Beads! Just 4 YOU => 32 photos

 Although this topic's name is briefly mentioned. The information is vast and very detailed. This started out as blank sides on a gent's ring. All the beads were created using different techniques.

 For this exercise, I prefer to use only two Onglet gravers: #1 and #0. The #0 is the narrowest blade in my inventory.

 This particular blade will cut a line between one piece of metal, thus making 'TWO BEADS'.

 

  This IS THE PIECE OF 'BLANK METAL' that I'm writing about. Don't destroy or ruin it. 

 How does it look now after the amazing transformation has taken place?

  

 With the (somewhat) wide Onglet graver #I will cut a line, making this 'space' into 4 pieces of metal. You can now see the beginnings of something interesting. Agree?

 This is where the ultra-thin Onglet graver #1 comes into use. This graver cuts DEEP, but it doesn't cut a wide (metal-removing) swath.

  From a 'blank piece of metal', BEADS are now starting to evolve.

 

  With your bead-burnisher, you can 'round off' the tips of the beads. 

NEW BEADS ON BLANK METAL

Decide where your beads will be located; avoid guessing. 

  This spacing is not guesswork, but 'marked with planning'.

 If there is 'extra' space, I use more beads as a decorative measure. These, too, will be burnished and made round on the tip.

 That long piece of silver is where the casting-sprue came from. This will be removed when all of my metal carving has been completed. I keep it for my shellac stick holding.

 The metal in between the two holes can be engraved with a little 'square' pattern. This pattern, when it is 'Bright Cut', will shine just like another gemstone.

 Those little triangles will be another version of 'beads'. I use a 'Flat' shaped graver #40 to cut the 4-sided metal pattern.

 No matter what blade I'm using, I prefer the number #800 grit polishing paper for giving the blade additional shine.

 I usually draw a rough pattern on the metal; this is my plan for metal cutting.

 I use a '156C' bur to under-cut these little beads. If I used a round bur for setting, much of the metal could be removed by accident.

 This is the official name for these "Bead Burnishers".

All beads must be burnished before or after stone setting.

This is a photo that is being prepared for gemstone setting.

 It is much better to burnish the beads before setting. Why is this? There could be an opportunity that you need to 'Bead-Set Genuine Emeralds'. This is your answer to this question.

 What size of  Bead Burnisher would you use? Another simple question? The size of the burnisher must be 30-50% larger than the bead itself.

 Supposing that the soft stone is in the metal, and you have to burnish the delicate bead tip. You just might fracture the stone, 'Goodbye stone'. It's easier to do the rounding NOW!

 This has one of the most decorative metal-cutting designs in it. The beadwork is a skill to be learned and practised often.

 All of the creative metal carving was done long before the stones were set. The burnishing is the very last step in this long process.

 On these small Emeralds, there is a definite risk of damaging the soft stone. The sound of 'crunch' is a sound we don't want to hear.

  Every new & decorating bead was burnished. I never leave the 'finishing' to the 'cloth wheel' polishing.

 I want to enhance the metal, not to ruin the new delicate beads.

  This is a 'before & after' stone setting photo, and this was a 2-hour-long project.

 

 I'm now using a small HSS bur to create seats against the new beads. These beads are now acting as claws. Amazing opportunity!