Unusual job on the bench today
Discussion
Voldemort said:
Fascinating to read, as ever.
Good luck with the treatment: you can see the rings in your nails! I remember mine well (15 years ago now: never give in, never surrender. f
k cancer).
Thanks mate, that's the plan. Finished my 4th (supposed to be my last) chemo session last week and was planning on being in for surgery in a months time once my body had recovered enough to cope. However, the surgeons have booked me in for 2 more rounds of treatment as the chemo is still working really well. The drugs seem to be doing the trick and its good news despite the hardship. What cancer and drugs did you have?Good luck with the treatment: you can see the rings in your nails! I remember mine well (15 years ago now: never give in, never surrender. f
k cancer). Talking of nails: I have a ridge in mine for every chemo treatment I've had. And also a toenail less for each round too. Fun and games!
Dibble said:
What happens to the "bits" of filed off gold? Are they recovered and reused?
Yup, very little is wasted. Filings are gathered up and remelted. Polishings, hooverings and any associated buffing materials are all refined to extract the metals. 2013 saw us reclaim over £13000 in metal extracted from the workshop floors, worktops and filters. You don't throw anything away. 
Ok, update time again. Today we have a ring to make from scratch.
So, the customer has a 10ct diamond (yes folks, a 10ct diamond), some 2.75mm diamonds and some 18ct white gold scrap. She wants a flower cluster made in an old fashioned style.
Firstly the gold is rolled into a plate and then a 12mm disc is cut from the centre. The diamond is 15mm across so a 1.5mm overlap gives room to hide claws etc. Then a 3.75mm circle is scribed around the outside of the 12mm one. Hey presto!
With the 'halo' shaped plate 12 x spots are marked with a centre-punch to show where the 2.75mm diamonds will sit.
The halo is then domed to give a the head a nice angle.
Take some 1mm square wire made from the off cuts of the plate and make a circle with an inside diameter of 11mm. This is going to form the centre of the setting and ring.
Solder it in place. You can see that it overlaps the inside edge of the halo by 0.5mm.
Pilot holes are drilled where the diamonds will be set.
Just checking the spacing.
2.6mm holes drilled full depth. 2.75mm holes will be drilled half depth.
To shape the halo setting notches are cut between each stone.
With a triangle file the setting starts to take shape. Its fairly rough at this point and will be tidied up later.
Set the outer stones. Stones are rubover set with an additional 'grain' on the inner edge for security.
With the stones now set the halo can now start to be tidied up. Grooves are cut between the stones for decoration. When polished, the edges of the grooves will add facets to the setting showing more sparkle.
On the ends of each setting a small notch is cut. This is where we will start to construct the under-setting.
12 wires from 12 stones. Wire drawn down from the 1mm wire made earlier.
Borax is applied to the top and bottom of the setting. This will protect the diamonds from direct heat.
Soldered into each notch we add the wires.
Until all 12 are in place. They will be tidied up and shortened further down the line.
Next we apply some decorative claws over the ends of the settings. This only really served to add decor and a bit of protection for the stones. Again these will be trimmed and shaped when further along the project.
Under wires roughly trimmed and borax removed.
.......And the rest to follow tomorrow as i had to go out and pick up my new watch this avo.
Eddie
So, the customer has a 10ct diamond (yes folks, a 10ct diamond), some 2.75mm diamonds and some 18ct white gold scrap. She wants a flower cluster made in an old fashioned style.
Firstly the gold is rolled into a plate and then a 12mm disc is cut from the centre. The diamond is 15mm across so a 1.5mm overlap gives room to hide claws etc. Then a 3.75mm circle is scribed around the outside of the 12mm one. Hey presto!
With the 'halo' shaped plate 12 x spots are marked with a centre-punch to show where the 2.75mm diamonds will sit.
The halo is then domed to give a the head a nice angle.
Take some 1mm square wire made from the off cuts of the plate and make a circle with an inside diameter of 11mm. This is going to form the centre of the setting and ring.
Solder it in place. You can see that it overlaps the inside edge of the halo by 0.5mm.
Pilot holes are drilled where the diamonds will be set.
Just checking the spacing.
2.6mm holes drilled full depth. 2.75mm holes will be drilled half depth.
To shape the halo setting notches are cut between each stone.
With a triangle file the setting starts to take shape. Its fairly rough at this point and will be tidied up later.
Set the outer stones. Stones are rubover set with an additional 'grain' on the inner edge for security.
With the stones now set the halo can now start to be tidied up. Grooves are cut between the stones for decoration. When polished, the edges of the grooves will add facets to the setting showing more sparkle.
On the ends of each setting a small notch is cut. This is where we will start to construct the under-setting.
12 wires from 12 stones. Wire drawn down from the 1mm wire made earlier.
Borax is applied to the top and bottom of the setting. This will protect the diamonds from direct heat.
Soldered into each notch we add the wires.
Until all 12 are in place. They will be tidied up and shortened further down the line.
Next we apply some decorative claws over the ends of the settings. This only really served to add decor and a bit of protection for the stones. Again these will be trimmed and shaped when further along the project.
Under wires roughly trimmed and borax removed.
.......And the rest to follow tomorrow as i had to go out and pick up my new watch this avo.
Eddie
michael gould said:
Sweet Jesus that is one big rock.....is there a story behind it ?
Not sure, but it is unusual for a small indy like me to get such an item through the door. I get 4ct and 5ct stones all the time but nothing quite this big. Can't be many about. Ive declined to keep it at work for obvious reasons and it'll only be with me whilst i set it into the ring. As for its history i can only imagine that the ring is a long standing family asset. Why its not in the bank i don't know but im proud and privileged to be working on its new housing. speed_monkey said:
Amazing work old bean..... May need to hit you up about something special soonish (if you don't mind?)
I'll be popping the question to Miss Monkey and I can't find anywhere the style of ring she likes..... Other than cheap garbage
Of course squire. I can just as easily create some cheap garbage if it makes things easier for you and yours. B&Q do some lovely copper items.I'll be popping the question to Miss Monkey and I can't find anywhere the style of ring she likes..... Other than cheap garbage
Just let me know what you need and ill see what i can do.
ecain63 said:
speed_monkey said:
Amazing work old bean..... May need to hit you up about something special soonish (if you don't mind?)
I'll be popping the question to Miss Monkey and I can't find anywhere the style of ring she likes..... Other than cheap garbage
Of course squire. I can just as easily create some cheap garbage if it makes things easier for you and yours. B&Q do some lovely copper items.I'll be popping the question to Miss Monkey and I can't find anywhere the style of ring she likes..... Other than cheap garbage
Just let me know what you need and ill see what i can do.
I did think of raiding the pirates of the Caribbean 20p machine for a captain Jack Sparrow jobby but then thought I prefer my balls attached
ETA, like this! But I can't find where they are for sale!!! Lol. Plus something made bespoke will win massive man points!
Edited by speed_monkey on Monday 17th February 21:39
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