"Mini-claw-setting" a.k.a. => "Pin-Setting".

 There are a 'few' names for this pattern for stone setting. The names are "Pin-Setting" & or "Mini-Claw Setting". Whatever name you wish to give it, the techniques are still the very same.

 I prefer (and so should YOU) to exam the waxes before commencing to forge ahead and start the metal casting. My reasons are many, as you will see.

The Difficulty Scale is (about) 6.5 out of 10.

 This particular wax (shown below) is aptly named "Ruby-Red" is just a great medium for this kind of 'accurate' casting. It's a very hard material and when the final casting takes place, you know that it will give you the exacting results that you demand!

 If you're planning to 'set stones in wax', remember that the wax claws are not meant to be moved.  They won't pass the 'pressure of pushing & moving' test, they might just break off! 

 When the stones are slightly heated, they will melt some of the wax surrounding the Girdle. This 'melting of wax' will for sure hold the stone in place.

 On every large casting, there still needs some 'finishing' to take place. For example, I'd prefer to bore out the holes long before the metal casting. The heat from your finger-tips will not soften this wax while you're holding it.

 The light-blue coloured wax is the regular injection wax. I shy away from this kind of wax, as it is very susceptible to getting distorted from the warmth from your finger-tips!!!

  If you need to do any re-coring of the plugged up holes, do so, but be very careful as not to distort any of the little 'pins'. We need every one of them!!!

  It's cheaper and much faster to replace any pins that are 'missing' from the injection process. If you encountered any 'missing pins', all you do is to add them in the wax form.

 The metal adjustments are more time consuming and labour & time-wasting. The answer for this is to examine your rubber mould again to see if that's the source of the ongoing problems.

 Another thing I must mention is that it is much faster to clean any 'extra' wax spots that don't belong there. "Cleaning in the metal", can be so very problematic if you are starting out with this sort of metal-working.

 You can hold these very sharp wax-cleaning burs in your fingers and then slowly rotate it in the wax plugged-up hole. BTW, I do this all the time and there is absolutely no need to put these burs into your flex-shaft handle. Your hand-held, rotating speed is sufficient for this easy task.

 Remember one important thing, these little three-toothed blades are extremely sharp at the point and along the edges of the three teeth. It is very easy to puncture your skin!! 

 Please use the utmost care, they are meant to be used for cleaning & cutting waxes, but not skin!!

  See how I can now hold this bur, just so very gently, remember we are using this on wax, and not on metal. Try not to be too 'aggressive' in rotating the blades with your fingers.

 Hold this bur vertical and not on any angle! (I wanted to use both hands in this picture, but of course, one hand had to hold the "iPhone" camera.)

  How long did it take me to clean all of those plugged holes? I estimated at least 2 minutes!
Now imagine if this was metal?  Don't even ask!

 Here is the actual rubber mould from where the waxes originated from. Can you see the few faint pins in the rubber, these will be eventually "plugged-up" holes!

The caster who does my wax injecting uses 'talcum powder' as a "Powdered Lubricant" to prevent the sticking of the two rubber forms together, while being separated to reveal the new wax. You can see the residue on both 'halves' of rubber.

 I can't imagine having anyone create these beads-pins 'one at a time'. These CAD programs do this so carefully. All is remaining now is to 'emery-clean & a light 'pre-polish' the whole setting areas.

 That little pin at the bottom of the plate was a little pin from my Magnetic-Tumbling beaker. If you intend to cloth-wheel polish, your little pins will get ruined in minutes.

 For an example here are a few of some of my previous setting C.A.D. projects. The whole setting process of setting these 'few' stones took me less than two hours. Not one 'mini-claw' was broken, thankfully!..:>)

 As my client was a 'novice' CAD-designer, we both decided where every mini-claw should be positioned.

 Remembering that only "2, mini-claws' were created for EACH stone, 'claw breakage' was not an option! As I had only a few moments to 'rest' my hands and fingers, I took a photo of this whole process!

                            

      This was just one section of a long necklace, I had to have the drawing at 'arm's length' at all the time in selecting the correct position of the 1,176 stones.

       These pictures are in the category of "Whoops!"

 Here are many photo's of plates that I had cast, the pins are at a very low height. I could still set the stones but with some difficulty, these 'might be used' at a later date, hopefully!

 This one section of the plate is totally useless, darn! But I photographed it to show you how castings might not turn out to what you want..;>(

 This section is still useable, to a point! The "pins" are just high enough (maybe) to be able to move over the girdle of the stones.

 This disk is now going into the recycle-bin, just to salvage the silver for newer 'demo'-rings!

