Hi,
I am a bench jeweller/ designer maker in the UK. I have been at the bench so to speak for about 15 years on and off- I am afraid what I do doesn't pay the mortgage so I have a 'real' job too.

I love enamelling but I don't seem to get enough time to do it very much. I work mainly in silver (gold for me and my partner when I can afford it!) and I have recently become addicted to setting fused glass cabochons from a jewellery artist in Florida. ( see gallery.) I really have to work at the photography side of things, can't seem to get consistent results.

I look forward to seeing more people on this forum and chatting about the things that I love , namely working with metal.
Cheers, Ruth in the UK.

Keep the tank clean. Debris reduces the life of your machine and can cut down on the efficiency of the ultrasonic waves.

Keep the outside of the ultrasonic clean. Ultrasonic solutions can corrode the non-stainless housing of the machines. Moisture can also get into the seams of the housing and attack the electronics inside.

Never let anything touch the bottom your tank. Use a mesh basket or wire ring rack to suspend item in the cleaning solution. Items vibrated by ultrasonic waves when resting on the tank floor can wear "pinholes" in the tank. Solution can leak through and damage the electronics. When cleaning large items, place a piece of plastic on the bottom of the tank as a barrier to the tank.

Never let the level of the ultrasonic solution drop below 1-1/2" form the top of the tank. A low level of solution can cause damage to the transducers (the components that produce the ultrasonic waves).

Take care when emptying the ultrasonic tank. If the unit has a drain, use it! If there is no drain, make sure the unit is unplugged when pouring the solution into the sink, etc. Wipe down the exterior of the unit if anything spills.

Never put flammable or volatile chemicals in an ultrasonic. In addition to the ultrasonic waves, heat is produced by the action.

Keep the work area around your ultrasonic clean and clutter-free. This will minimize spills. Water and electricity do not mix.

Be safe and keep electrical cords and plugs in good shape. Frays and shorts don't mix with water.

Be aware. Ultrasonic action can raise the temperature of solution over 120ºF.

You must use some sort of cleaning solution in an ultrasonic. Water and ultrasonic waves do little.

Change the ultrasonic solution frequently. Cleaning solutions can go bad with age and use.

Generally one should always attach the sprue to the section of the pattern which has the greatest mass. Close attention to the size and position of the sprue will pay dividends, avoiding extra cost and time when you are cleaning up after production. Good sprue positioning takes time and experience, copying what has worked before on similar patterns will often produce the right results.

To V or not to V? That is the question. Whether it is nobler in the minds of thou customers to place upon their marquise a prong in the shape of a V, or dost thou leavest it exposed to the concerns of the world.

Ok, Shakespeare I’m not. However, for the bench jeweler the question remains. What do you do with this prong in the shape of a V?

Several shapes of stones have pointed ends, including marquise, pear, heart, and princess. Because these points are thin and fragile, it is important to protect them with a prong. This is particularly important on rings where the stone is subjected to more abuse than in pendants, earrings, or broaches. Although a standard prong will suffice, a V shaped prong is preferred. A V-prong provides additional protection and more securely holds the point of the stone.

Special care must be taken when setting these stones to keep from chipping or breaking the point. Extensive preparation is necessary, and work must be executed with precision to properly set them. Nothing short of true craftsmanship can be exercised while attempting to set a stone with pointed ends.

The seat in the V-prong can be cut with a variety of burs, gravers, drill bits, or files. There is no one best method. The method used will depend on the situation and one’s own preference of tools. The following is the basic procedure I most often follow.

Using a small heart bur cut a line on the inside of the prong at the height you want the girdle of the stone. Check and double-check that this line is at the proper height, is straight, and level. In addition to beginning to form the seat, this line will serve as a guide to base all future cutting on. If this line is off it will be near impossible to set the stone straight. This line does not have to be very deep at this point (it can be cut deeper later). However, do not cut into the prong more than 1/3 the thickness of the prong.

Next turn the bur 90° and cut a line down the center of the prong. This cut, along with the first cut, will form a cross-shaped pattern in the prong. This second cut will allow clearance for the pavilion of the stone. It is particularly important on the heavier cast V-prongs.

Then using a bud bur, cut a hole in the center of the cross. Cut no further than ½ the way into the prong. This hole creates the void surrounding the tip of the stone. Make certain there is a cavity below AND above the tip of the stone. Putting pressure on the tip of the stone from above with no support underneath will cause the point to break off.

