(REVIEW) Half-Round burs for Cabochon setting. (15 photos)

   "Cabochon Setting" is easy (only) when you have the correctly shaped burs. 

  As you can see the half-round shape making its appearance, then you know that you've made a new gem setting tool. The number of burs is limited only by the sizes that you need, I usually (always) make more than is required.

  These '1/2 round' burs cannot be bought from any tool supply company as you see here. These were all 'after market' shaped with the aid of my office bench grinder.

  Once you have selected the correct size of round bur, then the 'joy of grinding them to shape' truly starts.

 As you are grinding against a rotating course grinding wheel immerse it into a beaker of cool water every few moments. If the bur gets hot, then the steel gets soft and is nearly useless. If you see the colour turn brown, it too is losing its monetary value and will be unable to cut your desired bezel.

 Please 'feel' the temperature rising at your fingertips. That is a greater method of keeping your burs from getting too hot.

 Once the bur has been used, remove it and place our stone into the new receptacle. The Cabochon stone should sit nicely.

 

 As you saw in the photo above, this diagram explains this process clearly.

    The outside bezel fame is curved to the formation and angles of the stone.

  This is the action that is slowly taking place. The size of the bur is almost the size of the stone.

The outside bezel frame must not have any flat surfaces. The frame MUST CONTOUR to the shape of the stone.

 This is the shape that is required, only curved surfaces must be seen.

REVIEWING AGAIN!

 Any 'smoothing' should be created carefully as the stone could be soft and any metal filing could damage the surface.

 When you are moving any claws closer to the stone please keep the claw tips no higher than the Cabochon stone.

There must never be any spaces around the Cabochon stone.

 If there needs to be any filing to be made, then let it be at a 45-degree angle.

  REVIEW. Keep your claw tips lower than the top of the stone, why is this important? If you snag or catch the claw then the stone will get loose. Does this happen often? Let me count the times.