02/01 Alternative Stone Setting: Tube Settings and Alterations
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
6:30 - 8:30 pm PST
Alternative Stone Setting Series
Instructor: Jennifer Stenhouse
Beginning to Intermediate Levels
Zoom link and instructions for joining the call will be emailed 1 day prior to class.
The class supply list is below and contains links to buy the supplies you need.
This class will be recorded, and the recording will be available for students to access through their Little Metal Foxes accounts for a full month after the live class.
This workshop will focus on the techniques used to create tube settings and altering tubes to create more interesting ways to set stones. Students will learn the techniques demonstrated using tubing to create settings for round and square stones. Demos will include how to use the flex shaft for classic tube settings, step bezels with a telescoping tube, flared, and simple prong settings for faceted stones and cabochons. The focus will be on demos and techniques. Students are welcome to observe and learn or work alongside the demos.
Prerequisite: Beginning Jewelry/Metals skills. You will need the ability and tools to solder.
Supply List for Students
The links below will take you to RioGrande.com or other suppliers. To see prices for precious metal items, you need a free Rio Grande account. Registered Little Metal Foxes students can access the Rio for Schools program for significant savings (discounts and flat-rate shipping). This site may contain Amazon and other affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, at no cost to you, we may receive a small commission on qualifying purchases.
Recommended Materials:
- Stones
- 3mm faceted stones or CZ - used for the Classic setting or Pedestal Setting
- 4mm round stone - used for the Classic setting or Pedestal Setting
- 6mm stone - used for the Flared Setting
- Tubing
- Standard tube - used for the Classic Setting
- 4mm (4.1mm) medium wall tube - used for the Pedestal Setting
- 6mm (6/12mm) tube - used for the Flared Setting
- Solder Easy, medium, and hard, minimum 3" each (I recommend having a foot of each on hand for general soldering needs)
- Flux
- 20g sterling sheet
Recommended Tools:
- Jeweler saw & 4/0 blades
- Small hammer
- Small rawhide mallet
- Drill of some kind, pendant drill, flex-shaft, hand drill
- Center punch/scribe
- Bezel mandrels
- Forming pliers
- Pin vise
- Bench pin
- Needle files
- Ball burs
- 6” half round file
- Small tweezers
- Ring clamp
- Burnisher
- Agate burnisher
- Flush wire cutters
- Magnifiers
Supplies from the hardware store:
- Paper and pencils
- Safety glasses
- Set of small drill bits
- Pack of craft needles
- Large craft needle or tapestry needle
- Emery paper
- Small pack of drill bits
- Large craft needles or tapestry needle
- Little paintbrush for flux (no metal, preferably)
- Fine tip Sharpie
- Wet/dry emery paper, 200/400/600
Optional Materials
- 18g, 16g, & 20g 1/2 hard or half-hard Sterling sheet. (Choose a small amount to work with.)
- 18g, 16g, & 20g round Sterling 1/2 hard or half-hard wire
- 1" x 3" rectangle wire
- 16g square Sterling wire
- Half-round wire
- Wide bezel wire
Choosing a stone
Stones should be half a millimeter smaller than the tube for standard tube setting purposes (eEx: if the stone is 3.5mm, the tube should be 4mm). Heavy wall tube has a wider range of stone sizes that will fit.
Stones used for telescoping tubing should match the inside tube size.
Stones used for pedestal setting with prongs, or flared tube should be the same size as the tube.
Choosing tubing
Brass and copper are easily found at hardware stores in the K&S Display. Be sure to purchase a tube that is half a millimeter larger than your stone(s).
Tubing made of sterling, goldfilled, gold, copper, or brass tubing can be used. Listed below are Rio’s sterling options.
