Simple Basket Setting: A Silversmithing Tutorial

This video tutorial shows how to create a traditional simple basket or prong setting from scratch. There are many different ways to do this, and all can be useful depending on the particular situation. In the process of demonstrating how to make one of these, I also show you how to turn it into a stunning solitaire ring. The material I used were: 18 gauge sterling round wire and 12 gauge sterling square wire. For this example I used a small round faceted Moldavite, a pretty green glass formed from an asteroid impact, but different all different types of stones look great in this style. This video is a bit longer, but is a detailed tutorial, so I think it is worth the watch time. I enjoy sharing my knowledge with others, as I've taught people for most of my life. This hobby turned into a fun side gig for me for years while I taught public school. I love suggestions and hearing about others' experiences. What is your favorite project? What kind of tutorials would you find useful?
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Chad Parker
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#ring #silver
Make a basket setting for a faceted stone!
#jewelrymaking #silversmithing #jewelry #jewelryhandmade #jewelrytutorial #jewelrydesign #jewellery #jewellerydesign #handmade #maker #crafts #jewelryartist #bespoke #artist

[@lmkcepu]

You are an awesome person for posting this and with such detailed, broken down explanations! I’m new to this and I’ve tried to follow along with other videos but ended up melting my setting! Your video really helped me to connect the dots in my brain and I’ve made my first basket setting and it’s perfectly level and marvelous! Anyway just couldn’t keep coming back to this video for guidance without giving praise. Keep up the great work!

[@chadssilversmithing]

That’s awesome Lydia! I know for a fact my first one wasn’t level, so good job!:). They can be challenging-I still melt them now and again. I’m really glad you found this useful, and thank you for such a nice comment!

[@lindasandidge7471]

Great video! Thank you!

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thank you Linda! I appreciate the nice comment. Thanks for watching:)

[@judithwatkins3262]

Beautiful!

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks Judith! I appreciate your nice comment:)

[@codythompson2560]

I feel like since I've lucked across your channel and instruction, you've put out just the video I didn't know I needed every time! Thank you again so much, as usual, I can't wait to go try the things I've learned here. Cheers!

[@chadssilversmithing]

That’s awesome Cody. I’m very happy these are helpful to you. Thanks for watching!

[@patredden4557]

Great video, thanks.

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks for the nice comment Pat!

[@SuzanRezac-mw8jr]

Thanks! Best video on basket settings. It works!

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks Suzan! What a nice thing to say! Thanks for the donation as well:)

[@prubin111]

Thank you Chad 🌺🤗🤙🏻

[@chadssilversmithing]

You are welcome Paula! Thanks for the comment:)

[@patriciacunningham5748]

I like tHat you explain why you do the little adjustments you make.

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks Patricia! If you ever have a question, just ask:)

[@joanstrother5418]

This was great, thanks so much!

[@chadssilversmithing]

You’re welcome Joan! Thanks for the nice comment:)

[@melaniebostwick9478]

Great job! Love how you do things with basic tools!

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks Melanie! It would be nice to have some of those fancy tools, but there is almost always a work-around if you don't have the budget for those:)

[@chriscarr4577]

Thank you!! It have felt the same way! I appreciate this video

[@chadssilversmithing]

Absolutely Chris! Thanks for the nice comment:)

[@virginiastone4667]

Thank you 😊 I’m learning so much!

[@chadssilversmithing]

You are very welcome Virginia. I am glad these are helpful to you!

[@mariettagilway6637]

Another great video Chad, They are always nicely detailed. I very much appreciate them.

[@chadssilversmithing]

You’re welcome Marietta. I’m glad you are finding them useful! Thanks for watching!

[@woodgemdave]

Great instruction Chad, so laid back and calming! The more experience the less melted things I get. Lots of extra balls of silver to use on later pcs. Thank you

[@chadssilversmithing]

I'm glad! I just melted a prong setting I was making for one of my Patreon Exclusive Videos. I still occasionally do that:). Thanks for the good comment Dave!

