I just received this pictorial guide to over 150 types of agates and jasper.

“There are many excellent books currently on the market describing banded agates, but there are few with an emphasis on the other structural varieties. There are virtually no current books with images and descriptions of the wide array of fine jaspers presently available. This book tries to fill that void with 240 pages and over 1000 photos and diagrams describing the structural features of both Agates and Jaspers.

It provides an introduction to their genesis, details of their structural characteristics, and a multitude of macro and micro photographs. It’s a stating-point for some of the current theories of their formation, and contains references to more in-depth studies.

No other variety of material offers so many combinations of patterns and spectral colors. Sit back and now an enjoy the complexity and beauty locked within these stones.” (Taken from the rear cover)

I am really enjoying this excellent book, and just wanted to share it here..

Can be ordered via www.theimage.com or www.theimagebooks.com

Wanted to share a really neat tutorial on how to set a square gemstone cabochon by one of our forum members, Bob of Bobs Premium Cabs shared with us.

Bezel setting a stone with sharp corners is somewhat more difficult than an oval because if it isn’t done properly the excess metal puckers at the corners.
Bezel setting is often called a “rub” over setting. This is because some people use a burnisher to “rub” the bezel “over” the stone. It is quite difficult to do this because you can’t get enough pressure especially in the corners to fully push the bezel over the stone. Because the surface of the burnisher is polished it also makes it more difficult to control the burnisher.
There is a bezel pusher that has a round wood ball handle with a small square metal rod to push the bezel over. It has such a small surface that it introduces dents and creases in the bezel.
My favorite tool is a bezel rocker. It is a wood handle with a metal blade. See full tutorial here……

The very first example for me was black Tourmaline in quartz.

Then as a result of choosing a rutile Quartz for this cabochon contest this Gold Titainium Rutile in Quartz is only my second experience with rutile minerals. Here is a pic of the piece I sliced off the rough and the finished cab I got from it. Very hard to work with. With this Titainium the rutile ran not only up and down, but also from front to back. Difficult to orientate and think ahead about the final cab shape and utilize the rutile in the very best way possible.

This was a lot of fun and in the end very rewarding. Very pleased with how this Gold Titainium turned out. I am actually very motivated to do more rutile minerals. Although what I realize now that I am shopping for more is that quality rutile minerals of any kind are very expensive. The above black Tourmaline in Quartz as an example is next to impossible to find with any good concentration of rutile. Same with the Gold Titainium. Just can’t find nice material without sacrificing my first born.

I have just recently started to try my hand at silver soldering. Now I catch myself putting some stones aside instead of selling them thinking that sooner or later my soldering and overall designs will be better. So although I did sell all the black Tourmaline cabs from what little rough I had, I am keeping this Gold Titainium one for a future piece.

Actually as long as your here reading this blog entry, if you have or know of someone offering “reasonable” prices on material like this I would sure appreciate knowing about it.  Also more than willing to barter. If you have some that you would like cabbed, would be happy to do it for you in exchange for some of the same!

Thanks for stopping by and reading this entry.

I wanted to try another like 1Rockhounds Biggs Jasper piece with the bezel tape on the outside of the backing. Except I tried another attempt at using flattened wire for the backing again instead of cut out sheet backing.

The order of the images are out of order, but the step are correct.. Hope not too confusing..

Step One Image B shows how I fit the shaped wire to the inside of the stones perimeter. Works out once the wire is flattened out as it spreads.
Any smaller a gauge and I realized that needed a little more flattened surface area to be able and have enough extra room to play with when fitting it to the stones size.

Step Two Image A shows the 12 gauge round wire slightly flattened.

Step Three Image D shows the wire flattened and the perimeter filed to the match the stones outer edge.

Step Four Image F shows the flattened wire ends soldered together.

Step Five Image G and H shows it cleaned up a bit and additional filing to the inside of the flattened wire so it is somewhat uniform in shape on the inside.

Step Six Image I shows the bezel tape shaped to the outside of the flattened wire backing with the ends soldered together. It only took me three tries to get this part right ! Also important to file down any excess solder on the inside of the bezel tap joint. Otherwise will have problems when trying to solder it to the outside of the backing.

Initially I use a fairly stiff wire bristle wheel followed up with the 3M bristle discs. These discs work well..

Step 7 Image K.. I like to use silver solder paste for filling the space between the bezel tape and backing. Just seems to work nicely. I am sure any other solder would work just fine.

Step 8 Image L is from the back after soldering the tape to the backing. One problem I had was the flattened wire ends came apart and became un-aligned (lower right of image L). I tried to re-heat and press back in place but it would not budge. Stuck with it as it is.. It also resulted in not having a completely nice flat backing after sanding the whole thing on a flat surface.

Images M and N are after I used bezel pusher followed up with a burnishing tool to press the tape against the stone.

This is where things went further South on me too. As the bezel pusher created little indentations that I could not smooth out with the burnishing tool. Next time will pass on using the bezel pushing tool and just use the burnishing tool.

This was because I did not fit the outside of the backing “perfectly” to the outside of the stone. The result was extra gap that forced me to push the bezel tape further than would have been necessary if it was fit properly to begin with.

On this particular setting I am going to metal glue a bail to the top back once I can order some from Rio. Normally I would solder the bail on, but became impatient and went ahead and set the stone today. Not something will be getting in the habit of doing in the future… Just got in a hurry to see how it was going to look and knew I could not order any bails for a while.

Had been making some with fair success, but going to start spending a few extra dollars on some nicely finished ones from now on..

The end results show I need more practice !!

Thanks for reading and feel free to share any of your own soldering trials, tribulations or even successes with me !

That has changed. Another recent evaluation shows that I am going to loose some where between 20 and 30% of monthly income.

