HOW TO: make and set a bezel with corners
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 พ.ค. 2018
- Hello, hello! In this video I show you how to make a bezel for a gemstone with corners, and how to set it properly (no buckled corners!). For those familiar with soldering and just want to learn how to create the bezel and set the stone, start at the beginning of the video, then fast-forward to the 19:46 mark for setting the stone.
Materials List:
• gemstone cabochon with corners
• fine silver bezel wire
• sterling silver sheet
• Sharpie (or permanent marker)
• solder
• flux
• torch
• solder pick
• pickle pot
• tongs
• bezel rocker
• bezel pusher
• scraper
• 500 grit wet/dry paper
• files
• polishing equipment - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
Awesome! Thank you!
Excellent tutorial! I have in the past, encountered the buckling of corners...This video taught me how to do it correctly. Thank you.💖
FANTASTIC and CLEAR instructions !😁😁😁
Thank you for this extremely helpful video!!
Thank you for a very clear explanation!
Excellent video loved it one of the best I have ever seen for setting this type of bezel hats off to ya girlie
Really helpful, keep the videos coming!!!!
I´m sooooo thankful to have found your video, incredible technique to set a square stone!!!!
I'm so glad it's helpful!
This is excellent, so so so happy you made this and I found it! I am getting ready to make and set square bezels and ive been intimidated, but thanks to your teaching and this video (which I will refer to in detail when I get to making hehe) I feel less afraid because now I’m not in the dark and have a plan laid out step by step! Thank You!!
I'm so glad it's helpful! Practice is key for it to be like second nature... before you know it, you'll be making and setting square/rectangle/triangle bezels just as quickly and precisely as round and oval ones. 😁 Happy creating!
I was taught to file all edges without the stone to prevent damaging the stone. Also rubbing the bezel in a figure of eight movement to ensure that all edges get filed evenly at the same time before the stone goes in. If the stone gets damaged the whole thing loses its quality. Otherwise this is a great and easy to follow uncomplicated lesson on corners. Yes you make it look so simple . Many thanks as I've always wondered how to do sharp corners. This is great ..thanks again.
You are correct! The majority of the time, I get all of the sanding done before the stone is in place, but I have 20 years of experience under my belt, so I know I can keep the stone safe (it's also one of the tricks that I teach in my classes). The issue with this boulder opal is that its surface was uneven, which added a level of complexity to this; no matter how much I sanded the entire piece, the bezel would never be the correct height for each edge of the boulder opal. I was originally taught to sand the bezel in a figure eight movement as well, but it rarely worked correctly due to the had naturally putting more pressure on one side than the other, that's why I rotate the way I do to keep it even. Different methods work best for different people. :)
Thank you! Very nicely explained and demonstrated.
Thanks so much for taking your time to share. I’ve learned a lot.
Great video, thank you. I've been struggling with a triangle bezel and I have a soldering iron that I'm trying to achieve the bezel with. Haven't had much luck with it yet lol
Learned a lot...you have some really good simple valuable practices to share. Thank you.
thank you for your knowledge you are amazing !
Great video! Thanks!
You are very good at demonstrating this. Thanks for sharing such an awesome tutorial! I'm trying to build up enough confidence to try this. So far I've only done wire wrapping using copper wire and silver plated copper. I have so many ideas for jewelry though and I think it would be fun to be able to do this. Again, many thanks!
Silversmithing is a different ballgame than wire wrapping, but a whole lot of fun! I've had quite a few students that started out as a wrapper and wanted to incorporate other techniques into their work. When things start opening back up again, do a search in your area for jewelry classes at your local community art school or even community college. This will get you started with the basics of sawing, forming, soldering, and give the building blocks necessary to do bezel settings of all types, hybrid settings, prong settings, and more. :)
Brilliant. Just got two square stones I didn't wat to shoink, Thanks for showing me how to set them right!
Great video, thank you!
Wow, that looks hard to do wile holding the camera. Thank you so much for the video, I just tried experimenting with square stone settings and had the exact problem you just showed how to avoid. Really appreciate it!
