel gets softened. We don't want this to happen, do we?

 Already you can see a tint of 'brown', that is where the graver got overheated. 

 Thankfully, it won't interfere with the rest of the shaping against the high-speed rotating grinding wheel.

 All of my gravers are HSS, namely "High Speed Steel". These ID letters it lets me know that this FLAT graver (GLARDON) was made in Sweden. The number "10" refers to the (thin) width.

               KEEP YOUR GRAVER COOL AT ALL TIMES.

 After a few graver shaping, you will notice the wheel is slowly being shaped. This is quite normal, as it will make your own shaping a lot more easier. Don't forget to keep your blade COOL.

 Always wear a pair of Latex gloves and of course wear protective glasses. The shards of steel being thrown off are your constant enemies. 

   The time of this process, still takes me about 1/2 hour, from start to finish. Plus another 1/2 hour for the oilstone finishing. Speed is not the most important aspect, but preparing the graver for the months ahead.

This graver is like a surgical blade, as the front of the tool is used to cut precise designs in metal.

 This photo is the epitome of "Flat Graver Cutting". All metal sculpturing was done before any stone went in.

 This photo shows the 'before & after' shaping on the bench grinder.

 This my assortment of gravers being made ready to be inserted into various 'adjustable handles'. Instead of having a large number of handles in my bench, I'll just have 2-3 that will be used or exchanged. Clutter is the arch enemy of a 'setters bench'.

     I hope that essay was informative and as well as educational.

Why do we use "Polishing Papers"? => 7 photos

 "Polishing Papers" are the most reasonably priced pieces of paper that there is in any tool store, or online.

 Their sole purpose is to improve the surface of any graver. They can transform a roughly hewn piece of steel, to shine like the famous "Hubble Telescope".

 The grit textures of the papers being shown in this essay, are what I use constantly. I always say: 'If it's good enough for me, then it'll be good enough for your tools'.

 

 Without a smooth surface, the setters labour will be totally wasted.

  These numbers being shown on the wooden sticks are not for casual identification. They are there for a purpose, that sole purpose is to clarify the texture of the polishing paper.

 The #800 grit means that the granules of silicone are closely attached to the paper. But, the granules of the #1,000 grit are more closer together than the #800 paper. 

 Why would I use a "soft core", drafting pencil? 

 The answer is simple. The very soft lead, gets in between the pores of the paper and renders the polishing paper at least 50% more softer. This will give the setter a grit of #800 to now a new grit of #1,200 without buying any additional sheets of paper.

 

 Here are 8 sheets of polishing paper. The paper on the far right, is basically a (rough) "Emery Paper" of  #240 grit.

 The total 8 grit textures are as follows:

#240, #400, #600, #800,  #1,000, #1,200, #1,600, #1,800. 

 If you wish to use the soft core pencil, each grade can be altered smoother without buying additional polishing papers. You can now have 16 sheets of paper at no extra charge. Nice eh?

 

 I use a wooden board that I'll buy at the local paint store for only a few (cheap) dollars and wrap that board with paper. 

Now compare a few dollars to a new insanely expensive rotating 6" disk with your attached piece of paper.

 Each of these sticks can be 8" inches in length & 3" inches wide. 

  

  Instead of buying additional sticks of wood, I have another idea for you. On one side of each board as an example, I suggest the #800 grit, then on the reverse side, the "pencil enhanced" grit of #1,200 texture. INTERESTING TECHNIQUE?

The shiny surfaces are all 50% => grit increased <=.

WHAT NOW HAPPENS INSIDE your "Magnetic Tumbler" ? => 13 photos

 This is what happens when the 'Magnetic Tumbler' is doing the tumbling? These pictures have not been plagurized from any other source. All of these interesting photos were taken at my bench.

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This water isn't dirty, it is just mixed wtih the 'tumbling soap' which aids the steel pins interacting with this lubricant.

 These small steel pins will get inside, and GENTLY hit against all of the delicate areas of the jewellery.

 

 The beaker should NEVER be filled up with the top, only halfway. When the solution is rotating, the liquid will climb up the sides of the beaker and easily overflow.

 You can easily see the swirling of the liquid. This is caused by the magnetics inside the 'cleaner' as they are acting against the 'pins' in the beaker.

 This simple action is the basics of the cleaning & shining process. 

 Instead of polishing with Tripoly all of the jewellery, these pins are able to make direct contact with all areas of the rings.

  Always be careful that no little pins get stuck in the holes or recesses of the jewellery.

 In this spectacular photo, you can easily see two steel pins that got lodged inside an 'unset gemsetting hole'. 

 This occurs occasionaly with these fine pins, you see that every part of the jewellery has been touched by the pins.

             

   I'm not worried about putting antiques into this 'Tumbler', as it is quite gentle in its operation.

 (This yellow 18kt. gold ring is over 90 years old and is our English family heirloom.)

 If there are too many steel pins in this basket, the magnets won't be able to rotate the pins. Thus, preventing the complete process. 

 Finally, all of the jewellery has being removed and now washed.

  

 I examined all these objects and the drying is now to take place. I don't want any two objects to touch, in case of scratching. 

I prefer to place my collection a soft clean towel.

 Just pat dry the jewellery to remove any water that will leave stains on the metal.

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 This is the finally step of 'what happens inside your 'Magnetic Tumbler'. I sincerely hope that this was an enlightenly essay for you?