What was once a casual and non stress business/hobby now has to be picked up a notch !

Where I once was not quite as concerned about expenses and inventory, I now have to pay much more attention to even the minor details. I use to not be quite as concerned about what the competition was up too, now it is key to the difference between a potential sale and a sale.

I am very grateful that I have a good online presence. So it’s not like I have to build that from scratch.

Pricing is going probably be the biggest issue. I am pretty sure all will be well. It’s just the realization that I have to treat this much more like a business, and really concentrate on things. The online tools are there…

Realizing my own personal changes as a result of stock market issues, and or just the overall recession that we are all finding ourselves dealing with just what other consideration are important.

What about the jewelry designer experiencing similar situations. Cutting costs and expenses. Making every penny count.

What that in itself means to someone like myself who supplies them. It feels like a potential chain effect. Designers are going to be looking for the very best pricing and also the very best quality to go with it.

I also have just started to try my hand at designing my own line of jewelry. My last online order for silver and misc supplies made me pay close attention to what I was buying. What do I absolutely need, what can I make due with a little less of, etc…  So I am getting a taste of what a professional jewelry designer might be experiencing in these tougher times.

I feel that what was a high end cabochon will have to come down in price to be competitive and affordable to designers who are in the same boat as I am.

They are not going to want to cut corners on stone quality. So I am expecting some serious price reduction to make the sales to them.

Truth is, I am ok with that. As a cutter, there is room to reduce pricing on even the highest end cabochons and still profit.

Not sit on gemstones because my ego insists that it is worth something more. I would rather sell those stones and make a little less.

As a cutter, and or designer, are you finding the recession effecting you in similar ways. If so what kind of change are you presently or do you foresee making to be competitive and still profitable for your business.

I would very much like to hear your expectations as a designer who is feeling the pinch as a result of the markets, job loss, and other things that are a result of the recession that our Country is in and how it may be effecting your online business activities.

Maybe your like myself. Finding yourself in need of taking what was more of an online past time or business/hobby into a more serious online business to supplement your income.  Maybe even actually in hopes of  turning it into a serious and primary source of income.

What can a cutter like myself do to help you make your jewelry more competitive to your customers in these difficult times when people are thinking twice about spending their extra money on jewelry.

There are options, including possibly buying in quantity and obtaining discounts that way. Dealing with a single lapidary shop like myself can and will result in substantial discounts. Repeat customers are of great value. We are likely to offer discounts based on repeat business. Purchasing rough yourself and sending it to my shop is another way to save towards gemstone purchases. Bartering has always been highly recommended method of two businesses getting what each needs and can both profit from in the short term.

Thanks for stopping in and reading !

One of my recent pieces started out so well…… I was smiling through the entire process of shaping and soldering the three step bezels for this three piece necklace.

Then came the last two solders for the little bails on the top of the two hanging pieces. That is when disaster set in ! After three or four attempts the metal became so oxidized that they became unusable.

Both of the bails kept falling off, and had to re-heat and try again.

On the last attempt on one piece, it was such a disaster, that I melted part of the bezel !

Your first question to me is probably asking if I used one of the 3rd arms with clamps. That was in fact the root of the disaster. I was trying to hold them in place with a pair of pliers in one hand and the torch in the other. I had overheated the clips on a previous project so they lost the springy ability to clamp.

I was impatient and, well….. the results show it !

I do not have enough of the same matching step bezel to give it another whirl yet. Next Rio order !

Just felt like sharing my recent disaster. Hopefully I can return with a positive update once I get some more bezel tape !

Thanks for reading. Maybe you have a similar soldering disaster to share ?

TaoGem.com

It hardly qualifies me as a Silversmith, but sure felt good !

Over the past few days I managed to silver solder some bezel tape around a couple of more. The one is a Carved Agate Cameo, and the other is an Ocean Jasper with a step type bezel tape.

Any way…. As a result I started thumbing through Google. Not really searching for anything particular, just so long as it was related to Silversmithing.

Suddenly, a page popped up and there it was. The perfect bezel ! As soon as I saw it I realized I was on track towards the style of settings I wanted to learn how to do.

It was on the Fretz Tool site. From the same site, on their tools page, I found something else that was completely new to me. Metalmithing tools ! The tools of the trade that I would be needing at least a few of in order to be able to make similar bezels.

It was like a 100 watt light bulb went off in my head. I have been enjoying what little work I have done with the basic bezel tape, but I instantly was attracted to the bold and heavy look of this bezel. It appears to be about a 20 gauge or so.

By the end of the night I found a few additional sites that I have bookmarked.

I already have a few things like a torch set up, fire block and charcoal block. Files, saw, solder, and other misc tools required to do regular bezel work like my first few.

Some additional metalmithing tools to get started will likely include either an entire forming kit or at least the main pieces. Including a stake or two, a chasing and peddiman hammers. I happen to have the perfect desk to build my silversmithing from work station up from.

This list of potential metalsmithing tools and accessories are endless, but just to get started on these eye popping bezels I think can do with just a few of the basics.

It is coming up on Christmas so penny pinching until the first of the year. At that time I will be able to pick up several items. I am very excited about the appearance of these heavier bezels. I suppose once I get a handle on the bezel, something else will present itself and additional silversmithing tools will be necessary.

I wish there was an opportunity to have someone give me hands on instructions, but just not possible out in the boonies. The nearest city is about an hour away. So will be picking up a few books, CD’s and videos.

Tim McCreight has several books, and some visual instructions available as well. One of the members on my forum suggested to start with his Complete Metalsmith edition. He also suggested a Don Norrises CD “Biginning Metalsmithing.

Ok……., guess I am done rambling for now. Thanks for stopping by and reading through this blog entry. Keep checking back to see how things progress for me while I teach myself some metalsmithing basics.

More to come !!