[Jewelry making - Article 00643] - Re: [Orchid] New to bezel setting

[David Owen]

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    Marci; I have been reading this for a week or so and would like to
    give you my input. Since I do a lot of production work with cabs I
    have tried to refine my technique to what works well and fast and
    remove what I feel are unnecessary steps. 

    I agree with the need for more heat. I use an acetylene and air
    torch and it is capable of more than enough heat. I can use a fairly
    low flame.I worked my first year with the mini butane and plumbers
    torch types and was always frustrated. I think you can take
    cleanliness to the extreme I have solder that has been in my box for
    a year or more and while I used to clean it now I just use it I have
    never had a problem with it flowing.Same with bezel wire. Use liquid
    flux a few quick strokes of the brush and it's done none of the
    dabbing around with paste flux and having a seam halfway fluxed. You
    can flux the whole piece easily to porevent fire scale. When you
    solder the initial seam on the bezel make sure it is aligned. Most
    problems I have come from not having the seam aligned perfectly. If
    it is aligned right there should be no need to do any filing on the
    bezel except maybe to remove a little solder on the seam. Place the
    bezel wire on the sheet and perhaps push down on the entire bezel
    with a piece of flat sheet. You can do this after fluxing and drying
    the flux with the torch as the flux will make the bezel rise up.
    Heat it until the bezel goes back down than use the piece of metal.
    I might mention I only usually have to do this only on larger
    bezels,say 1 in square. 

    When I sand the base it's just a quick sand with a piece of 400 sand
    paper. When soldering I use a piece of wire in fiberlocks. Cut a 2
    inch piece of med. solder hold in the fiber locks. Go around and
    around the bezel with the torch as you do it more you will learn
    indicators of when it is the right temperature i.e. color of flux and
    or metal as it gets hot. this it the tricky part just when it reaches
    the right temp. touch the wire to the inside of the bezel you have to
    back off with the torch just long enough to touch the wire then
    return the heat still going around the bezel. The solder will follow
    the heat It is kind of hard to get the timing down. I spent several
    hours just making bezels on scrap and practicing this when I first
    learned it but it is well worth the time as it can save you untold
    hours later. If you do it right you will see the solder shoot around
    the bezel. If it is a large bezel you might have to do it in a couple
    places have your pick handy to push down on any place the bezel might
    not be down on the sheet. I might add if you can see a wee bit of
    light it is usually ok the solder will fill gaps to some extent of
    course the less the better. I hardly ever use binding wire or other
    means to hold down the bezel unless it is extremely large. You will
    find that the more you practice the easier it becomes. If you work on
    this you will be surprised at how fast you can do a bezel and how
    easy it becomes. Hope this helps. 

Dave
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