These are "MY BURS" => 15 photos

  These are all of "MY BURS"!!

 My complete inventory exceeds 700 burs. Why so many? As a diamond setter, burs are my in having the correct size and shape at all times. If I were working on the weekend, I needed to have the exact size and shape with no time lost! 

 If one bur was failing me, I'd scrap it without any question. I always have a backup! The softer metal of "Carbide" burs didn't have the luxury of being able to be used many times! If it touches any high tensile strength gold, the teeth get damaged or even permanently ruined.  

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 This box of "High Speed Steel" burs is the best in the market. These are my favourite burs for undercutting claws that are prepared for centre stone setting.

  In this box are HSS burs of all available sizes. The cost is of no consequence when you are stone setting regularly. If one bur is missing, then the fault is with the setter. The setter must have the required range of burs. If that one bur is used 2-3 times a month, then the cost is easily recovered.

  I keep all of the 'burs of unusual shapes and sizes' also in another box. I never have to search for that one bur, but I've trained myself to keep them separate. I don't have to be searching for that one, but it could waste my precious time. 

 This particular box of unusual burs is a story in itself. The front row of burs are "77B, Cup Burs". I used these extra-large burs to shape Tube Settings, thus preventing me from 'hand shaping and filing' to make the tube setting round.

 The 'factory foreman' was amazed at the quality of the finished Tube Setting. He was 100% delighted. The other 5 setters in our department were trying to copy my technique, but failed!

 

  This tray of "156C - Undercutting" burs is also kept separate from any other shape of burs. At any one moment, I know where to look for that one bur.

  In this tray of "77B - Cup Burs" which are all made of Carbide steel are within easy reach. I keep many duplicate burs of any one size, why is that? If one bur is totally worn, I'll have another to work with, without shopping for that one bur.

 

 The most useful bur is the "Round bur"; it can be used in every possible setting project. I never question the costs of burs in my inventory. If I had to worry about costs, I'd just find another occupation. 

 Many of the burs look to be duplicates, which this the truth. Many are new, and most of them are verging on being just mediocre in the freshness for stone setting.

 This tray of ultra-small round burs is (again) kept separate even from the larger size. My eyes won't be racing looking for that single bur, in a moment I know where to look and there it is ... aka as "WOW, I found it!"

 I always keep a huge selection of 'speciality burs' still in their shipping mini tray. The reason is that these new burs have a little spot of oil on them, and this will prevent any rust from forming. "Rust is our arch enemy of our profession".

 At one time, I had dozens of these mini trays of burs. My high quality of workmanship was displayed by my high quality of tools.

 Many of these "77B, Cup Burs" are almost beyond the stage of being useful and into the 'refuse bin' they will go.

 All of these (soft steel) Carbide burs have a short life span, and once they are damaged ...Good-bye! 

  Where are my extra-large "156C" burs kept? They are 'separate'  from all others. I have 4 trays to hold my Carbide burs. These trays do not include my wooden boxes that contain all of my HSS burs. 

 Don't be envious of my bur inventory, these burs were found at various tool suppliers (in person). I examined them with planning and kept them in great condition. I never shared my tools with someone else as they could damage them.

Which bur would you use & why? => 16 photos

 I've covered many topics in this extensive blog. One topic I feel is important is the choice and description of BURS! These are literally the workhorses of our profession.

 The burs that I'm displaying are basically for Diamond Setting. Our jewellery manufacturers have different bur requirements. I feel that "MY BURS" are worth mentioning as well, but is fully detailed in the next essay of the same name.

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 This round bur photo is only used as a 'cover' for this essay.

 These 'setting burs' could be used in Tube Setting; whatever you need them for is your decision, but they are there for your own needs.

 This assortment of Round Burs can be used extensively in opening holes for Pave' stone setting.

 Whenever you see a gold band around the bur, rest assured, these are not Carbide steel but a long-life consisting of 'High Speed Steel'. These particular burs can be used in all applications, and they won't get worn too fast, unlike the Carbide, which usually wears out in a very short time.

 This strange-looking bur will cut a flat surface on the metal. This little knob is a guide where the rotating bur will be used. With the correct size of the Pearl, this bur will create a setting for the Half-Domed shape of the Flat surface of the Cabochon Pearl.

 This spear-shaped bur is where the centre stone will sit against the four or six-claw head. The 90-degree angle of the bur conforms to the correct angle of the centre stone.

 There is no other shape of bur that has the same dimensions.

 This 45-degree cutting bur is primarily used in creating a seat for the centre stone. You can see that the teeth of the 90 & 45 degree burs all have one thing in common. The teeth always cut into the metal with the greatest precision, but why not the Carbide steel?

Those teeth are closer together and won't have the capacity to cut DEEP. (The Carbide teeth only skim along the surface.) I know this for a fact.

 The shallow angled bur are not meant for centre stones. No gemstone or diamond have the same (shallow) dimensions.

 If you have a small 4-claw setting, then this bur is your answer in using these closely knit tooth bur. 

The correct name for this bur is "156C", where the letter "C" represents Carbide.

 These unusual-looking burs have one purpose, and that is to "round the tips of the claws". The correct name of this bur is a "77B". The bur is made of Carbide steel! But this steel does not remain sharp; it will quickly wear out.

 This is our 'twist drill' that is used mainly for creating holes in any metal. The width of the bur shaft makes this useful in any handpiece configuration; the dimensions are 3/32" of an inch.