Recommend a tripod😉
You have stellar skills! I would have loved to see you solder the backplate to the bezel wire, being an absolute beginner. Would you please consider doing another video about soldering bezels to backplates? ♥️💜❤️
Sure thing! I've been trying to find a way to hold my phone safely and securely (without wobbling) so I can show soldering. 😁 I just started teaching another eight week session of Intro to Jewelry at The Banana Factory, so I hope to have some "free time" in the studio to film soon. 😊
Thank you. That was really helpful.
Thanks Emmy!
Thank you! Great video.
Thank you!!!
Thank you! I have been struggling with square and rectangular stones.
You're welcome! Stones with points are the trickiest, even for experts... follow the steps, keep practicing, and you'll be successful each time. :)
Love your video, lots of really handy tips. Can you do some more please!
I’m a beginner and my last three projects have bombed and silver is not cheap. Thanks for saving me as I was getting ready to move on to a square labradorite pendant tomorrow. I would have no doubt messed up the measurements. I have subscribed to your channel and look forward to your videos. 😊
I'm so glad this helped! My advice is just to take your time... while forming, metal is forgiving, it can always be straightened/flattened and re-formed if necessary. Go slow, walk away and take a break if you need to, and if you feel stuck at all, reach out via email if you have questions! And above all, every bit you do, whether it feels like it or not, it's progress... you've got this! :D
Thank you you just saved me some pain as I have to do one today!!
Wow! Excellent job! Thank you so much! The way you used the burnishers was really helpful!
I would love to see you do it on an oval cabichon. Thanks
Thank you! sorry for my late reply, TH-cam never notified me of any comments, I have three months' worth to catch up on! An oval or round cabochon is even easier, that's the standard that I teach my students how to do... I tell them to do about 30 of those, then try something with corners. :)
Thank you! That was extremely helpful information.
Glad it was helpful!
Congratulations, great job. Thanks for sharing. Greetings straight from Brazil.
Thank you fantastic video
Thanks for listing material
Great video thank you!
I loved this👍👍👍
Thank you!
Hi Emmy, I took a class with you pre-pandemic at the Banana Factory. It was fun to see your video as the top Google hit for making square bezels! You saved me a lot of headache and I successfully set a big square stone today, thank you!!
Hey Zoe!!! I'm so glad it was helpful; I really want to redo the video with someone else filming me (not enough hands to do it all). So excited you're still metalsmithing! I'd love to see what you created!
@@EmmyBeanJewelry Tagged you in an Insta story!
Here is a tip: buy several cheap cutting boards (I think I paid $2 each at Wallyworld) spray adhesive. Glue your sandpaper on the boards, I use 220, 500 and 1200. Makes for a great flat surface for sanding and when the sandpaper starts to get used up, the spray adhesive on plastic makes it easy to peel off and replace
brilliant tutorial! thanks for sharing your art creation!
Thank you ☺️
Just found your channel. That was very helpful. Thank you!😀
Great Video, I always have trouble with square cabochons. Would love to see a video on using step bezels. I hope you will address this . God Bless
Very nice pendant. Thanks for sharing.
Very informative video. It would have been helpful to readjust your camera so it shows how you solder your bezel to the backplate. Nice job!
Thanks! I wish I could have... my soldering station is at the very edge of my bench, right now I don't have a way to show soldering from overhead without risking damage to my phone from the intense heat. ;) I'm hoping to be able to invest in a camera (other than my cell phone) designated solely for videos, and rig a semi-permanent setup for overhead shots.
And what do you use to polish? And thank you for your answers :)
Your lesson is good and I enjoyed it. Only shou all tools you using because it cannot be seen closely on video.
Thank you . I have prescribed to your lessons.
That was awesome. I set my first stone this week. I did it with brass bezel, which I think make it harder.
Brass is a really hard metal! Try with fine silver, and the difference is like night and day, much more malleable and easier to use. It's not terrible expensive due to the thickness, so it's wallet-friendly even for practicing.
@@EmmyBeanJewelry I have a little fine silver. I bought metals from someone who was getting out of the business. I thought I would practice with the brass, but boy was it difficult. I scratched the stone. But I wear it. Thanks for your advice.