 I can still make this section a 'decent setting' by using a Flat graver to dig into the base of the pin to push or move the pins closer to the stone. 

  I have to be very careful when trying to set the stones in this section, 'no shortcuts' are allowed!

 These pins are nice in the 'height department'. I see no problem in using this plate for this exercise!

  I set two stones just for the purpose of showing you what happens if you have an undersized stone. 

 The stone on the right is too small and it isn't sitting flat, or properly centred in the hole. The stone on the left is slightly larger and the 'pins' will get much closer to the girdle. Two pins for one stone!

 You can just barely see that I used a round bur to clean out the rim of each hole, as this is where the Pavillion will touch the 'rounded' hole.

 I'm now starting to use my "Under-Cutting bur" aka "156C" to start to make the 'fine' bearings in each of the claws. I will never think of cutting or digging into each claw, as this is not necessary. All it takes is a little touch with this bur, and it's DONE!

I will come in at a 'slight angle' and move it into a 'vertical' position in a few seconds as seen below!

    I rotate the bur in it's setting, so it is touching all of the pins!

 Here two bead-burnishers that will do all of my metal-pushing and rounding the tips of the pins at the same time. The tool on the right is too small and is well used with rough edges. The better bur is on the left, why? It is larger and will envelop the 'pin-top' and give a nicer finish.

 Hand-holding is another major concern to the setter, you are doing two things at once. The first step is to move the pin closer to the stone. The second step is to press down the tip onto the facets of the stone and this will hold the stone permanently in place!

  I put a little 'flange' or facet on the edge of the burnisher, this will enable me to move the burnisher into an upright position without damaging the Table of the stone.

 You can do this by taking the burnisher & lightly 'run or grind' it on the oil-stone surface.

  I've separated this selection of stones into little groups as I will be needing the larger stones in a moment. There is a lot of "picking & choosing" in this project! I will have 60 stones and select only 42 as required.

  My 'setting tools' are kept to a bare minimum, I don't need to fumble around and looking among many. In fact, some of my handles are colour and as well, shape coordinated.

 With my peripheral vision, I can easily locate the handle that I need without looking and taking my eyes off of the multitude of stones and pins!

 With the larger selection of stones, I've decided to use them where only ONE CLAW will be used for setting. With the same 156C bur as before, cut a bearing that will allow that stone to be fit, don't dig in too deep or the stone will never get tight!!!

  Just one claw is now holding that one stone, interesting isn't it?

  Now let's continue on further and proceed to prepare the rest of the stones along this bar of metal. AGAIN, just one claw to hold each of the stones!

  Here are some views of the same setting areas.

 BTW, you can see that I've cleaned and made sure that each hole is rounded with my bur. All of this was done at the very start in this setting project!

 On a topic of pushing the multitude of pins, there are two methods. I will use an Onglette #2 with a rounded-off  'underside front' this will enable me to move the graver, without breaking off the point.
I'm using the "face of the graver" to push the claw towards the stone

  Here again, is my favourite bead-burnisher ready to be used.

 As an alternate option, I sometimes use my Flat graver pivoting from one corner to the other side and leverage the graver in a forward motion this will move that one small pin closer to the stone.

 Once the pin is moving now with the Flat-face push forward. Trust me this works 100% of the time. BTW, this takes some practice, so please be rather careful at first.
                                      

 With my Flat graver #40, I am now starting to "Bright-Cut" the setting area. I want it to shine even without any polishing. I'm only cutting the very corner of the wall, but not touching anywhere near the stones. I call this making sure the viewer sees only a bright edge and surface.

 Some setters don't bother with all of this extra work, it's too labour & time-wasting! Not me, I want this project to shine.

  Now you can see just where my Flat #40 graver was cutting, nowhere else is needed. I think that you can see a long sliver of metal that was just now being removed.

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  As a final photograph on this long essay, you can see the remainder of all of my 'extra' stones and the finished setting area.

 For this one section, my setting time is about 45 minutes.  This is including much deliberation of choosing the correct stone sizes and finally the Bright-Cutting process.

 Just remember, that I now have 3 more sections to work on for a total of 168 stones of various sizes just on this one plate. I will stop many times to give my eyes & fingers time to rest, so should you!
 BTW, as I always say. "There are no short-cuts in stone setting"

"Channel Setting" (soft) Emerald & Golden Topaz stones!

 Has anyone attempted to Channel Set, Emerald & Golden Topaz stones together in one ring?

 In this demonstration, things can go terribly wrong in only a few seconds if no care is given during the placing or setting of the stones. 

