Pumice wheels! - 17 photos

 These pumice wheels are our 'friends' and they do what no other tool can do with such exacting precision. This essay is basically a photo-essay that photos are all that's needed.

 What are the tools that 'we' need for this essay?

Pumice wheel with #240 grit (Blue colour) that removes any marks and a softer #1,000 grit (Pink colour) that polishes the metal.

  Don't let the (course) #240 Pumice wheel touch any of the stones after being set.

 Here is my array of pumice wheels, some of them are Flat faced for smooth surfaces and Tapered for the in between claws.

This where I'd be using a Tapered wheel, instead of a Triangular file. This Pumice wheel "cleans and polishes" at the same time.

 This fine Pumice wheel of #1,000 grit actually polishes the metal.

These Pumice wheels do what a steel file cannot do and that it gives you a fine quality of cleaning. These are what every jeweller and stone-setter need to use. Enjoy the results through these photos I just showed you.

BTW, keep the point of the pumice wheel sharp for those in between areas.

Gerry Lewy.

Methods of Heating your Shellac for Gemstone Setting - 19 photos

 There are many techniques for 'holding' a clasp or a ring in shellac, what heating processes are involved?

 

 I hope that in this essay, I will endeavour to uncover many problems and explain with 'photos and text' how it's being done.

 I just saw a video on YouTube on using shellac, there wasn't one word spoken or photos presented, just music. In this tutorial-essay blog I explain with words & photos. 

So let's now get started!

 

 The heating torch should be put on the 'lowest, flame level'. The heat should only warm the flakes of shellac, but never allowing any 'bubbling' of the shellac. 

If you see it bubbling, STOP and discard that burned shellac, its of no use to you now!

 This is the granulation viewing of the "Flake Shellac", as it appears in many tool-suppliers across Canada. 

    Please read this essay note before you start heating the shellac!!

  The distance from the shellac stick and the flame tip should not be any closer than 3 inches, or 88.9 mm's. (I even measured the distance 2-3 times for accuracy).

 For this photo, this safest distance is about 4 inches (101.6 mm's) Let's see what happens if the distance is less.

  Here the flame is at it's 'above normal' heating range. The shellac is starting to burn and smoulder, you can see the smoke rising and this will render the whole shellac stick totally useless. I would then remove all of the burned shellac and rebuild it up again.

 BTW, don't let the dripping intense hot shellac drip onto your fingers, why? The hot shellac will stick to your skin & fingers and cause ugly blisters. I had this happen to me!

 I keep the surface flat before any item is put on it. With the still warm shellac I can, with my fingers make the surface smooth.

 The other option is to warm up the shellac and then flatten it on a steel plate, the steel plate will subsequently cool the shellac surface in the process.

 My clients' pendant is now going to be secured on to the soft & still warmed surface. If the pendant gets too hot, it will literally SINK INTO THE SHELLAC.

 =>NEVER OVERHEAT ANY ITEM BEFORE YOU PLACE  IT ON THE SHELLAC.<=

  You can see that just a 'little warming' was sufficient to have the shellac grab this item.

   I discovered that the 'heart-shaped' stone was bought after the pendant was made, many problems then arose. 

  The main problem was that the claws were too short. I repositioned the pendant further into the shellac to give me more access to the setting area.

   My reasoning to cancel this setting program was the 'depth of the stone'.

  Here is a fantastic view of the relationship of 'pendant to the shellac'. The shellac is smooth for my fingers, plus I have greater access with the stone. 

  

   You can see how the shellac has nicely held the pendant onto the setting area.

 Even after I removed much of the inside of the stone-bezel, just to accommodate the Pavilion of the stone, I had discovered setting problems.

The pendant had to be 'warmed up' again to give me more chance to avoid the next step. After a few moments, my decision was to cancel the setting and no more wasted time.

 I told my client the reasoning of my decision was that his stone was too deep. "End of story". We both felt that new claws should made and soldered on to the pendant.

 In this photo, (sorry for being blurry) you can see the distance from the 'shellac from the tip to the flame' (3 inches, or 88.9 mm's).

    Finally here is our finished pendant after my clients' jeweller did his reconstruction to the heart-shaped bezel.

Emerald-Cut stone 'Bezel TIGHTENING & CLEANING' - 14 photos.

 This shape of stone looks similar to other 'elongated gemstones', the only difference is how and where they are set.

 In my blog library, there are similar stones and with similar setting techniques. I want to explore them in my tutorial-blog, eventually they will be of great interest to your growing compendium of gem-setting essays.

============================================

 Once that a bearing has been carved inside of the 'half-bezel' then comes the rigorous trimming and maintaining the shape of the bezel.

  To the four bezel-ends, these need to be filed and made square, they seem to be sticking away from the stone.

My choice is a Triangular #4-cut file (plus other tools and techniques). There must not be any section of the claws not touched.

 The method of gripping the claws together is as shown in this photograph. There is equal gripping action on BOTH SIDES.

 The serrated edges on the plier jaws grip the Bezel without any (accidental) slipping.

 

These jaws of the pliers are just not good for 'equal griping', I just don't use them. Neither should you, as they close together at 45degree angles.

 

  Now compare the angles of these plier jaws, the results are 100% better for tightening. The 'gripping spots' are shown on this detailed diagram.

 Once the half-bezel frame has been (equally) closed and the stone is not moving. The 'stone tightening' then starts.

 I suggest using a "Pillar file" of #2 cut to prepare the hammering process.

  I use a "Reciprocating Hammer" that is adjusted to a 'low-impact' setting. The question is where is the hammer anvil going to touch the bezel?

 That answer is relatively easy, where you filed the metal, is where the anvil will make direct contact.

 If your delicate gem-stone is crooked, or tilted please "STOP AND REMOVE THAT STONE".

 It is imperative to "Bright-Cut" the inside of the "Half-Bezel" frame. (very few diamond setters do this) They consider this unnecessary and a waste of time, I do this delicate procedure all the time.

   I use this Flat Onglette graver of #40 in width. The effect is just spectacular as compared with not doing it.

  With your Triangular file of #4 cut, clean everywhere so that there aren't anymore marks on the Bezel frame area.

  You can see the 45degree angle on the top of the Bezel frame. This angle is from the Hammer Anvil hitting the Bezel, NEVER ALLOW THE ANVIL TO GET TOO CLOSE OR TOUCH THE STONE. The chances of breakage are rather high. Your process of Bright-Cutting has just now started.

 To keep the corners square, the cutting can be achieved by allowing the Flat graver to cut 'towards the corners'. This can be done on all of the four corners.

 After all of the filing has been completed, I use my "Emery Disk" of a 'Medium' grit and remove any and all of the little marks remaining on the ring.

 This will be followed by using the Pumice wheels of #250 and #1,000 grit wheels.