[@MdSohelRanas1]

Awesome

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thank you Sohel. I appreciate the kind comment!

[@ChucksMagic]

I really enjoyed this one! I've completed setting a 8mm cubic zircona in a basket following this tutorial. Quite a challenging project, but by following along with the video, I managed to come up with an aceptable piece. I can't believe how much I've learned from your channel, thanks a ton!

[@chadssilversmithing]

I’m really glad Chuck. Once you’ve made 3 or 4 they’ll start to get much easier. Thanks for the nice comment!

[@mcsmith732]

Beautiful ring and excellent work! I can always tell a true professional by how easy and simple they make the work look. Thanks for posting this video. It was lovely to watch and listed to. Kind of calming.

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks MC! What nice things to say! I’m really glad you enjoyed it:)

[@carolsteck6847]

Another very informative tute Brad glad you sorted the filming issue 😊 we all gotta learn. Thank you.

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks Carol!

[@andreamarkovic6314]

You make everything look so easy Chad! I am on round two, trying to make this basket setting!!

[@chadssilversmithing]

Making these were what forced me to get proficient at pick soldering. I melted quite a few learning to do them. Don’t get discouraged. The trick is to hold the torch horizontal and nudge the heat up from the bottom. Also, don’t tip the third hand too much, just a tiny bit. I still melt them occasionally:)

[@maiguapa8]

Omg Chad! That is so beautiful. I love moldavite, I have a couple myself. Again, double thanks for making this video. My faceted 10mm citrine stone that I have attempted to do this kind of setting made me melt a lot of silver already. I will follow your process and be more patient. I appreciate your generosity in sharing your techniques. Love your work 💕

[@chadssilversmithing]

You’re welcome Mai Me. Glad you liked it. I hope it helps you with prong settings!

[@hart6537]

Thanks

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thank you, and thanks for the coffee!

[@manjaritdutta]

Thank you for the detailed but easy-to-understand and follow instructions. A close-up at each step at a higher magnification would help further.

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thank you. I think in my more recent videos, I have improved my editing skills:)

[@kristenbingel4648]

Prong settings elude me and it's driving me crazy!!

[@chadssilversmithing]

I get it:). It took me some time to really learn how to control the heat on these type. It helps it you keep your torch pointed horizontally and nudge the heat up from the bottom, but don’t linger too long after each solder joint flows. Hope this helps Kristen!

[@kristenbingel4648]

Thank you! I think it might. I'm definitely getting a solder pick. I've not acquired one yet it seems to be quite useful in the precision that settings need.

[@Gazz_R]

Great work Chad, that looks amazing. I'd love to see your take on 4 claw basket set stud earrings. Thanks for sharing and take care.

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks Gazz. I will probably do that at some point!

[@Gazz_R]

@@chadssilversmithing Looking forward to it.

[@susanafreitas6669]

Hello Chad, so glad I've found your channel, you're a life saver 😅 thank you so much for all the things I've already learn here and as soon as I can, I'll be joining as a patron cause making jewelry will be my main activity now and I do need you! Oh, I'm Portuguese and I live in France😅 yeah what a mess life... So I wish you the best and I believe that your channel will grow just nicely 👌👏💪

[@chadssilversmithing]

Hello Susana:). I’m glad I can help with your jewelry journey! I look forward to having you join my Patreon group!

[@WizardKitty723]

❤

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks WizardKitty!

[@Aelawen]

I use my saw blade to help make sure the notches are directly across from one another. I just hold it over the jump ring and make sure two sides are the same.

[@chadssilversmithing]

That's a great idea Adam! I'll try that. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@tammiehonican76]

Love your tutorials. Was wondering if you can use solder paste? This all new to me. Trying to learn. Please bare with me and my beginner questions.

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks Tammie! No need to apologize for having questions. We are all beginners at some time. Many people use paste solder, but I do not. The type of solder I use has 75% silver. I haven’t checked into it lately, but last time I investigated, I couldn’t find any that had that high of silver content. Maybe someone else who sees this comment and uses paste solder can chime in about that topic. That being said, there are many ways to do this, and a lot of people telling you that their way is best. Just take what you find useful from each and build your own way of doing things. Thank you for the nice comment!