I've used this pattern previously on many occasions, but there are some unforeseen problems in the selection of these very soft stones. Lets now discuss them in great detail.

 The problems are as follows:
1)  The "Table" => "Girdle" height measurements!
2)  The thickness of the "Girdle"!
3) The thickness of the "Pavillion"!
4) The depth from the "Girdle" => "Culet"!
5) The subtle shading of the stones, from intense Green & Topaz to the uniform colours! 
6)  The overall diameter of all the five stones being placed together into a narrow setting!

 These problems make this style of setting a very definite; 7.5 out of 10 on my "Difficulty Scale"!
The experience needed for this exercise: Minimal!

 What tools do 'we' need?
 I prefer these two packets of burs within 'arms reach' of my bench-peg.

  Here are the contents of these two round bur sets #003 => #028 inclusive!

 Just a few of my 90degree angle "156C" undercutting burs, some folks call these bearing-cutters or under-cutting burs! Whatever you call them, they do their job of making a seat for the Girdles of the stones. As I've mentioned many times before, the letter "C" denotes that these burs are made of Carbide-Steel.

                 

  Here is a 70degree angled bur. I have no idea why anyone would buy these, as no stone is polished or cut with a 70degree angle, not even a diamond. There is as well, no allowance for the Pavillion.

     I, many times use these HSS burs to both cut the bearings and as well the Pavillion grooves just to cut down my bur time. But getting the correct size of bur is very important for example, a 3.00 millimetre stone I would use a 2.50mm bur on average.

  

 This is the original wax I have in my inventory and then I decided to use it just for this exercise.

  

 I broke off the 'mini-claws' just for this essay, thus leaving me with a 'low profile' channel-setting opening. Nothing is to stop me from using this modified wax-form, you can do the very same if you have a similar wax-frame to work with!

   Here is the very same wax prior to the quick modification!

 There is barely any height to the channel wall, but it's still a usable demonstration piece!

 I like the wide opening, as I don't have to waste much time boring out the holes in the metal to take the large five stones.

 

  Already I can see a few problems that can be 'repaired' prior to any setting. Let's deal with them NOW!

 I'm attempting to separate two colour groups for each 'group', all must have the same 'colour shading'.

 My problem now is to find three Emeralds with the same diameter and as well the Golden-Topaz all five must have the same width.

 I will spend much time measuring each stone for the Pavillion depth and Girdle thickness. These points are so terribly important in setting these stones side-by-side!

  Now the 'fun' starts in preparing the channel. But how do I make the channel wall higher? I'll be making the base much lower.

 But first, I MUST core out the inside hole for the Pavillion faceting. I will not use a round bur but using only a tapered Bud-shaped bur.

 The bur size DOES matter! I will never use a bud-bur the exact same size as the stone. In this case,
I will use 2.50 mm bur just for the 3.00 mm stone!

 In this photograph, I'm using a very wide bud-shaped bur, how wide? Just wide enough as to not touch the two side walls, lay this bur horizontally and let the bur remove that metal.

 With this action, it is actually making the walls higher by lowering the base, good idea?

 To make and remove all of the little aberrations from casting, I'm now going to use a #006 round-bur and clean out all of the inside corners where the stones will be resting.

 Two stones with the same colouring, but let's not forget the Pavillion depth and the diameter.
I always have 2-3 extra stones in case of unforeseen problems just like these. I also ask my stone dealer if I can 'return' the unused stones, if not I'll add them to my inventory or in case of breakage during setting.

 These two stones are now IN the 'two walls'. You can see where I did the inner cleaning. Remember to get rid of all of the extra unnecessary little pieces of metal around the inner-edges. If not, the stones will never fit in with any degree of accuracy.

 See just how high the stone is sitting, look at the "Table' of the stone, I can even see how high the Pavillion is resting, not in the hole, but raised HIGH. This is definite "NO-NO".

 The Pavillion is now IN THE HOLE therefore, the 'Table' is now resting lower into the ring!
 BTW, I could get the stone lower, if I could, but the low-profile walls are still a problem. The ring is now better for stone-setting than before, agree?

 I have another method to secure a stone prior to the hammering of the two channel-walls.

 Since I have only one metal 'demo' now being used at my bench. I will attempt to use another easier method by showing you (with the wax) and using this as a demonstration. 

  I really like these pair of pliers, as they have almost parallel jaws near the point or ends.

  Using this easier method, I'm 'crimping' the two walls together, at once! There are no remaining marks on the metal walls. Just how easy is that?

                                      

  My remaining method is using my Onglette graver #1. But modified to create a very, very thin sliver of metal just inside the bearing just above the girdle of the stone.

