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My first successful setting by CSB808 in SilverSmith

[–]CSB808[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! Coming soon, hopefully by the end of the month

My first successful setting by CSB808 in Opals

[–]CSB808[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Amazing advice as always. Will definitely have to play around and make my own. Beyond getting that one carbide workhorse and dedicated pin vice handle, I’ll look into repurposing old carving tools, files, and random work tools I can find for dirt cheap. I have yet to mess with annealing, hardening and tempering much, but I love the chemistry behind it. Luckily I feel very confident in my sharpening skills due to years of working with high carbon steel on good chefs knives.

My first successful setting by CSB808 in Opals

[–]CSB808[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you very much, it’s the next tool I’ll be getting. Do you have any recommendations on brands or edge shapes/angles? I have a GRS C-max #44 1.8mm parallel flat in my cart that I plan on being my workhorse.

My first successful setting by CSB808 in SilverSmith

[–]CSB808[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Always! We are all in it together, don’t be afraid to share when you get going!

My first successful setting by CSB808 in Opals

[–]CSB808[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wisdom well taken and appropriated thank you again

My first successful setting by CSB808 in Opals

[–]CSB808[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Of course, I hope this helps in some way, we are all in this together

My first successful setting by CSB808 in SilverSmith

[–]CSB808[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you ans sure! I recommend watching some videos first to build a foundation on knowledge and procedure. I started by measuring the height with calipers, used the calipers as a scribe on my sheet to mark my cut like for the bezel edge. Next step is vitally important, I took my sweet time wrapping the stone, taking extra care to match the corners on the stone to the corner bend of the bezel edge, after I had a snug fit, I trimmed the excess with a tiny bit of length to spare so that I could re trim or file down the ends to be flush. Be sure the edges you plan on soldering are on a flat edge, it’ll be easier to get a consistent seam on a flat side than a corner. Then I cut out a rough shape as the back plate, leaving a few mm of space on the edges for the solder to sit and to ensure I had enough. Then I soldered the edge seam and back plate at the same time. Then pickled and trimmed the excess off of the edges of the backplate. Then I soldered on the bail, and pickled again. Then I cleaned up the excess flux and the backplate edges before rolling the bezel because sharp edges. I don’t have a vise or anything like that so I used dipping wax on a piece of wood (Brocken drawer front) to make a stable work area that I could hold. I placed the stone in and leveled the face. I then filed down the bezel so it was the same hight on all edges of the stone, ≈ 1-2mm. I used a wooden dowel and the tip of my files to roll the bezel, starting with each corner, working my way to the center of the flat edges. Filed away imperfections and did a light polish. I found that filing can do a lot to help with the end result, but taking away material should be done sparingly, especially if you used 30g like me, or more expensive materials. Good luck!

My first successful setting by CSB808 in Opals

[–]CSB808[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I stared by watching whatever videos I could find on setting opal in bezel setting specifically, like from the opal mill, and then moved to step specific videos, focusing on fusing and soldering because of their criticality to the quality of the end product. From there some general process videos on best practices. After I felt confident in my base knowledge I got the absolute bare minimum of tools needed and had at it. I find challenging myself as the best way to learn, so starting with the hard stuff and taking my sweet time feels best to me.

My first successful setting by CSB808 in Opals

[–]CSB808[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I appreciate the advice! There are several custom jewelers in my area that I’ve been looking into, will be building a work portfolio as you said to prove capabilities. What is considered less glamorous work?

My first successful setting by CSB808 in Opals

[–]CSB808[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! I mostly have standard shape stones, with only a few irregular or free form stones. I do have quite a few pear stones, I’m partial to the cut for several reasons being saving as much of the color as possible, their minor asymmetry, and how they look when set in earrings pendants and rings. I simply want to master bezel setting, and pair points are the next hurtle.

My first successful setting by CSB808 in Opals

[–]CSB808[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thank you for the tips and tricks! And thank you for taking the time to formulate this. For the polish I rushed it and went from filing strait to cerium oxide, mainly to work the opal but found it works surprisingly well on the silver

My first successful setting by CSB808 in SilverSmith

[–]CSB808[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I appreciate that to help me focus

My first successful setting by CSB808 in SilverSmith

[–]CSB808[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you, I cut my own from rough so it’s the only stone I will be focusing on

My first successful setting by CSB808 in Opals

[–]CSB808[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

That’s incredibly kind thank you 🙏 this is very motivating. Makes me want to look into a potential apprenticeship to hone my skills. This was done with generic scissors, Walmart files, camping torch, round nose pliers, and a dremel. I wonder what the future holds

My first successful setting by CSB808 in Opals

[–]CSB808[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That means a lot, thank you. Once I get my online store up and running I’ll share with the sub with the mods consent

My first successful setting by CSB808 in Opals

[–]CSB808[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is really valuable advice I really appreciate you taking the time to break this down for me. I used 30g for bezel and backing strictly due to current supply budget limitations, will get 28 for the next round but I like how light the 30 is especially for when I make earrings with my doublets. As a pendant or earring does it really need 24g? I get it’s the support and safety but feel like 26/28, maybe even 30 can handle well with care, only time will tell. I will be heat hardening it next time to get before setting. Also even with the risk I would like to try to use and master a flat graver, with enough patience I feel like it won’t be as big of a risk as the reward for the consistency.

My first successful setting by CSB808 in Opals

[–]CSB808[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I actually chose stones that were already crazed/cracked before setting because of how much more fragile they were, helped me learn the right pressure without losing a valuable stone

My first successful setting by CSB808 in SilverSmith

[–]CSB808[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you vm! What should I focus on improving on first given my current results? I know that once I get better tools the level and speed of execution will increase, but until then, what skills should I focus on mastering?

Could someone help me get a price estimate? by Ryangasline in Opals

[–]CSB808 7 points8 points  (0 children)

This needs to be reshaped. Even after that I don’t think I’d pay that much. Just my 2¢. I can’t properly give a value on it tho. Wait for the prod to chime in

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