@@SoulfulVeg Oh, wow! Brass is difficult, so I commend you!!! I know copper bezel wire is available, though I've never used it myself. I adore fine silver, and I think you will, too. :) Hang onto the first piece you ever set, it's full of memories and when you're further along in your journey and ever feel "meh" about what you've accomplished, look at that first piece and see how far you've come. My mom has my first bezel-set ring... I burnished the bezel so hard and for so long (I was worried it wouldn't hold) I actually wore through the bezel on one side. O_o But, was proud of it. To this day, if I'm having a bad week and feel stuck creatively, or feel like nothing goes right, I look at photos of that ring and remember where it all began and how far I've come in those almost 20 years. :)
@@EmmyBeanJewelry I absolutely love that story! And I wear my imperfectly set brass and scratched labradorite pendant with pride. Thanks for your help.
Thankyou im newbie so great information thankyou
You are so welcome!
Could you tour your study and show us how you organize the materials? stones, metals .Great job Thanks
Absolutely! I'll put that on my list of videos I'd like to do. Thanks for the suggestion!
Love the alteration of the bezel/burnisher. Do you have a video on that? Very detailed video. Thanks.
Thanks! Sorry for my delay in responding... TH-cam hasn't sent notifications of comments for months.
I don't have a video of that, but it's standard procedure for me. First push and set the bezel with the bezel rocker, then finish smoothing and burnishing with the burnisher. I was originally taught to use only the burnisher to do it all, but it can be clumsy, the bezel rocker is much easier to use and does a better job.
Your video is absolutely fantastic with never seen before tips. I am trying to set a JM rectangle coin with rounded corners and had a little difficulty trying to set the coin. I used rounded pliers to try to do the corners but kept thinking that Emmy must have a better way. I would appreciate your suggestions to make it easy.
Thank you! 😊 Did you use the rounded pliers to form the bezel corners or to set the bezel corners? Unless I'm creating a bezel for a perfectly round gem, I always wrap the bezel wire around the item in order to get the exact shape, mark it with a permanent marker, cut the wire, then solder. If the rounded pliers used were tapered vs. straight, that can make a big difference in the final result. If it's difficult to keep the coin steady while wrapping the bezel wire around it, try temporarily sticking it onto your bench pin using blue-tack (that squishy blue stuff for hanging posters on a wall) or painter's tape.
Your videos are so helpful! I’m really new to this and I need to make square/rectangular custom sized closed back bezels (I’m going to resin cast old stamps and art work) and I’m not sure how to go about it! Do you have any videos that would cover how to do that?
So sorry I'm only responding now, TH-cam didn't send me any notifications about comments for months... (ahhh!)
I know a lot of people who do resin pieces, and due to the amount of work involved (which also means an increased cost when selling), instead of creating the bezel settings, they buy them die-struck and premade. Die-struck means there's no seams, so when you're dealing with transparent resin, there's nothing to detract from the overall look. Depending on how many you may need (if in the hundreds or more) it's something that a caster may be able to create for you. I don't do much production work, but the few times I have, having something to use as the standard form to create the bezel (to wrap the wire around) would be key for creating the same shape over and over and over again.
Thank you for posting! I am wondering if you have a video that shows how to solder? I'm not really experienced with this.
I don't have a specific video of soldering, but it's a good idea! I think during the upcoming holiday break I'll have my daughter act as camera-person to film me doing some demos... it can be tough to get all the right camera angles while filming solo. :)
Great video! I was wondering if you are able to use your silver clippings?
I usually save mine in a container, then when I have a decent amount, I weigh it and send it in to Rio Grande for store credit. :) Sometimes a "scrap" piece is just the right size for another purpose, so if the pieces are dime-sized or larger, they go in a different container. Artists are forever saving things just in case. ;)
This is a lifesaver, thank you! I got a hexagon cabochon as a freebie and its pretty but I'm scared 😂
You're welcome! I love hexagons; I used a hexagon rose cut salt-and-pepper diamond for my engagement ring. 😁 I've found hexagons to be more user-friendly than triangles, diamond shapes, and squares... the more points on a gemstone there are, those angles tend to be wider/open angle vs. a narrow/closed angle. The "pointer" the point (the more narrow the angle) the more frustrating it can be. You'll master the hexagon and move onto even more challenging shapes before you know it! 😊
First! Awesome video, Thanks!! Just curious do you recommend always sawing out the backplate over using metal cutters, if so why? Also, what gauge sheet do you generally use for the bezel backing? Thanks again!!
