Online Jewelry Training Classes for Metalsmiths
A diy setting tool to help hold the collet when setting prongs. This method works for setting diamonds in a collet and for setting single collet ear studs.
For a jewelry piece with collets already soldered in place, the wooden stick would be shaped to fit the jewelry piece.
A setting stick is very handy to have if one has to set individual collets.
I just make them out of a hardware store dowel stick and I use a ball frazer to hollow the stick out.
The two grooves are there for hooking onto the bench peg.
I use thermo plastic to hold the collet firmly in place.
Thermo plastic is heated up in hot water.
It then becomes very pliable and is moulded around the collet.
When I cools down it becomes hard again.
Once the stone is set, the plastic is heated up again and removed.
Because the collet is held in place with the thermo plastic in the setting tool, it allows for more precise placing of the stone.
I use modified prong pliers shown here, to bend each individual claw back.
You can find the Quick Collet Making free tutorial here.
And here is more information on Basic Prong Stone Setting Tutorial.
or select other projects from Jewelry Making Tutorials List
If you have any questions or wish to be notified of any new tutorials that are posted, email me.
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