CAD in an upscale store front. WOW => 4 photos

 In a very upscale shopping mall in Northern Toronto, Canada, I saw this CAD-created wood carving storefront. We go to this mall often, but this time I wanted to capture as much of the wood carving detail as time permitting.

 Our jewellery CAD has even crept into other realms of shopping.

  In the days ahead, I'll add some close-up photos of the intricate wood carving.

How can a 'bent bur' move holes in metal? => 6 photos

This curved piece of steel was once a well-worn bur. But I gave it a relatively new life. 

 Where there are mini-sized holes in gold or even silver, now you don't have to fill in the gaps with umpteen grams of solder. 

 What is being done is to carefully 'the bent bur will move the surface of the metal over that hole'. How easy is that? 

 A word of simple caution: this 'moving won't fill in the deep gaps in the metal' but it will COVER THE HOLE! 

 It will move the metal over the hole and you will have enough metal to polish on your cloth wheel. 

  

  The tip of this bent bur has a flat surface. When the bur surface is rotating at a constant 'medium' speed, it is like a proverbial 'hammer hitting the metal'. But in this case, it's actually moving the metal.

  This new tool cannot be bought at any 'tool supplier'. YOU CAN MAKE IT YOURSELF. (This is not any rocket science to create it). 

 It is advisable to polish the 'hitting facet' using your Paper Polishing equipment. This is where the 'metal contact' will be.

 How would you 'bend' the metal bur initially? That is so very easy, all you should do is to heat the bur RED HOT.

This will 'soften' the bur metal and then use a pair of pliers to start the bending at a 90degree angle. When you are finished with the trimming of the flange. Then you can create this 'new tool' yourself.

 This ring had many holes all around the Pear-Shaped setting area. I ignored all of the minute defects knowing very well how I could 'fix' them. This 'new tool' moved & repaired the gaps to what it looks like now.

 

What shape of hammers (and why) are BEST for "Bezel Setting". => 18 photos

   There is no need to use a large hammer when hammering Bezels, but a very lightweight hammer is also a problem. The proverbial questions are "Which, why & when". I'll attempt to explain these 3 questions in this essay. Which is the best size of a hammer for Bezel Settings.

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 This particular hammer is my first choice. I have used this shape continually for the past 30+ years.

 Let the hammer with a long handle do the hitting, you don't need to push the hammer face down towards the ring. The energy used in this hitting is measured in ERGs or 'Units of work'. (I enjoy studying Physics).

 A shorter handle just doesn't have the downward pressure, (a waste of your money).

 The 'Face' of this hammer is too wide, as it continually covers your 'line of sight' while seeing where your contact is.

 This hammer is too light and doesn't have the 'downward power' needed to move the metal in Bezel or Flush settings.

 This particular hammer is what I have been using for most of my Gemstone Settng career. It has a weight of 2.96 ounces or 84.0 grams.

 When you see these deep indentations, these are caused by the continual hitting of bezels. THIS IS A REAL MAJOR PROBLEM.

 Any marks remaining on the hammer 'face' will be transferred to the new bezel frame. GET RID OF THEM NOW aka AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 

 I attempted to remove the hammer marks by using a #600 (rough) Polishing paper but with limited success. The next step is initially to use #240 grit Emery paper, then go to the #600 grit.

You can see exactly how these marks are gradually formed.

 It is imperative that all of the 'Hammer' marks be eliminated as they will be transferred to the bezel frame.

  I used different (narrower) hammer anvils for narrower bezel frames

 This is another example of hammering areas. Why use a wide hammer face on ultra-narrow (Gypsy) Flush Setting sections?

 READ WITH CAUTION: If you are hitting the "Flush Setting" too hard, there will be flat surfaces wherever your hammer touches the frame. Hit, but not 'flatten the surface'.

   DON'T LET THE ANVIL OF THE HAMMER GET TOO CLOSE TO THE STONE. If the hammer touches the stone, your choice of words will be not acceptable to the 'younger generation'. 

 

 Please avoid using a narrow hammer anvil, as this will leave deep facets. A "Reciprocating Hammer" is not desirable with these delicate setting projects, you need a wider contact for Bezel hitting.

 Always examine where the Hammer Face is touching the Bezel Frame. In some cases, you could aim for the Bezel lip and accidentally touch the ring as well.

