Stone Setting Tools

Setting stones in your metal clay can be easy with the right tools and techniques. These are the essential stone setting tools required to set stones fast and easy.

Acrylic Snake Maker

Acrylic Snake Makers are small work surfaces that are generally used to roll snakes or ropes of clay, but they are also used as a press and as a drying surface. Settings for stones can be made by rolling a snake, then cutting the snake into short cylinders, then embedding the stone in the cylinder. Allow a snake to dry before cutting. Use a jewelers’ saw to saw out short cylinders, then drill a seat in the cylinder for a wonderfully easy tube setting. Made in advance, metal clay tube set stones can be used to build amazing designs in no time.

Bezel Roller

Bezel Rollers (sometimes called Bezel Rockers) are used to press bezel wire around a cabochon or other object to lock it in place. Bezel Rollers are specially designed to press bezels around stones and into place without damaging the wire or the stone. Quality Bezel Rollers are polished steel with a hardwood handle.

Curved Burnisher

Curved Burnishers are used for hand finishing and burnishing larger areas. The tip is used to get into tight spots and crevices. A highly polished steel burnishing surface assures great results. A Curved Burnisher is also used to smooth and burnish bezels after setting stones. Burnishing with a Curved Burnisher can also help work harden a jewelry piece because it compacts the surface, which is the definition of work hardening.

Parallel Jaw Pliers

Parallel Jaw Pliers are great when setting stones using bezel wire. The ends of bezel wire will distort when cut. A parallel plier is used to flatten the ends of the bezel wire after cutting. Mash the ends gently between the jaws for perfectly flat ends without distorting or marring the metal.

Prong Pusher

Prong Pushers are used to push prongs into place fast and easy. Most Prong Pushers have a rounded handle that fits comfortably in the palm of a hand, making it easy to apply pressure. The tip of the Prong Pusher is flattened to work with most any type of prong. A prong pusher can also be used in place of a bezel roller.

Stone Setting Burs

Stone Setting Burs are used to cut a seat for setting stones into dry and fired metal clay. Stone setting burs allow the jewelry artist to drill a seat for stones. Burs cut very easily by hand with only a few turns. Burs can also be installed in a pin vise for a better grip and better control. To use a stone setting bur, first drill a pilot hole for an azure (a light hole) and then cut the seat with the bur. The girdle of the stone should sit just below the surface of the metal clay so the stone is locked into place when it shrinks during sintering. Choose the bur that matches the stone size to be set. To set stones in fired metal, install bur in a flex shaft and lubricate with Cut Lube and use a slow speed. Top quality burs should be treated with care and should not be overheated with high speed or the bur will lose its ability to cut.

Stone Setting Pliers

Stone Setting Pliers are made to close the prongs on a prong setting. The jaws of Stone Setting Pliers are at just the right angle so the plier cannot break the stone as can easily happen with ordinary stone setting tools.