Finally trim away any excess metal and smooth the seat using a polished flat graver.

How you cut the seat is not nearly as important as what you accomplish. The seat you cut in a V-prong must accomplish three items:

1. A smooth even seat must be cut which will support the sides of the point on the stone.

2. A void must be cut to surround the very tip of the stone.

3. Enough metal must be removed to safely push the top of the prong over the stone, yet leaving enough metal to securely hold and protect the stone.

Once the seat is completely cut, examine it for these items with a loupe or microscope. Examine the seat first, then lay the stone in the setting and re-examine it. One small bur of metal or ripple in the seat is all it takes to break the point off a stone.

ALWAYS check the stone with a loupe or microscope before you begin to push the prongs over the stone. Then check AGAIN once the prongs are part way down and the stone no longer rocks. The small amount of extra time taken to check the seats can save a lot of heartbreak latter.

With pear or heart shaped stones, bend the V-prong over the stone first. Then push the remaining prongs over the stone, tightening it in the setting.

On marquise shaped stones, bend the side prongs over the stone first, securing it into the setting. Then the V-prongs are adjusted down over the points. The V-prong should be seen as protection to the fragile points rather than used to actually hold the stone.

Several methods can be used to push the prong down onto the stone. A prong pusher can be used to gently roll the metal over the stone in the same manner you would push a bezel down. First, push on one side of the V, then the other. Alternate sides until the prong is tight against the crown of the stone.

Chain nose pliers with polished jaws can also be used. Place one jaw at the top of one side of the V, and the other jaw at the base of the opposite side of the prong. Gently squeeze one side down a little, then reverse the position of the pliers and move the opposite side. Work back and forth until the prong is down on the crown of the stone.

Another method using chain nose pliers is to place both jaws at the top of the outside edges of the V. Make certain the jaws are at the top of the prong well above the girdle of the stone. Angle the pliers to match the angle of the crown facets. Then gently squeeze the pliers together. As the pliers come together at the point of the V, the jaws will burnish the metal down onto the stone. Keep repeating the procedure until the metal is tight against the stone. As you work, excess metal will form between the pliers’ jaws, making a line at the point of the V. This excess metal needs to be removed with a file.

Some jewelers cut a V in the top of the prong leaving two tabs to push over the stone. Then once the tabs are down the seam is soldered closed. This method works fine on diamonds, but cannot be used on most color stones. There is one danger, however, in using this method on diamonds. If excess solder is used it can flow into the void providing clearance at the tip of the point. As the solder solidifies it contracts. This can cause the point to chip or break off.

Once set, trim and shape the outside of the prongs using a #6 needle file. Be certain the file has a polished safety edge to avoid the possibility of chipping or abrading the stone. Trim and clean up the inside edge of the V with a polished flat graver. Remove the file marks with an abrasive rubber wheel and polish.

Remember: Caution Is The Better Part Of Valor. If you feel uncertain while setting, STOP, take a deep breath, check all your steps, examine the setting with your loupe, then proceed. If you still feel uneasy, take a break, get a drink of water, and relax a bit. Then re-examine the setting and proceed to finish the setting.

Follow these steps and you will not suffer a fate such as Juliet and her Romeo. “Parting is such sweet sorrow, Farewell, Farewell, I bid you Farewell….”

Bradney W. Simon is JA Certified Master Bench Jeweler and has over 23 years experience on the bench. He is committed to help making Jewelry Repair Shops more Efficient and Profitable. Visit him at www.BWSimon.com

Setting gemstones is an important function for Bench Jewelers. Being able to do so without damaging the stones is essential. The following tips will help make this task easier.

Always use a lubricant on burs when cutting seats. This will make smoother cuts and extend the bur’s life. Solid wax-based lubricants are handy to use and are less messy.

Before beginning to set any stone remove all tools from your lap tray. Even a diamond can be chipped it if hits a hard steel tool when dropped.

Line the bottom of your lap tray with a piece of leather, mat board, or cloth. This will protect stones from the metal bottom if dropped into the tray.

Before setting colored stones wash your hands and clean off your bench top, bench pin, and lap tray. Metal filings and abrasive particles on your bench and hands can scratch soft stones during setting.

When setting colored stones with an uneven pavilion in clusters or as side stones, set the thicker portion to the outside of the mounting where it will receive more abuse. Setting the stone with the thinner edge to the outside it maybe chipped while wearing.

When setting colored stones, use a crown that is slightly larger than the crown you would set the same size diamond. This larger size is needed to accommodate the larger pavilion on color stones.