 I think that this is a good idea, but somewhat of a delicate technique to those folks who are not skilled in using gravers.

  In this ultra-close photograph, you can see just where the little wire-bead is located. I make sure that the over-hanging sliver of metal is above the Girdle of the "Crown-Facets" and nowhere else!

  Here is the fine-tuned Onglette #1 graver creating that little bead, interesting idea?

  Would you believe that the width of the modified graver is only .35mms? This is only at the very point of the blade, the graver on the left is a normal 1.40mm's. I need this thin graver to get inside the bearings made for the Girdle.

  Now you can see just where the point is starting to do its work in securing the stones.

  Be so very GENTLE when doing this against an Emerald, accidents might happen!

                                                

 These Wire-Beads will be literally covered over by the metal being pushed over while in the
hammering process!

 All is now ready to do the hammering and final cleanup afterwards. So much work to get this ring-top completed.

 With all five stones tightly secured by either of the two techniques, we can go to the next stage. Let's suppose that the five stones were not into the channel deep enough, there would be much 'breakage' starting NOW!

  I like to use a riveting hammer on 'most setting jobs' but my reciprocating hammer works best for me here!

 I'm now holding the anvil at a 45degree angle "away" from the stones. The hammering action might touch the 'Table-facet' and "Good-Bye, stone"..:>(

 The downside is that you are not getting to see exactly where the hammer face is actually touching!

 Why is the ring-top situated on a mandrel?  If I was, or even you were hammering on a leather insert wooden ring clamp the "hitting power' will get absorbed into the leather lining.

 All reciprocating hammer hitting is done on metal, why is this? The steel frame allows the "hitting power" to be put into the ring-top where it belongs & not to get absorbed from another medium.

 I AVOID HOLDING THE HAMMER ANVIL AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE. I don't want to reduce the thickness of the Channel metal. I need it for the "Bright-Cutting" that's next on my adgenda.

  I am so very careful not to touch any stone in the hammering process. I will hammer until each stone will not move anymore!

 Those little pieces of metal will be removed in the filing and Bright-Cutting process. There has to be a little space in between each stone. Don't have any stone grind against each other, or breakage will occur. This is including that no two stones must overlap each other, the results are not nice! 

 This Emerald is tilted and the Golden Topaz is underneath at the Emerald Pavillion. (I only hope that nothing happens in the hammering process).

  If I see that a stone is tilted, I will cut away those little wire-beads and re-position that tilted stone.

 Can you now see why I ask you not to have any stone grind, or touch each stone? The Emerald stone has now been damaged, ouch!

 The Flat Graver #40 used for Bright-Cutting is now starting to cut the inside of the Channel wall.  The corner of this graver will remove all of those little wire-beads while it is Bright-Cutting the metal.

 Here is the Bright-Cutting being done. If the metal was reduced in thickness, there wouldn't be any chance to do this interesting technique.

 If you can cut a semi-circle around the two ends, this will make a nice appearance to the overall pattern.

 All of the 'hammering marks' should be removed with your Pumice wheel of  #180 grit. Try and avoid using a file as this just by itself will leave more stirations in the metal.

 Just another view, this shows how the remaining few of the 'hammering marks' look. 

 How would you remove these offending indentations? I would use my Flat-Faced pumice #180 grit wheel so very gently but not aggressively at one spot. I would just further smooth the surrounding areas and keeping the curvature of the metal on my mind.

 Why was I using my felt-marker on the metal? A very easy answer, I want to know at all times where my pumice wheel is touching!

  Once all of the marks have been removed, don't stop there! Remember that there is a continuation of the curve of this ring-top.

 Keeping in mind that appearance is 75% of the setting, if there is a curve on the ring, keep it there!

 Don't allow any flat spots to appear anywhere! 

                                            Just a few notes to remember: 
 File with your Pillar file #2 grit at an angle of 45 degrees away from the stones.

 Try and remove ALL OF THOSE remaining marks. Keeping in mind as to not let any file get too close to the inner-edge where those delicate stones are located.

 Hammer even at the curve of the setting area at the end of the Channel. Maintaining the 'curve' of the pattern everywhere at all times. This alone is so important!

  Continue with the hammering anvil beyond the end stones, again at a 45degree angle.

 You can easily see that the anvil is nowhere near, or even close to the inner Channel wall.
You can see that there is a little thin 'untouched' space between the anvil hitting and the bezel angle.

 This now gives you enough metal for the Bright-Cutting processes.

                                                              F I N I S H E D!!!..:>)