How To Create A Custom, Handmade Bezel

Do you have an odd-sized stone, glass, or jewelry piece that you want to bezel-mount to create a pendant, brooch, earring, or other unique jewel piece? In this Beads, Baubles & Jewels segment, let Mark Nelson guide you on how to create perfectly sized, custom-fitted bezels from wire stocks.
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[@lovelyletter7460]

This is a great video and so informative! Love that solder trick also. I just wish you had a bit more time to show the process of attaching the bezel to the silver sheet and fitting the stone. As someone who’s never never done this before, I would love to see more.

[@Wide-Eyed-Audience]

just curious how this company might be "almost out of time" when shooting its own promo video... he was great, whats the rush?

[@consueloyoung4484]

Beginner...thank you for the great tutorial, please continue to show more beginners steps, such as, how to Souter the bezel to the back.

[@lunasky5635]

I miss Mark Nelson! Such a soothing voice. Charming man. Made me feel like i could do silversmithing! Back here after a five year break from making jewelry and this is just what i needed! I am sad that Rio Grande no longer invests in jewelry making education for DYI independents. Their newer videos are of the short “buy this product now” type. And very expensive products that only a large shop can afford.

[@hardrock6034]

Wish this was longer, he is a good instructor. How do you attach bezel to backing? Best way to cut backing? What does pickling do?

[@flyingcheff]

Definitely pick the stone AFTER you choose your bezel!! (LOL!) The questions she asks sometimes blow my mind. I know its all good and being filmed is tough, but that is just too funny. Thanks for great videos always

[@deborahhardeman8802]

You are a awesome instructor , putting solder on block and put bezel on top. BIG HELP

[@deborahhardeman8802]

This young man is a wonderful instructor. Thanks for sharing and helping new metalsmith's be able to learn. And Rio Grande Is a great place to purchase what you need for your creations.

[@RioGrande1944]

Deborah, thank you for the kind words! We are glad you liked the video!

[@heddaacevedo]

This is my hobby…love creating new designs…thank you so much…❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@RioGrande1944]

You are welcome!

[@texasmarshalls]

I would have like to see the whole thing to finish.

[@sandmaker]

Thanks Mark, great information as usual. Keep the goodness coming.

[@RioGrande1944]

We are glad you liked it!

[@SB-md4tt]

Voice are extremely calming for me!

[@TIG2MAN0]

Im new, this is a very cool technique. Thank you sir.

[@MingoDiMedici]

Is there a video on how to solder or fuse the bezel to the back and a video on how to fuse the jump ring to the bezel?

[@deborahhardeman8802]

This tip made this step easy. Thanks

[@suescowden01]

Can you do a bezel video with fusing Argentium silver vs soldering?

[@suescowden01]

Can you do a video with Argentium silver?

[@katemajuri7882]

Hello, I watched this video and I am curious what was in the back plate before you placed the stone? It looked like some type of grain/sand? Could you please let me know what was used? Thank you

[@infinity2636]

That would be the solder, used to attach the bezel to back plate

[@techart8183]

Can you please tell me what items you used for that. I want full materials name pleas tell me

[@RioGrande1944]

Thank you for the question! The full material list is in the description.

[@melissaloggins7754]

Hi there! Love these videos. I was curious-what kind of burnisher is that you're using at the end?

[@RioTechs]

Hi Melissa, Thanks for watching. That’s one of my favorite bezel burnishers the Brass Bezel Roller We had them made slightly oversized so that you could grind them smaller if you needed to. You can check them out at the following link. www.riogrande.com/Product/Brass-Bezel-Roller/113079?Pos=4 I hope this helps. Mark N Tech

[@melissaloggins7754]

Awesome! Thanks for the link!

[@fenwickc2274]

what gauge material are you using in the video ?

[@karenw8929]

Great instructor - would have been nice to skip the lame questions and let him completely set the stone from beginning to end.

[@RioGrande1944]

Thank you for the feedback.

[@laurar8486]

Mark, could I place a soldered bezel on a greenware metal clay backing and fire in place in the kiln? Would I need to be concerned about the bezel shrinking? Do you have any videos that show that? Thanks!

[@RioGrande1944]

Great question, Laura. You would need to make sure you use a solder with a melting temp higher than the firing temp of your metal clay. Otherwise, the solder will melt again. If you’re using sterling silver, you just need to make sure you have a mechanical hold to keep the bezel in place, as the sterling will not fuse with the fine silver metal clay. If you’re using fine silver, it will fuse. The bezel should not shrink. Here's a quick video about embedding pieces into metal clay: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jWmQoad4gtSeY68 We hope this is helpful!