Cutters/tin snips are okay to use sometimes, if you have a lot of metal to remove and only need to cut straight lines. I prefer to use a saw, and encourage it. It can take a few minutes longer than tin snips, but often less filing needs to be done when a saw is used, since you can cut more precisely. Six of one, half-dozen of the other... I enjoy sawing more than I enjoy filing. ;)
I use anywhere from 22g to 18g, depending on the size of the gemstone and intended use (i.e. ring vs pendant).
Thank you for all the good tips! I've been having a hard time shaping a diamond shaped bezel around a tiny stone, I'll try this tomorrow!
You're welcome! Just take your time, and you should be successful. :D I'd love to hear how it goes!
Excellent tutorial! I would like to know what type of torches can be used for soldering.
Thank you! Lots of different types of torches can be used for soldering. The easiest and most accessible for hobbyists is a butane torch. Now, not all butane torches (or canisters of butane) are created equal. For some detailed work I use a Ronson Tech Torch, and for just about everything else I use a Blazer Big Buddy, and always use highly filtered butane (lesser quality can keep your torch from working properly). For larger soldering set ups with sufficient fume extraction, propane-and-air, acetylene-and-air, as well as propane-and-oxygen and acetylene-and-oxygen setups are used. Where I teach, we use acetylene and air (meaning atmospheric air, the torch pulls the oxygen it needs from the atmosphere). Because of where my personal studio is, and limitations I have, I use butane 97% of the time, propane for larger things.
@@EmmyBeanJewelry Thank you for your reply! Very comprehensive! Excellent!
Thank you for sharing this video! What gauge bezel wire do you use?
It depends on the stone; typically 28 or 26 gauge, sometimes 30 depending on the gemstone.
I read your recommendation to use 26-30 gauge bezel wire. Do you typically use thicker guage for larger/heavier stones and use the thinner 30 gauge bezel wire for small stones or is there some other determining factor such as shape, etc.? Thanks!
The thickness of bezel wire I use is sometimes determined by what I have, other times by the hardness of the stone and size (thicker for larger stones, typically thinner for smaller ones, but not always), and other times-as with using gold bezel wire-what quality of materials the client is willing to pay for.
Fantastic video! Thank you so much for the tutorial!!
After the pickle pot, what did you use for the neutralizing bath?
Can you by any chance give me a round about cost of the roll of bezel wire?
Thank you! For neutralizing it's just water with some baking soda.
As for bezel wire cost, there's a few factors... height of the wire, thickness of the wire, and length of the wire. Precious metals prices change daily with the stock market, but check out a site like riogrande.com or monsterslayer.com, when you choose the height, thickness, and length of bezel wire it will calculate the price for you so there's no sticker shock when it's time to check out. 😊
This video is great. Thanks. Where did you get your thin curved tweezers?
I've had them for so long, I don't remember. 😫 It's possible the curved tweezers are from a variety pack that I got at Harbor Freight. 🤔
Thank you I have struggled in the past with pear drop stones that come to a sharp point. My work around was to cloak the sharp corner with a piece of silver that sat over the face of the stone which was then burnished down onto the stone. I am now going to try this method.
One question. What flux do you use as you did not clean you metal at all before soldering?
Regards Dave
You're welcome! Stones with points are a challenge for everyone... I know of quite a few successful jewelers on Instagram who still don't know how to set them correctly, I wanted to be sure my jewelry students know how. :)
I use a homemade flux: 20 Mule Team borax, rubbing alcohol, and water all mixed together in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Happy creating!
@@EmmyBeanJewelry Would you mind sharing the proportion of the mixture for the flux?
