https://Gerrysdiamondsettingessays.blogspot.com: What is a 'shellac-stick'? Where is it used & why?

This is a commonly used 'metal (jewellery) holding compound' in Diamond Setting practices, where & how is it used?

First of all, it is used primarily in holding pieces of gold or silver without damaging any areas. This avoids the use of a 'pin-vice'. These pin-vices leave deep marks on the sides of the metal that can be so very difficult to clean & remove. These deep indentations on the sides of the soft metal are the agony of many gemstone setters, including me!

In my realm of stone-setting, I decided in my earlier years of training to apply melted "Flakes of Shellac" onto a wooden dowel or stick. This 'stick' was created in two sizes each for any size of the item that I'd been setting.

My hand should grasp the dowel without getting tired.

1) If the dowel (shellac stick) is made of steel, there would be a constant heavy weight put on my hand and wrist. This alone would make my 'setting time' a long tiring process.

2) On any steel dowel, my hand can't perspire from those long periods of holding.

3) Some implements seem to be great, but these won't give you any 'freedom of motion'. The mobility is only regulated by the 'constant' changing of levers. The GRS clamps appear to be good, (but not for this setter).

I've worked on some insanely difficult large pieces in many years as a Diamond Setter. But the thought of buying those (GRS & RIO) clamping vice-tools have never entered my mind. The following photos are my answer in getting my gem-setting projects easily done.

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The name is what my shellac is comprised of, "Orange Flake Shellac" as "Grobet" is my very own choice of manufacturer.

This well-designed, wooden clamp is used for primarily for 'linked-bracelets'. All the setter has to do is to put their fingers inside the wide hole and set the gemstones. Of course, the flat surface is covered with the Flake Shellac.

This wooden, shellac-stick is similar to what I created and used for the past 65 years. It is light in weight and so easy to maneuver against the bench-peg. You will notice that the top of this wooden dowel that it has NO HIGHLY POLISHED SURFACE, why? The new layer of shellac will easily grip against the 'textured' wood.

This rotating wooden clamp 'insert' it is covered in shellac can easily turn your linked-bracelet to any location that is required.
As this is all made in wood, there is no heavy weight to constantly 'lift & hold'. The setters hand will no have no ill effects of being lifted against the bench-peg for long periods of time. The "nut & bolt" locking is easy to use. (I like this design).

Now compare the wooden clamp (shown above) against this steel-vise clamp. The weight of the clamp is not for my hand, I cannot alter the overall shape. Not for me!

For this little flat vise-plate, I'm also very limited on what I can place on this pad.

MY CHOICES OF "SHELLAC STICKS", I'm as well showing why I prefer not to use this hand-held metal pin-clamp. The reasons are many!

The locking-screw will interfere with my fingers and overall mobility.

The most obvious reason why this clamp is now 'collecting dust' in my bench-drawer is being shown in this one photo. These little pins will leave deep indentations in the soft metal, when the setting is completed it will be difficult to repair the surface.

These pins interfere with my fingers and setting tools in doing Pave' Diamond Setting.

I think that this close-up photo displays the exact problem that I'm writing about.

Preparing to create a 'Shellac-Stick'.

Because of my previous setting projects, I MUST REPAIR THE SURFACE, again.

This is a very simple task and my choice of tools are a wide-file and a very small flame.

When the flame is melting the shellac, it will get soft & more mailable and easy to mold.

Here the two sizes of wooden shellac-sticks. On the left is 1.5 inches in diameter, the stick on the right is exactly 1.0 inch wide.

When the flame of the torch softens the shellac, but not getting 'bubbling-hot'. I'll tap the surface to make it flat with a steel file as it'll be now a new working surface.

From tapping the surface smooth & now flat, I can use this new surface again to do whatever I need from it.

I'm not limited to one size of working area. This is why I have two shellac sticks at my disposal, either stick will give me easy access to my projects.

Each of these silver-stampings are exactly 0.457 mm's in thickness. These are too thin to put into any vise-clamp, the ONLY SOLUTION is a 'shellac-stick'.

When you are attempting to secure these 'stampings', it is imperative to place them in easy reach while on the shellac plate.

In using any thin 'engraving project' underneath security is paramount, if not, they will bent out of shape. Just melt extra shellac under all areas.

The most annoying aspect of this pin-vise is the locking-screw. I found that the knurled edges of the screw were interfering with my finger mobility. That is why I prefer my shellac-stick most of the time.

On a flat shellac-stick, any design can be used. All it takes is imagination on what and where to use your pattern.

Always keep your shellac underneath the item for security. If not, the item might just break off during the setting.

When you are melting the flakes of shellac, try to use a low-flame, if not, the heat will boil the compound and destroy it. You should try to keep the flame at a safe distance. The 'safe distance' is beyond the 'blue' as seen here.

Once the shellac is starting to liquify and melt, you should STOP! Rotate the dowel and gently melt the flakes slowly again, but not to get to the 'boiling' point. This happens so darned quickly.

Once the flakes are sticking to the wooden dowel, heat up the flakes again then rotate SLOWLY.

There is just no way that I could put this silver ornament on my pin-vise. The shellac stick was my only solution in holding during my gem-setting processes.