"Star Setting" layout and metal cutting - 17 (tutorial) photos.

 Everyone sees stars at night, but how many of 'us' have them in our gem-stetting or engraving benches?

This essay will show little of the actual stone setting; as this is more for the layout, drilling & designing, followed by extensive metal cutting. 

The Level of Difficulty is about '9.0+, out of 10'.

 WHAT GRAVER TOOLS ARE REQUIRED?

1) Graver #0 (aka 'Knife-Edge')

2) Graver # 1

3) Graver # 2 (Bead-Raiser)

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 This is the very first exercise that will take place. This is to drill a hole with a 'Twist Drill'  that should be held in a vertical position. 

 THE DRILL MUST BE WELL OILED (lubricated) to prevent the excessive overheating of the rotating drill.

 I prefer to put a darkened ink on the surface of the metal. I need to know where my graver is cutting at all times.

 With this darker surface, I can easily scribe faint lines as this will guide me to start my many line-cuttings.

 I now need to cut 4 lines all with equal separation, (I'm showing my guide-lines here). 

In using my Onglette #2 graver, these will be the longest lines in this "STAR" pattern.

 Now you know why I 'darkened the surface' of the metal, I can easily program every move that is required. Every move is thought out carefully, and not doing anything fast.

The four lines are cut exactly to all 4 corners. 

  I MUST scribe a faint line from the connecting lines from these long lines. THESE ARE MY "GUIDE LINES" for another series of lines that will make a smaller star.

This pattern will then have 'two sets of stars'.

             HERE IS THE DELICATE LAYOUT OF DESIGNING A 'STAR SETTING'.

 Make sure that all of the lines are created equal. To initiate the 'second star', I 'raised a bead' in between the four long lines.

 In this photo, I made an error in my metal carving and cut a longer line by mistake (aka woops), but it didn't give me any problems.

   I used an Onglette graver #2 to cut behind the bead, as shown in this photo.

 

 The Onglette graver must now cut a "Vee" shape behind and around each of the four beads. You'll notice where the 'Second Star' now ends. The new bead will be like a mini-claw to 'hold & secure' the gem stone.

 

  From the scribed line, there now is a better chance to create the 'beginning of a star' pattern. These lines are like a "GPS" in my guiding my graver cuttings.

  With your sharp Onglette graver #2, you should now recut the rough looking stars. PLEASE DO NOT USE ANY FLAT GRAVER IN THIS PATTERN.

 We need 'sharp and precision' looking cuts. The Onglette graver will give 'the star' those kinds of sharp looking cuts that we're looking for.

 

 I might suggest an Onglette #1 graver as this fine graver will sculpture the metal around the 4 beads. A wider graver (#2) could remove too much of the 'star' metal.

Once the gem stone has been made to fit the new opening, setting of the stone is the best thing to do now.

 You can easily move the mini-claw aka bead over the edge of the Girdle of the stone.

 If you decide upon recutting further in the pattern of the '2 stars', please be 'ultra careful'. Do so at your own discretion. 

    I suggest to make a series of "PRACTICE STARS." 

 

 The more 'practice stars' you make in this (soft) silver, then this will give you more precision in you metal sculpturing.

 Even in these two photos there are a many serious errors that I made on purpose just to show you what can happen.

 

  The little 'inside star' is indeed needing more precise graver control. How do you need to hold your graver?

 The graver should never exceed this 'length in your hand' as shown here. Your fingers must wrap around the graver shaft and the handle.

This metal cutting is not really for the 'ultra beginner', as we were all beginners at one time. I was this ultra-beginner about 65 years ago! One last point is to PRACTICE, PRACTICE and then PRACTICE a few more times.....Gerry Lewy!