Soldering Tube Settings Together

I’ve been trying to solder tube settings together. Yes, they get soldered, but not in the way I’m trying to do it. To make it easier, just think of a row of tubes to make a stick pendant. I’ve seen it done before…there is enough of a gap in between where you can set each stone without issues/destroying the setting next door, the solder joint is also only halfway up the bezel…it doesn’t go all the way to the top. Some folks have even made round hoop earrings of just bezels in the same manner. So, that little gap to properly set is what I’m trying to achieve, but don’t know the secret. I don’t want a ball of metal in between simply because that isn’t the look I’m going for, plus the joint is less secure. Any suggestions/ideas? Thanks.

Ginger

Make the bottom of the tube slightly oval to make it wider. Clamp the top of the tube in a collet to keep it from bending while shaping the bottom. You might be able to simply push it into a hole of the proper size in a steel block. File and polish the front part of the jaws of a small vise grip pliers. You could even make a small rounded section in there. Squeeze the bottom of the tube with the pliers. By setting the screw on the pliers, you are able to make all the tubes the same. If you are only squeezing a very short section on the bottom, you might need to insert a short oval shaped wire inside the tube before squeezing. The wider oval bottom will provide the spacing you need.
Dave
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I did that with diamonds and sapphires. I set the stones first, then solder the tubes together nice and flush with each other. Would not work with heat sensitive stones

Thank you so much for this tip, can’t wait to try it out!

Thanks for the reply. I need to practice a bit more, as they are smaller and therefore more tedious to work with.

Ginger

Steve, I was told you ruin diamonds by heating them with a torch.

Ginger