MAKING CABOCHONS / WIRE WRAPPING CABOCHON JEWELRY / SILVER BEZEL JEWELRY
How to Wire Wrap Cabochons to make Jewelry.
Wire Wrapping Pendants, Rings, Bracelets, and Earrings.
Making Silver Bezel Cabochon Jewelry.
There are many ways to become a knowledgeable lapidary or wire-wrapping hobbyist. Some may begin with an interest in stringing beads and progress to an interest in rocks and stones for that purpose or for wire wrapping or for use in metal smithed pieces. Certainly there are local clubs all over the country as well as local classes that would cater to your specific interest in most areas. Classes are a great way to learn about rocks, rock-hounding, minerals, history and stories of gemstones, gem faceting, cabochons, wire wrapping cabochons, wire wrapped jewelry and beyond. You can also learn by PDF instructions, videos and DVD’s available on the market.
What’s the difference between Stones, Rocks, Minerals and Gemstones ?
First off stones can be a misleading term - do you mean a gemstone or a piece of rock and it may also depend to whom you are speaking. Generally speaking as it relates to the study of the earth (geology), when you speak you are referring to rocks and minerals - not stones. Stones - for jewelers and gem collectors would only mean gemstones.
Rocks are defined as a natural aggregate of two or more minerals. Minerals are defined as a naturally occurring, inorganic, solid constituent of the earth's crust and have definite chemical compositions and crystal structures.
When I say stones in the website "Infinity Stones and Metals" - I mean all stones (actually both rocks and minerals), to clarify. I will begin by sharing some information about taking rocks and slabs of rock to fashion into cabochons which can be used in making jewelry such as rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, pendants, bolos, belt buckles, belts and other beguiling and beautiful adornments.
Rocks and Slabs - Making Cabochons
As I previously mentioned - I began making beaded items. This naturally led to exploration for other methods and materials used in the process of making jewelry. I began by taking a Lapidary class at a local community center. This is where I have learned to use many machines and tools. The first item that I learned about was how to make a cabochon from a rock or gemstone material. A cabochon is a gemstone (rock), which has been shaped and polished as opposed to being facetted. Generally speaking this is a form with a domed shaped top and flat on the bottom, The outline shape varies - ovals are very popular though you will see circles, oblongs, trapezoids and many other freeform designed cabochons. (See “what’s the difference between stones, rocks, minerals and gemstones?”)
How to make a Cabochon
The steps in producing a cabochon begin with the selection of material (rock) to be used and a decision on the desired shape of the cabochon. Cabochons are typically made with opaque materials where the transparent stones are typically faceted for maximum brilliance and shine.
Once you have your material, you must cut the rock into a slab with a flat bottom for the cabochon and enough height to allow you to shape the dome of the cabochon. You may decide to use a template to trace the desired shape and size onto your slab of rock. You can mark this line with a sharpie or with a scribe made from aluminum, which does not rub off during the process of making the cabochon.
Next, you will trim away the other materials until you have gotten your desired shape free. You can achieve this with a trim saw. Now you are ready to mount the roughly shaped stone onto a dop stick. This will allow you to handle the piece and hold it to the grinding wheels and give you freedom to turn the stone to shape the dome as you desire. The stick allows you to hold the stone in positions that cannot be easily held by hand. The stick may be a piece of wooden dowel or could be a nail (file off the pointed end) with a large head. There are commercially available dop sticks from aluminum as well. To mount the rock to the dop stick you use dop cement, which has a wax base. This wax is available commercially prepared and ready to use - you simply melt in a dop pot. Once the wax is melted you can dip the stick into the wax and the press the end of the stick with wax onto a cold metal plate to form a flat face that will be applied to the flat stone surface. (Your goal here to end up with an area that almost comes to edges of the cab – but allows room for trimming and polishing and still not be right at the dop wax – so you aren’t grinding down the wax on your wheels). Once cooled dip the dop stick again into the wax and this time press the fluid wax end of the dop stick to the stone. Allow the stick and stone to rest on the cold metal plate for a time. Once complete cool to the touch you are ready to begin to form the stone.