@@LydiaJaeger Sure! I don't have a set measurement, I usually just eyeball it... Equal parts water and 70% to 90% isopropyl alcohol, then mix in the borax until it reaches the consistency I like.
hi! amazing video, it is so easy to understand your explanations. thank you!! do you think I can use a 30 or 28 gauge silver sheet for the bezel backing?
Thank you, and you're welcome! I don't recommend using anything thinner than 22 gauge for a bezel's backing (i.e. the underside of a setting), 24g *maybe* if it's for small earrings. Silver 26g and thinner can be easily bent by hand, so it could quickly warp out of shape while making the piece, and easily damaged while wearing it, which could also damage or lose the gemstone due to the backing (and thus the setting) becoming misshapen. Stick to 22g and thicker, especially for rings and pendants. 😉😊
@@EmmyBeanJewelry thanks for being so generous with your knowledge! I really appreciate your answer ❤️
You're welcome, and happy creating! 💖
What type of flux do you use?
Opal 💕😍
Great video! What do you mean by ‘pickling’?
Krista Barrett, pickling is a heated mild acid bath to remove fire scale from your silver piece. I personally use vinegar and salt but there are commercial products available.
This is great thanks! Can I ask what thickness of bezel strip do you use? Is it fine silver? Thanks!
You're welcome! I typically use 26g or 28g fine silver, any thicker than 26g then the bezel needs to be hammer-set vs. using a bezel rocker and burnisher. Sterling silver bezel wire is not as soft and can be difficult to work with, best suited for hammer setting only.
@@EmmyBeanJewelry Thanks a lot Emmy, I am doing a very large and deep square (100x100x19mm) setting for a flat square item. I am using 22gauge. I don't think any thinner will work. Any advice will be helpful! Fingers crossed it works! Thanks again!
Holy crow, that is huge! If a full bezel is needed, 22g and hammer-set (carefully!) is probably the best way to go; it will be sturdy! Is a partial bezel or bezel and prong combination an option for this piece? Depending on what's being set, that may complement it more? (I'd love to see photos of the piece when you're done! ☺ )
Thank you for showing your video.
I was wondering what you did when you said " I am going to file the corners...I'll be right back..".
I was just searching for a video to see how to deal with corners.
Did you really file of the corners?
I could not see it properly.
Thank you on avance for your abswer.
Mieke
I would like to see that too! Corner height is the tricky bit for me!
Hi there! Yes, I filed them down a little bit, as it was just a little too tall for my liking. If corners are too tall, they'll buckle and fold onto itself when trying to push the bezel, and that ends up looking a little messy. I don't file corners down very far, I know some jewelers like to do that. Honestly, it all depends on the piece... some require a bit more filing than others. Since I'm not teaching classes right now due to COVID, I'm hoping to find some time to make another video of doing bezels with corners, it's a popular topic and I've found better ways to secure my phone to film so it won't be so bumpy. ;)
@@EmmyBeanJewelry thank you very much for your extensive answer.. It helps me a lot. Have a Nice evening
Mieke
hey there. Thank you for your video. Can you share where you purchase your bezel wire?
Of course! My favorite place to get bezel wire is Riogrande.com, they have the types I use most.
Love your spiral ring.can I order?
Sure thing! Contact me via my shop: www.etsy.com/shop/EmmyBean
Can you show how you do a gold bezel on a silver ring, please? Thank you so much. Great teaching.
Hi there! This is something I don't offer as a free video, however I've been considering making it part of a paid video course in the future. :)
@@EmmyBeanJewelry I'm curious, why not make it a free video? Is there a special reason for that? Thank you.
@@flyingcheff Making jewelry and teaching in-person jewelry classes is how I pay the bills, put food on the table, and take care of my daughter. I paid a lot of money to a college to learn what I know, and I have nearly 20 years of experience doing it. It wouldn't be fair to share for free what my in-person students pay me to learn... so, it's just a natural progression to offer paid online classes to those who can't take my in-person classes due to distance. :)
@@EmmyBeanJewelry THAT totally makes sense. All the best to you, I'll keep watching!
What was the liquid you painted on the metal?
That was flux, an absolute necessity for any soldering. Different formulations are available commercially (i.e. Rio Grande).