When setting soft stones such as Tanzanite, coat the stone with clear fingernail polish. The fingernail polish is not hard enough to completely protect the stone, but will give some protection from abrasion. More importantly it will serve as an indicator. If you scrape the fingernail polish you are too close back off! After setting and polishing soak in acetone. DO NOT do this on stones such as emerald where the acetone will remove possible oiling.

Always cut a hole in the inside bottom of a closed bottom crown. This hole can be cut with a drill bit or a round bur. This will allow clearance for the culet of the stone. If this clearance is not provided, the stone may chip during setting, or while wearing if the customer knocks the stone.

After cutting the seat, clean the burs off the prongs before placing the stone into the crown. Use a graver to cut the burs away, or scrape them off with your tweezers. Then, polish the inside of the crown before continuing the setting process.

When setting marquise stones, bend the side prongs over the stone first. Then when tight bend the tip prongs or V-Tips over the points of the stone to protect them from chipping.

When setting pear shaped stones, first bend the point prong or V-Tip. Then place the stone into the crown, and push the remaining prongs over the stone to secure it.

To make certain prongs are down tight on the crown of the stone, hold the stone eye level. Then, hold your index finger about 1” above the stone. This will shield direct light from the stone, causing a silhouette of the stone and prong. Then, you can easily see light coming through any gaps between the stone and prong. If necessary, tape a 3 X 5 white index card on the wall in front of your bench to provide a light background to hold the stone in front of.

Use bent chain nose pliers to set stones with, instead of your regular chain nose pliers. Then, your hand and the body of the pliers will be out of your line of sight allowing you a better view of the work you are doing.

Use an 8/0 sawblade to make a relief cut in prongs. Then they will be easier to push over fragile stones. Make the cut on the inside of the prong at the top edge of the girdle of the stone.

On heavy prongs, use a small ball bur to carve a hollow area on the inside on the prong. This will make it easier to bend over fragile stones.

When setting stones with large pavilions, test fit the stone table down. When the stone fits in the seat table down, you can be certain the seat is cut properly to accommodate the girdle of the stone. Then all remaining cutting on the prongs needs to be done below the girdle to accommodate the pavilion.

Place rings on a steel mandrel when channel setting rather than holding in a ring clamp. This will provide the needed support when hammering.

When pave or channel setting, place a strip of double stick tape in your stone tray. Then stones can be laid out on the tape in the same order as in the mounting. The tape will keep them in order even if the tray is bumped.

Dust the mounting and stones with talcum powder when bead or pave setting. This will eliminate the glare, providing a better view of the metal beads and stones. You can make a “dusting bag” by placing talcum powder in the center of a cloth handkerchief. Use enough powder to form a ball about the size of a golf ball. Secure the loose ends with a rubber band. The banded end will serve as a handle. Tapping the ball of powder once or twice against the mounting will provide sufficient powder on the mounting.

Use a heart bur to cut the seat when pave setting. With the undercut seat you do not need to move the metal as far to form the beads.

Use a bur to “rough out” bright cutting. Then, less metal needs to be cut with a graver.

When setting stones in thin rings that may bend, take a ball of shellac that will fit easily into the finger hole of the ring. Warm the ball of shellac and place it in the finger hole. Then place the ring with the ball in a ring clamp and tighten the clamp. The warm shellac will spread through the ring supporting the thin top for setting. To remove, warm the shellac and push out. When cool place the ring in alcohol to remove the remaining shellac.

If the metal is particularly thin, use a setting bur that is slightly dull. Then, rather than cutting the metal away cleanly, it will push some of the metal down. This metal will bulge down below the plate supporting the stone.

Oil of Wintergreen is an excellent lubricant to use when cutting with gravers. A convenient container can be made by drilling a ½” hole in the lid of a small tin, such as the kind watch parts come in. Then, place a cotton ball saturated with oil of wintergreen in the tin and replace the lid. To use, dip the graver tip in the cotton before cutting. Caution: be certain to wash your hands before rubbing your eyes.

Look for additional Bench Tips in the new book Trade Secrets from B W Simon. This book is scheduled to be published in the fall of 2001.

Bradney W. Simon is JA Certified Master Bench Jeweler and JA Certified Management Professional. He has over 24 years experience the retail jewelry industry. Bradney is committed to help Retail Jewelry Stores become more Efficient and Profitable. Visit him at http://www.bwsimon.com/