 The very tip of this twist drill can be easily recut or repaired by using your "Snap-On" Emery wheel and re-shaping the angled tip.

 This is called my "Buddy Bur", one of my students gave this name to me, and it suits the purpose. It truly is my 'Buddy' bur! 

 Many of my diamond setting patterns use these burs, where a round bur just doesn't have the tapered point. 

This has a "Carbide" steel construction, and is made in Carbide steel, with the 'tapering design'. I prefer to use this bur as a metal cutting or shaping tool.  

  This complete set of "Bearing Cutters" has just one purpose, and that is to create 'Bearings' for the Girdle of a gemstone.

 These odd-shaped burs have only one use, and that is to create a 'seat' for Cabochon (flat-bottomed) Pearls.

 

 Can you imagine where this unusual '3-toothed' bur is used? If you are a wax carver, then your workbench cannot be without this tool. Instead of using the regular 'round bur' that has multiple teeth that will get clogged up quickly with wax, this bur cuts and discards the wax as the bur is rotating. 

 As the old saying goes, "Never leave home without it".

 If you need further assistance in selecting burs, you may email me at "gerrylewy18@gmail.com".

What is "CUT DOWN" Diamond Setting? => 20 photos

 This technique borders on an insanely mind-boggling gemstone setting. The 'difficulty rating' numbers that I give this technique are, in all honesty, 20 out of 10. I've reduced the number of photos from 46 to 20 tutorial pictures.  

 This level of Diamond Setting is not for the beginner or intermediate level. This technique is equivalent of getting a university education; the chances of ruining the 'bead forming' or 'metal carving' could very well change your need to attempt this rigorous challenge. Nowhere in this essay have I used any computer (CAD) program to assist me.

 The two words "Cut Down" simply refer to the technique that describes the method of using your Flat graver to literally 'cut down' towards the edge of the ring.

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 The very first process is to use your Flat graver and place your corner point of the tool and 'dig in' to the metal. Then twist the corner as the graver slides some metal over the stone. Be careful that the graver doesn't cut into the stone. I suggest doing the sliding of the metal 'one corner' at a time.

 

 When the four metal corners cover the corners, the next step is to use an Onglette #1 graver and extend this line to the end of the ring.

Here is the Flat graver positioning (twisting) the metal over the stone.

  You can now see the four corners of the metal holding the stone in place. Get that metal over the (Girdle) edge of the stone.

 This stone is now at the 'best depth' and further metal cutting is well on the way to a successful setting process.

 When you need to drill a row of stones, I always lightly scribe a line to keep the holes in a straight row.

  Some stone setters prefer to 'raise beads' and then use the 'cut down' technique. In my opinion, this is not suitable, as this is not a clean method, as there are 'holes' behind each bead...YUK!

 I use a Flat graver of #40 width and remove the metal, which will leave a smooth surface. This will be the famous "Cut Down" technique.

  There will be no Pave' cutting on any side of the stones. Place your Flat graver against the hole where the Girdle of the stone is and cut towards the edge of the metal.

 

 Always keep the Flat Graver sharp, as there mustn't be any rough edges. If there are any, this will make it difficult to clean the metal.

     REVIEW OF THIS "Cut Down"PROCEDURE.

 To keep any stone flat and at the correct depth, I always keep the Girdle of the stone lower than at a Pave' depth. If not, the 'four corners' will never be strong enough for this procedure, trust me on this!!! I suggest using a "156C, Under-Cutting" bur to create an appropriate seat for the stone.

  When you place your stone into a hole. Keep the hole CLEAN from any residual pieces of metal. 

   Four words can be used here! "DIG IN, AND TWIST". Any (soft) stone can be used in this stone setting procedure; this is the best part of this novel gem-setting process.

 THIS IS THE CORRECT DEPTH OF ANY OF YOUR STONES.

 Just use your Flat graver and dig in & turn. No other setting is needed to do the digging in & turning.

 This is the hole that is 'waiting' for the stone. From here, the whole process will very soon start.

 In using a 'bud-shaped' bur, cut lines into the metal as shown. Remember to cut these bud-bur lines... DEEP. Why so deep? 

 You are actually preparing for the 'four-cornered, mini-claws'. These deep lines will be where your Flat graver will be resting and turning.

 

  In this delicate setting process, you can set any 'soft stone', Emerald or even an Amethyst. Can you do this in your Pave' setting?

   I think that the four corners need to be separated from the ring, but how will this be done? I always use an Onglette graver #1 and cut from the stone towards the end of the surface (as shown). This will leave a prominent piece of metal holding the stone in place.

  WOOPS!. This Ruby stone wasn't drilled deep enough, and the stone won't be secure for any reasonable length of time.

 The "Table" of the stone must be kept far lower than the surface of the metal.

 This is an up-close photo showing how mediocre the setting is. There isn't enough metal holding the stone, especially after ring-polishing. "This is an accident waiting to happen". Get those stones set much deeper.

  This stone depth is 'barely passable', I would prefer at least 50% DEEPER STILL.  When the stone is basically at this height, there won't be enough metal to keep the stone from getting lost. In my opinion, this is poor planning.

  This is one of the most challenging gemstone setting procedures. The chances of not getting any of the stones correctly set are high on the list. PLEASE REMEMBER ONE THING! 

There are no shortcuts at any time.