Emmy Bean Jewelry thank you so much, I appreciate this video very much. It has been extremely helpful 🙂💗
Does this work with thicker gauge wire, like 18ga? Would
Do you mean to use the 18g wire as a bezel?
Excelentes videos, cuál sería el kit básico de herramientas para un principiante? Me suscribí a tu canal. Gracias
Glez Rosy hola depende de que es lo que quieras hacer,
Omar Vázquez pues más que nada aprender a trabajar con plata. Así como lo que hace en este video. Anillos, dijes, pulseras, etc.
Glez Rosy te recomiendo unas clases en vivo, clases de metalsmith, muchas universidades tienen el departamento de arts and crafts, no necesitas ser estudiante para tomar clases investiga en donde vivas
Las clases empiezas en tre los 70$. Porque para hacer un anillo se requiere de muchos materiales, máquinas y comprar la plata que viene en diferentes tamaños y es un poco complicado. Mucha suerte. Yo tengo un año y medio estudiando metalsmith y lapidary me encanta 😍 suerte 👍
Omar Vázquez gracias, donde yo vivo no encuentro donde tomar esas clases. Lo que se me ha ocurrido es ir algún taller de joyería y preguntarles si me darían algunas clases. A ver qué me dicen😞
Glez Rosy que emoción mucha suerte y recuerda todo es posible si tú quieres veraz lo haces posible, vives en Estados Unidos ?
What do you do with your cut off bits of silver?
I save them all up and then sell the scrap... always save the cut off bits. 😊
What guage is the flat silver bezel wire?
ggggggg, If I remember correctly, the fine silver bezel wire I used was either 26 or 28 gauge, I keep both on hand.
Put your sledge hammer, or anvil, (for hammering metal flat, or doing a stamp impression), on the desk top where it won’t bounce up and down, as apposed to your bench pin, and you’ll get a better result.
That's what I do normally, I did it this way only for filming purposes; thanks!
What were the sizes you used , just learning
Hi Rachel; for the backplate I probably used 22g, and 28g for the bezel.
What was the liquid u put on the soder?
That's flux; it protects the metal from excessive oxidation while soldering.
I wanted to see your makers stamp!
I'm sorry! I was having enough issues with the camera while filming this; I'll try to show it in future videos. :)
@@EmmyBeanJewelry thanks for the reply! Please forgive me I didn’t know how to find reply’s to my comments.
👍👍💎👍❤️❤️
i want to start a jewelry shop but i need to learn how to solder and basically everything about jewelry making 😩
Don't give up hope! Sketch out ideas, learn more about jewelry styles you admire, and when classes are available in your area-whether at a community art school, community college, or even private classes from a jeweler-give it a shot! I'm not gonna say it's a piece of cake, it takes a lot of work, but you'll never know if you never try. :)
HOW DID U GET STARTED? I'M USUALLY CURIOUS TO KNOW WHERE PPL STARTED. FORGIVE THE CAPS
I got started by taking jewelry/fine metals classes while in college (I went to school to be an art teacher)... that was 20 years ago. I kept learning new things and practicing whenever I could. Almost 9 years ago I quit my day job to be a jewelry artist full time, and I teach jewelry/metalsmithing classes at a community art school when my schedule allows.
I still have and use a 35mm camera.
What is the material of the board on your work bench?
The board that I solder on?
@@EmmyBeanJewelry Not the soldering board, but your white table coverage. What material is it?
@@LydiaJaeger It might be formica? Not really sure, it's plastic-like, easily scratched; it was already on the work surface of my bench when I got it (it was a free Craigslist find many years ago, originally it was used in a Michigan jewelry store).
How thick is the bezel wire?
Thickness should be chosen based on gemstone and purpose (i.e. a ring or bracelet will encounter more impacts than a pendant or earrings), for this one I think I used 28g.
@@EmmyBeanJewelry many thanks for the answer
Where did you buy your personal stamp from having trouble locating someone who can make one
Hi Jean! I bought mine years ago from microstamp.us They make them in different sizes, straight shank or bent... it takes some time, due to it being custom, but well worth the price. :)
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