[@tammiehonican76]

@@chadssilversmithing thank you for your response. That was informative. And have a good day!

[@buttsmckenzy1555]

Your videos deserve so many more views, you're a lovely teacher! May I ask what you use for flux? a looks very convenient vs borax 😅

[@chadssilversmithing]

Hello Butts! Thank you for thinking so:). I use My-T-Flux from Rio Grande. Love your name!

[@buttsmckenzy1555]

@@chadssilversmithing Thank you so much, friend, I'm only a year into working with fine metals so I'm learning positively everything, I appreciate it! And thank you lol, I wanted a silly name and here we are. 😅😅

[@SheranSimo]

I thought it was just my solder wire that blew all over the board, or melted and rolled away! Glad to know it wasn’t just me!

[@chadssilversmithing]

Hehe, I'm always chasing things down:)

[@hellofraands3980]

Great work Chad.. Loved the Video. Can you suggest some Jewellery Instruction manual to learn other prong settings ?

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks! I personally don't have one book that shows numerous variations of prong settings. Most that I have only provide one or two types amongst various other jewelry techniques. It would be nice to have a book like that. Anybody out there have any good suggestions?

[@hellofraands3980]

@@chadssilversmithing thanks for getting back. I made the ring with your tutorial and it came out amazing. My first Ring !!! Thanks again Chad!!

[@STELLABeauty]

Can't really see how yr putting together. But good explaining it.

[@chadssilversmithing]

Sorry about that Jade. This is a pretty early video, so my filming and editing were a bit rough. Hopefully my newer ones are better:)

[@portalkeeper5002]

So you do not drill down the seat with a round bur or anything? You just leave the round wire seat as it is?

[@chadssilversmithing]

I do sometimes. It depends on how steep a pavilion the stone has. Some stones sit up really high, and it helps to taper the top ring a bit.

[@portalkeeper5002]

Got ya. Thank you for responding!!!! @@chadssilversmithing

[@donwatts6588]

Do you use oxygen when soldering

[@chadssilversmithing]

Good question Don. I use an acetylene/air torch that pulls in atmospheric air to mix with the gas through little vents in the tip. I have never found the need to use oxygen, as I get plenty of heat out of the setup I have. Thanks for the comment Don!

[@jadeheart911]

Moldavite blew my life to bits...be careful. It's no joke....it will make changes you may not be prepared for.

[@chadssilversmithing]

Hope things get better for you!

[@paulinemegson8519]

Sorry dude but you need to get closer. There’s no way anyone could see what you were on about when you were talking about the parts of the stone. Your information is great, and this was a good tute on basket setting, but these are tiny little pieces you’re dealing with, you need to get CLOSE!!

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thank you for the comment Pauline. I have altered my setup since that video. Newer ones have a closer view. If you watch the most recent one, it covers making a prong setting with a closer view. Hope this helps. I am pretty experienced as a silversmith, but still have a steep learning curve as a video producer:). Check out the newest one and let me know if that one looks better to you. Thank you for the constructive criticism!

[@paulinemegson8519]

Thanks for taking my comment in the spirit it was meant. Your content is great….too good to be let down by not being able to be seen :) subscribed.

[@chadssilversmithing]

@@paulinemegson8519 Thanks Pauline. I’m always good with constructive criticism. My goal is to provide useful content, so I appreciate helpful suggestions like yours:). Thanks for subscribing!

[@BudhraiSoren-ey7xd]

षँषष़़ँष़ष़़

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thank you:)

[@heidizimmermann8440]

what you are doing is very small, we can't see it. Please zoom in.

[@chadssilversmithing]

Sorry Heidi. In more recent videos I have changed my camera angle so it’s a closer view. Thanks for the constructive criticism!

[@WizardKitty723]

❤

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks WizardKitty!