SETTING IN FLUSH I have given the instructions below for a setting a 4mm round facetted stone.

If using a different size stone, the size of each burr will need to be adapted accordingly. Flush setting is an advanced setting procedure. Precise craftsmanship must be executed throughout the process to accomplish the desired look. Depth of metal is of vital importance. If you are working in thin metal you will sometimes need to solder a small pad onto the rear of the work, or solder a decorative extra layer of metal on the front surface to give you more to play with. The maximum size stone I would set in this way is 4mm. Any larger than this and the depth of the stone will be very difficult to house. HEALTH AND SAFETY YOU MUST WEAR PROTECTIVE GLASSES WHEN DRILLING AND BURING AS SMALL FRAGMENTS OF METAL MAY FLY UP WHEN USING THE DRILL. ALSO, HAIR SHOULD BE TIED BACK SO IT CANNOT BECOME TRAPPED IN THE FAST SPINNING MOTOR. 1. First, drill a hole through the metal where the center of each stone is to be. Use a DRILL BIT that is half the size of the stone you are setting and drill right through the metal. For a 4mm stone you would use a 2mm drill bit. 2. Secondly, use a BUD BUR that falls exactly between the size of the drill bit (2mm) and the actual size of the stone used (4mm). Therefore use a 3mm bud bur. Be careful not to drill too far down into the hole. Keep measuring the depth and width of your stone against the side of your work to try to gauge the depth required. 3. Now switch to a SETTING BUR. For our stone use a 3.5mm 3.8mm setting burr. Remember to use a lubricant to avoid chattering. Setting burs are fairly vicious things so be careful not to
(Imogen Waitt November, 2011) 1

take away too much metal. Cut the seat to a depth that, when set, the stones table will be even with the metal.

Fig 1: Setting burr drilling the metal

Fig 2: Size of hole drilled is smaller than the stone diameter 4. Then, use a HART BUR the same diameter or slightly smaller than the stone. Carefully undercut the seat to allow the stone to fit snuggly into the seat. Begin by holding the bur at a 45-degree angle and cut into one side of the seat.

Fig 3: Undercut the metal

(Imogen Waitt November, 2011) 2

Then with a steady hand, straighten the bur to a 90-degree angle undercutting the opposite side of the seat. The shank of the bur must be held precisely at a 90-degree angle to the metal surface or else the seat will be cut on an angle and the stone cannot be set straight. Undercutting the seat in this manner allows you to leave extra metal above the girdle of the stone to use in tightening it.

Fig 4: Straighten the bur to 90 degree Next, lay the stone into its seat and press it into place with a brass pusher (or cut the bristle end off the top of an old toothbrush.) The stone should fit snuggly in its seat. It will click if it is correct.

Fig 5: Lay the stone in place

(Imogen Waitt November, 2011) 3

Using a small highly polished burnisher rub metal down and over the edge of the stone. Hold the burnisher at a 45-degree angle and rub around the top edge of the hole. Due to the process of tightening the stone; some setters refer to this setting technique as Rub Down Setting instead of Flush Setting.

Fig 6: "Rubbing" the metal around the stone Do not attempt to tighten the stone by hammering on the metal surface forcing metal over the stone. This causes a dip in the surface surrounding the stone, resulting in an unsatisfactory appearance. Burnishing the metal over the stone is the preferred method of tightening the stone. If you cut the seat properly you will not need to use a hammer.

(Imogen Waitt November, 2011)

Fig 7: Burnish the metal around the stone This setting procedure should result in the stone set down in the metal with a highly polished beveled rim surrounding the stone.

Fig 8: Beveled rim around the stone If, during the later stages of this challenging setting you feel that you are heading for a nervous breakdown or have lost the will to live there is a simpler method. However, I must stress that you will not get the same level of perfection as if you had done it by the above procedure. The stone will not be as secure using the following method, but it will give you the opportunity to get your eye in and then you can work towards the correct method described earlier. The only time I would use the following method myself is if the stone I was setting was noticeably misshapen.

(Imogen Waitt November, 2011)

Begin by completing steps 1 and 2. 3. Next, take a BALL BUR. Ideally this should be very slightly smaller than the size of your stone. I would use a bur of 3.5mm 3.8mm. Ball burs tend to cut a little slower than Hart or setting burs so there is less danger of going too far.

Fig 8: Cutting seat using a Ball bur 4. You will see from the drawing below that the fit is not as accurate and when using the traditional method.

5. Burnishing at 45 to move metal down and over the girdle of the stone. Rub at several locations around the stone to begin with so that it is locked in. Use light pressure so the stone does not move. Do not press the blunt point of the burnisher against the stone. Focus the contact onto the metal rim only. Once the stone is really secure, burnish all the way around the stone.

(Imogen Waitt November, 2011)

6. Then move burnisher to 90. Run the rounded tip lightly around the stone several times to create a uniform polished surface.

(Imogen Waitt November, 2011)