How the Cabochon takes Shape
Grinding wheels are used to shape the stone into the cabochon shape. Grinding is done wet so that the work is kept cool and prevents clogging of the wheels. Begin to make several cuts at increased angles removing layers much the same as peeling an apple for example. The flat spot on the top of the cabochon should become smaller with each progressive layer. Typically these layers are removed on a coarse grinding wheel. Beginners may find it advisable to use a finer grit wheel until they comfortable with this process. Continue to rotate and move the stone to shape the top and the entire curve of the crown evenly. Check it frequently for accuracy. To be sure that the flat top has been totally removed you may wish to place an “x” on the top of the stone. This cross will disappear when to flat spot has been ground away. Continue to use light pressure as you rock and rotate the dopped stone against the revolving wheel of the grinder. Typically you would move from a 220 grit to a 400 and finish smoothing the cabochon on the 600 grit wheel. Inspect the stone under a magnifier to be sure that you have no visible scratches. If there are any - remove them with additional sanding as polishing will not remove them.
Polishing Cabochons for Jewel
Thought there are numerous techniques and polishing mediums, diamond abrasive is the most effective polishing medium. Cerium Oxide on a felt buff is a very popular compound and successfully used for many stones to achieve maximum polish.
The next step in the process is removal of the stone from the dop stick. This can be achieved by placing the stone and stick in the freezer for several minutes. Many times it will just break free with a bit of pressure applied and sometimes you may need to pry the stones from the dop sticks (do this carefully). There will then be residual wax remaining on the cabochon. Submerge the cabochon in a jar of denatured alcohol for a while - overnight even. Remove from the alcohol and dry off - it should be totally clean now and ready for mounting or to use in a wire wrapped jewelry design. (click here to see cabochons available for purchase)
There are really two methods to create a silver bezel for your cabochon. You can carve a bezel from wax to custom fit the cabochon. After you have carved the wax bezel you will most likely send it out to be cast in silver. To cast silver is really a whole other specialty within itself. The method of carving a bezel and casting is the method that you might select if you want to have a very substantial bezel with a good amount of silver to show and perhaps you have a really great freeform cabochon of a favorite gemstone materials or it is special for some other reason. (More information on wax carving bezels will be available on this site soon)
Another method to create a silver bezel would be to create it with commercially produced bezel wire and flat sheet silver for the bezel backing – with the use of silversmithing techniques. (More information on Silversmithing techniques for the creation of silver bezels will be available on this site soon)
How to wire wrap a Cabochon for pendants, bracelets, necklaces, earrings and rings.
The method of wrapping wire around cabochons (or rocks or faceted gemstones) is very popular and one of the simples ways to create jewelry. Relative beginners to jewelry making can within an afternoon create a pretty fashionable necklace or pendant and without a lot of tools, equipment or materials required.
The best place to start for many is with some wire wrapping classes that you might find locally. Some other good choices for learning to wire wrap is thru instructional books that you can find in local craft stores or online. Some people find it difficult to learn in this method. Others find that seeing someone else demonstrate a technique is an easier way to learn. You can find instructional wire wrapping DVDs or PDF instructions on line from a number of accomplished wire sculptors.
If you have information that I may share or would reciprocate a link to/from your site please contact me. If you wish to share sites that would be helpful and hopefully interesting, to others with similar interests, please contact me as I would like this to be a helpful, educational and evolving site.
INFINITY Stones and Metals | Information on Wire wrapped Cabochon jewelry – Making Cabochons – Making silver bezels for Cabochons Debbie Frybarger / P.O. Box 381164, Murdock, FL 33938
Phone: 615-496-5001/ email: info@infinitystonesandmetals.com
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