Stone setting with a hammer hand piece

I've always set stones with a pusher.

However recently I've had a couple of reasonably big oval stones to set in
rings and I've found it very difficult to get a good uniform finish on the
bezel.

Either I'm getting older or gold is getting harder...

So, I'm looking at a hammer type handpiece for my pendant drill (It's a
Foredom) and the Foredom D15 seems suitable, except I can't find any
instructions to do the work.

With a pusher you work 'side to side' and clean up later, but is there a
different technique for using the machine hammer?


--
William Black

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe
Barbeques on fire by chalets past the headland
I've watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off Newborough
All this will pass like ice-cream on the beach
Time for tea

William Black wrote:
I've always set stones with a pusher.

However recently I've had a couple of reasonably big oval stones to set in
rings and I've found it very difficult to get a good uniform finish on the
bezel.

Either I'm getting older or gold is getting harder...

So, I'm looking at a hammer type handpiece for my pendant drill (It's a
Foredom) and the Foredom D15 seems suitable, except I can't find any
instructions to do the work.

With a pusher you work 'side to side' and clean up later, but is there a
different technique for using the machine hammer?


--
William Black

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe
Barbeques on fire by chalets past the headland
I've watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off Newborough
All this will pass like ice-cream on the beach
Time for tea




Some notes in no particular order :

I have a #15 Foredom -it's tight , and the price was right.I
prefer mine with a duplex spring...

I like to wax my stones using beeswax and a squeezy alcohol lamp.

Then I lightly tighten the bezel along a segment then a diferent
segment ,the way you would tighten a car wheel .

After the stone is "locked up" (won't move), go back and make it
pretty.

Sometimes the setting will require you to Hammer in (towards the
stone)
instead of down (on the edge of the bezel or segmented bezel) don't do
this much though or you may CRUSH the stone.

If the bezel was cast ,I might anneal it, then undercut it from
the inside so you can "move metal" easier.

Hold the tip of the handpiece against your index finger ,
so it can guide it. Never hammer on the edge of a channel of
diamonds(or anything else),it will "mushroom" it , instead setback the
H.H. tip a m.m. or more.

Hold the tip off the piece high enough that it "only just" hits
it
and not flat against it, the metal will move easier that way.

Some people (me) shave their H.H. tips for special purposes like
channel setting (skinny rectangle)
peening and riveting (slight dome)
bust out a bad stone (pointy)
Also I like to hammer on a mandrel or stamping block if possible...if
it's a mandrel don't snug the ring up all the way on or it could change
your perception of stone tightness ...

By the way , don't heat the tips past tempering temperature,
just like a graver.I like a diamond pacific wheel on a wet grinder.

We now return you to the Peter Rowe/ Abrasha Radio Hour...

wrote in message
...


William Black wrote:
I've always set stones with a pusher.

However recently I've had a couple of reasonably big oval stones to set
in
rings and I've found it very difficult to get a good uniform finish on
the
bezel.

Either I'm getting older or gold is getting harder...

So, I'm looking at a hammer type handpiece for my pendant drill (It's a
Foredom) and the Foredom D15 seems suitable, except I can't find any
instructions to do the work.

With a pusher you work 'side to side' and clean up later, but is there
a
different technique for using the machine hammer?

Some notes in no particular order :

I have a #15 Foredom -it's tight , and the price was right.I
prefer mine with a duplex spring...

I like to wax my stones using beeswax and a squeezy alcohol lamp.

Then I lightly tighten the bezel along a segment then a diferent
segment ,the way you would tighten a car wheel .

Sounds very similar to using a pusher.

After the stone is "locked up" (won't move), go back and make it
pretty.

Sounds VERY similar to using a pusher...

If the bezel was cast ,I might anneal it, then undercut it from
the inside so you can "move metal" easier.

I usually make my own bezels, but thanks.


Also I like to hammer on a mandrel or stamping block if possible...if
it's a mandrel don't snug the ring up all the way on or it could change
your perception of stone tightness ...

Again I'm a bit old fashioned, I like to use a ring/shellac peg and a bench
peg cut to hold it.

--
William Black

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe
Barbeques on fire by chalets past the headland
I've watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off Newborough
All this will pass like ice-cream on the beach
Time for tea