[@deborahhardeman8802]

When I pinch the bezel wire to make ends come together, but than my bezel wire tends to get in even when I go to solder bezel to sheet, it isn't flush , what can I do to make bottom of bezel wire back to flat for soldering? I am new to metalsmithing.

[@moogie3111]

So, I noticed that you used hard solder and you just had your flame going right at the solder, it didn't look like you went endlessly round and round and round the bezel to heat it up evenly. I've watched other tutorial videos where the person used medium solder and had to go round and round and round before the solder flowed. In my own experience my teacher used hard solder and the thing really took a long time to flow and she was very frustrated. She vowed she would use medium solder next time. Just wondering why you're able to get away with hard solder and an intense flame in one spot?

[@RioGrande1944]

Hi there, Thanks for watching. The reason that Mark is not going around in circles is that the tip he is using is producing a flame that is large enough to cover the piece and heat it. This is the same concept as the video that Janet Caines did on our channel. You can see more about the technique here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJqkgICsr9lqoMU Hope this helps!

[@WayneEarl1974]

Materials question for you: if your bezel and backing materials are both solely fine silver, could one fuse the silver instead, forgoing both flux and sodder? if both approaches are possible, what would be the rationalle for choosing one over the other, assuming all other things being equal?

[@RioTechs]

+Wayne Earl... Fine silver is a traditional bezel as it's soft and makes a great setting material. most people don't use FS as a backing because of the same reason...it's too soft. Could you fuse the bezel to a FS backing? sure. but it's much more difficult than using flux and solder. I have, and quite often do use Argentium silver for both a bezel and a backing. It fuses wonderfully + easy to use to bezel set+ it has the Strength and rigidly you can get from traditional sterling. I hope this helps.Thanks for watchingMark N Tech

[@joannerowan4705]

+RioTechs I think Wayne has the same question I have- why not just fuse the fine silver bail wire ends together, instead of using solder and flux to join them? Thanks!

[@tongcompongsee2263]

joanne rowan อยากไปทำงานด้วยครับ

[@singswithstars]

It would be helpful to keep a tighter focus on what’s happening with the process you’re trying to show vs a far off shot of the people. It would have been great to see the soldering happen instead of watching them talk. Also, why the rush? “Out of time”?

[@mantaszmenskis5619]

Can a you do the same way with a big coin?

[@RioGrande1944]

Yes! You can make a bezel for a coin as you would a stone.

[@janicedonahue1122]

So how do you get the back to adhere to the bezel? I am a newbie so I apologize if the answer is obvious to everyone else! Thanks for the tutorial!

[@RioTechs]

Lynne Donahue. great question Lynne, you would solder the bezel onto another sheet of metal called the backing. I started talking about that about 5:43 but unfortunately ran out of time before i could show the technique. I hope this is of some help. Mark N Tech

[@janicedonahue1122]

Thank-you, That does help!

[@bassjoe7025]

Can someone please help! I’m new to this... but I cannot get my silver solder wire to flow... it’s hard 20g and I’m using a propane torch and some tinning flux from Home Depot or your local hardware store . I think I may need a different flux for hard solder ?

[@RioGrande1944]

Hi There! Thanks for asking. We have lots of soldering resources on our site: bit.ly/2uEvtxG. Be sure to check out "Selecting silver Solder." Hope this helps!

[@anna-nn4ix]

what is the beige stuff under the stone (5:46 frame) ? Thanks

[@RockhoundAlchemy]

Sawdust probably, a lot of native american turquoise jewelry uses it to level and cushion the stone.

[@flyingcheff]

I thought it kinda looked like thin corkboard too, good question, did you ever get an answer from Rio?

[@mustardforall]

They rushed through the video, and he couldn’t show us how he uses the absorbent cob- please do another video and include this. Thank you.

[@RioGrande1944]

Thank you for the feedback. We will share this with our team.

[@Laotzsa]

Damn don’t rush the guy. They skipped the best part, folding the bezel down

[@stevegriffiths5364]

Your HM-HM is very annoying. Overwise great video

[@carollacroix3613]

At the risk of being trolled mercilessly, the women 'observers' in these videos add nothing and their questions are often so inane as to compel eye rolling. How about Mark just does the demos without the unnecessary distraction?

[@davidlane147]

Carol LaCroix you're right, she clearly hasn't a clue what she's talking about

[@nangiggles]

I actually feel like she is asking stuff that viewers might be wondering, what kind of cutters, how tight should the bezel be on the cab, what kind of torch he uses, etc

[@seriouskaraoke879]

@nangiggles -- What? This is RioGrande....not Hobby Lobby. Ya know, professionals versus hacks.

[@nangiggles]

A professional doesnt need such a basic how to video. This is like a 101 noob video

[@seriouskaraoke879]

Disagree. I mostly do free form copper tubing art, not bezel making.