Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
February 10, 2010

Question:

Sometimes the holes in gemstones are too small and I would like to make them larger.  I tried a hand reamer but that did not work.  Should I use a drill press or something else?

Answer:

There are two basic ways that the holes in most purchased, gemstone beads have been drilled. If you look at your hand reamer bit you will notice that it is graduated as are the drill bits used by manufacturers. A bead is either drilled from one side to the other, so the hole is bigger on one end that it is on the other; or it is drilled from both sides, which may not line up, so although the bead looks like it has a good sized hole all the way through, inside the hole is smaller and may not be aligned straight across the bead!

Using a hand reamer on softer materials like pearls, malachite, fluorite, etc will work better if you ream under water and use a continuous in and out motion. The diamond reamer used is actually grinding the material away, which collects on the reamer and needs to be flushed, both off of the reamer and out of the bead. The water also acts as a cooling agent and a lubricant for both the bit and the material.

On harder materials (agates, quartz, etc) you may find that using a press for a dremel or a flex shaft will work. Again, always work with the bead underwater at slow speeds, in and out, and use quality diamond bits. Be sure to wear safety glasses to avoid accidents if the bead should shatter. (Further discussion can be found here:  http://wire-sculpture.com/jewelry-making-blog/647/drilling-holes-in-gemstones/#comments )

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
February 05, 2010

Question:

I have some gem stones that the pavilion isn’t ‘right on’. Either the sides or the ends aren’t equal, one is longer than the other. Is there any thing that can be done to correct this, like having them recut?

Answer:

‘Mine-cut’ or ‘practice’ are usually the reasons for badly cut gemstones. Two things can make these stones usable in wire jewelry creations. 1. We work in wire so if the stone is large enough we can make a frame to fit the stone. 2. If the value of the stone is worth the cost of having it cut again, do an Internet search for ‘gemstone repair’; for a less expensive venture, visit your local rock & mineral club as they will more than likely have a lapidary who facets and may be willing to help you. Remember that when a gemstone is re-cut or repaired, you will loose quite a bit of the carat weight and probably quite a bit of the original size.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
January 27, 2010

Question:

What type of material should I use to restring pearls?

Answer:

Although some folks like to use synthetic materials, it is my opinion that pearls (especially nice ones) need to be strung on double silk cord. A knot should be placed between each pearl to prevent them from rubbing against one another, as this will eventually wear off their nacre. Over time silk will stretch a bit, therefore it is important that the knots be placed as tightly to the pearl as possible.

I did an Internet search using the phrase ‘restring pearls’ and found some great sites with free tutorials showing exactly how to restring these beautiful orbs. (Although there are specialty tools offered, my mother restrings pearls and makes her knots using a simple hatpin.) Wire-Sculpture also has a great article with all kinds of information regarding pearls here: http://wire-sculpture.com/pages/pearl_particulars.html

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
January 23, 2010

Question:

I have a customer that gave me a stone and said she wanted a ring made. Well, the stone is not a normal stone that you would put in a ring, well what I put in rings anyway, so do you have any patterns I could use. The stone is triangle and flat.

Answer:

Almost any stone can be made into a ring using the Classic Cabochon or Pharaoh’s Ring pattern.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
January 20, 2010

Question:

I have 5 and 7 mm round gemstones but can’t find that size in the snapset castings.  Will they fit in another size casting?

Answer:

We are actually in the process of adding a larger variety of snapset finding sizes to our inventory.  While we ask for your patience, in some cases you can go up or down one size for round shapes, depending on the depth of the stone’s pavillion.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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