How to Solder a Bezel Setting on a Ring Band Shank Straight (For a Change!)

How to Solder a Bezel Setting on a Ring Band Shank Straight -Getting bezel settings soldered on straight drives lots of goldsmiths and silversmiths crazy. I'll demonstrate all the tricks I know to get bezel settings (or any jewelry elements) soldered on straight. The key things to remember is establishing straight lines as a guide and checking from all angles. Jewelry soldering set up often looks great from the front but the side view may show something very different. I use these same jewelry soldering techniques whether goldsmithing or silversmithing.
To learn more about how to solder like a rock star, please read my book, Soldering Demystified, available here
www.jewelryartstools.com/prod...
To purchase fusible 22k yellow, Apricot, Rose or 18k green Gold sheet, wire, or granules, please visit www.jewelryartstools.com/gold
or any of my other goldsmithing or silversmithing tool favorites, please visit www.jewelryartstools.com/tools

[@Shukarr]

Thank you so much for all of your tutorials. Know how appreciated you are by all of us students out here.❤

[@JewelryArts]

How kind of you to say! You are most welcome. :)

[@aumi.jewels]

I have a lot to catch up with your teaching… I love listening to excellent Instructors, it gives me great ideas 💡 teaching my beginners with silversmithing…. Big hugs 🤗 Michelle

[@JewelryArts]

So glad you are enjoying getting caught up! :)

[@elisazulueta9535]

Thanks for sharing your amazing tips on how to solder ring band shank on the bezel setting. Loved that you drew a line to put on the bezel to keep it on the centre. I’ll try to do this ❤

[@JewelryArts]

Drawing that line is so helpful! :)

[@amandathompson4185]

Thank you so much for sharing! I love how you drew the lines to get it perfectly centered.

[@JewelryArts]

You are very welcome! Drawing the lines is a necessity to get things properly aligned. :)

[@amccaffrey1443]

THANK YOU so so much for all your incredible tutorials!! So very appreciated by “self-taught jeweler’s/metalsmith’s like myself!! I have watched so many of your videos as I know I’m learning from one of the best!! (I’ve sat thru enough bad tutorials to know a great artist/goldsmith/instructor when I see one) Your work is absolute perfection, yet your teaching style & approach, it’s so laid back, and natural, very straightforward. None of these long rants that trail off topic or repeat themselves over & over! Learning from you always makes me feel like the skill or technique or whatever, is doable! Not at your level of course, as that comes w/ time but, possible! You are without a doubt a master of your craft! I only wish I could take a class in person! I just have one quick question- what gauge is the gold of your ring band? It’s so nice and sturdy. It’s quite hard to gauge the thickness of the metal/gold from a tiny little video (on my phone no less!) lol. Thank you again. I value your content more than you could possibly know.

[@JewelryArts]

Thank you so much for your kind words! I love to share knowledge about goldsmithing, we are all better and smarter when we share information. :) I made this shank in a rolling mill from an ingot, I would estimate it was about 4 mm wide and maybe 1 or 2 mm thick. Please feel free to ask questions anytime. Lots of amazing metalsmiths are self taught so keep up the good work. there is lots of information to learn from if you know where to look. :)

[@wmhs02dm]

Helpful thank you for the tips

[@JewelryArts]

You are so very welcome! :)

[@InsanityWon.]

Very helpful! 😊

[@JewelryArts]

Thank you! So glad it helped. :)

[@DavidCaines100]

I want to see this one , reminder set.

[@JewelryArts]

Great! I hope you enjoy it. :)

[@nickdunbar2967]

Great. Thanks a lot. I thought it was just a problem I was having!

[@JewelryArts]

Nope, that won't work for anybody! :)

[@RhondaLawson]

Wow so informative. By the way, what size tip did you use on your torch? Thanks for all the awesome tutorials!😃

[@JewelryArts]

So glad you liked it! I used a 0 tip. :)

[@luluhall2013]

Hi Jeanette. I have your book and set of FABULOUS hand tools (game-changer!) - thanks for those. Question: Did you pickle the ring in between adding the second batch of solder?

[@JewelryArts]

Hi Lisa! So glad you are enjoying my tools. :) Since I usually use paste flux, which keeps things pretty clean, I can usually just go ahead and add more solder with some fresh paste flux without stopping to pickle in between. If things gets too dark and crusty, then I will stop and pickle. I don't like to waste time so if it is clean enough to go ahead, I go for it! :)

[@Susanarylander]

i LOVE Jeanette's books! thinking about getting the tools. any particular favorites? i really the one that burnishes edges (i can't remember what it is called. NOT in the master set i don't think. i don't see that tool any longer on the site.)

[@brrrainapples]

Helpful instructions but the camera angle makes it impossible to see what’s going on.

[@JewelryArts]

Sorry about that, multi tasking is a bitch. :)

[@leezimbelman7942]

If you're using Silver, would you need to pickle after each time you add more solder?

[@JewelryArts]

It depends on how oxidized it gets, paste flux keeps things pretty clean. 😃

[@hannahsansburn2372]

Why do you add flux on the opposite side when you're doing your final soldering bit? Don't you want it to go just where the flux is? Wouldn't you just flux where you want it to go ? On that little area that you wanted to finish filling in?

[@JewelryArts]

The solder needs to travel through to the other side, hence the flux. You always want to make sure you put flux where yo7 want the solder to go. 😃

[@MCRhasAFireInside]

You filed the shank flat where you placed the bezel?

[@JewelryArts]

I filed a small flat. :)

[@endiva7533]

Two questions Jeanette, what gauge ring band do you suggest and do you level it where it’s being soldered.

[@JewelryArts]

It depends completely on what kind of stone I am using, etc but the thinnest shank I ever use is 14 gauge for stack rings. If you mean get the seam level and together before soldering, then yes. :)

[@endiva7533]

@@JewelryArts I guess I was too vague, what I really wanted to say was after your seam is done in the shank, do you level the band where the bottom of the bezel sits?

[@JewelryArts]

@@endiva7533 Normally, yes. Not in case of stack rings. :)

[@wendyshaw6985]

What kind of paste flux do you use for gold?

[@JewelryArts]

I usually use handy flux or dandix. :)

[@charmspeakjewelrydesignstu7224]

The flux I saw at a shop was super solid. Can you just add water to loosen it ?

[@JewelryArts]

@@charmspeakjewelrydesignstu7224 Yes, it definitely dries out. I just add some warm water at the start of each bench session. :)

[@larrymoremckenzie3029]

Never been a prob with a single shank,it's the split shanks give me a prob!

[@JewelryArts]

They can be tricky but use the libes on the solderite board and it will be much easier. :)