 

 Always plan where the hammer will be touching, this is before you start any multi-level setting. Plan ahead where the hammer will be touching, (I do this often).

 My own answer to this 'planning problem' is to change the hammer location. This will save you much grief during your hammering. Experiment with a mandrel instead of a ring clamp.

 Who said that "Diamond or Gemstone Setting can be a 2-week learning process".

What do 'Bead Burnisher tools' really look like? => 7 photos

 In this particular photo, you can see that the assortment of burnishers has been badly worn from contact use. (YUK) GET RID OF THEM NOW. 

 These next  2 photos show what a Bead Burnisher look like under a 10x power loupe. These two have not been used as you can see the distinct sharp edge around the tip of the tool.

This particular Burnisher is of a smaller size.

 The flange for your bead burnisher never comes with any flange from the 'tool supplier'. YOU MUST CREATE THESE YOURSELVES.

This burnishing handle was specifically made to hold burnishers TIGHTLY  AT ALL TIMES. 

 Many of my Bead Burnishers have this 'flange' as when the tip of the tool is resting against the delicate gemstone, there won't be any sudden breakage to occure.

 To make this important 'flange', DON'T USE ANY EMERY WHEEL. I suggest using a process of rubbing the tool on your oilstone. This process is simple as it looks.

 

(REPEATED ESSAY) When is a "Bead Burnisher" used? => 23 photos

 These burnishers are a final step Bead-Setting, or rounding of the mini-claws. 

Alongside my box of graver blades is my tray of various Bead Burnishers. Although there might be duplication in case one tool is badly worn I have 'extra' on hand.

  This particular handle is contoured specifically to hold & secure the burnisher tightly. 

  I never 'push down' on the burnisher, but allow the weight of the hand together along with the tool to secure the stone.

 

   As there are many sizes in my inventory, each one is prepared for different uses.

  In using the burnisher for Genuine Emeralds there is a flange on one side of the 'cup'. This 'cup' prevents any damage to very soft stone.

 Emeralds have only 6 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, therefore heavy pushing is not wanted or required.

 When the burnisher is rounding the Bead on your project, it is customary to rotate the burnisher when applying the tool to the bead. This will enable the new bead to have a 'mini-ball' appearance as this is what 'we' are all aiming for.

 When the need to have all of the necessary beads in one size it is customary to have an 'extra tool' as backup. These tools do seem to wear down after constant use.

  This is where you should first select the correct size burnisher at all times. NEVER ATTEMPT TO USE ANY TOOL THAT YOU HAVE.

 It is best to take your time in selecting the correct size of Burnisher, this is the final step in the Bead-Setting process.

  All of the beads in this project need to be uniform in size. Therefore even the shape of the beads MUST BE UNIFORM  at all times.

    You can see the reflection on the side wall of the beads being used.

 I use a Bead Burnisher to move the beads over each stone. This manoeuvre secures each stone as well as rounding the tip. There is no other process in Diamond Setting that will greatly assist this 'securing process'.

 You can see that each mini-claw is uniform in shape and size.

  I prefer to pre-select the size of beads for this delicate project by using my Burnisher to the tip of the mini-bead. This will give me a good chance of having the correct size of bead that will eventually be used. I call this "pre-planning" 

 There is no other tool in any stone-setting inventory that will round off the tip of each or any bead.

 In this drawing, I simulated how the burnisher should be placed on each bead tip. "Rotating the Bead" gives the bead tip a 'rounding appearance'. This alone is so very essential in acquiring the overall shape.

 

 If the Bead Burnisher is too small, problems arise, and you will find that there is a little 'dish' around the tip of the bead.

  My next essay on "Burnishers" explains why there should be a (modified) flange given to other burnishers.

 This flange can be created in a moment by laying the burnishing tool at a 30-degree angle to the oilstone.

 This photo is the closeup of the positioning of the bead Burnisher to the gemstone. I always hold the burnisher at a 30-degree angle.

  Even at tightening these mini claws, my burnisher will be held at a 30 degree angle NEVEN HAVE THE BURNISHER HELD PERPENDICULAR, WHY? The edge of the tool could very well damage or break the stone.

  All of these mini-claws are now of the same size & shape.