Gemstone Spacers

[bevansmw]

Ok, so I finally finished 7 for a set I have in the works and thought I'd throw a post up since they're just finishing up with the final clear gloss coat on them and then are ready for the scales.

In restoring the 7 day set I decided to replace the original rubber-type spacers that were originally in there with some gemstone spacers, I chose lapis lazuli and here they are. I made them using tools that I think most of us probably already have - my DMTs, dremel and then just some small diamond bits, 1mm drill bits and some diamond cut-off wheels from widgetsupply (dremel bits there are cheap) I had to get the diamond drill bits from a jeweler's tool shop online though. Here's how I did it, should've taken pictures but didn't. Be ware, diamond tools are required or something similar that will cut stone. Regular metal bits will just heat up red hot and burn up, won't get you anywhere. I went through the two 1mm bits I bought, the tips broke off them after only a few spacers each but I managed to get through all 7 between the two and another diamond bit I had.

1) Flattened 20mm Lapis Lazuli cabs on DMT Extra Course (small one) to 1/8"
2) Placed one scale on top of the stone and used the diamond bit to make a small indentation being careful not to expand the pin hole in the scales, drilled slightly into the stone with some protruding from all sides of the scales
3) Took out the stone and drilled through it
4) Fixed stone inbetween scales with an adjustable pin
5) Grinded away rough shape of spacer carefully with diamond cutoff wheel using the top of it to gradually grind away
edit: I kept water on-hand to wet the stone and prevent overheating, just dunked the end of scales occasionally .. also used water when working on the DMTs
6) Get final shape by carefully grinding it down by hand with it still inside the scales on the dmt, you can tell if it touches the scales the feeling is quite different
7) Used cut-off wheel to cut excess from round cab to get it to size after removing from scales (careful here ... the stone can break pretty easy while doing this)
note: This is the back-side of the spacer at this point, the cabs to begin with are perfectly round or oval
8) Took spacer back to D8C and made them tapered and thinner than 1/8"
9) Ground the edge lightly on D8EF to polish a bit
10) Polished most using maas and a floppy cloth wheel in a makita drill
11) Coated in the clear gloss as you see in photo. 3 coats ... I cleaned them off to remove any maas or debris with some nail polish remover before applying the polyurethane, the polyurethane I used called for mineral spirits for this but nail polish remover worked fine.

I'm not done with the set yet, but definately making much progress now Hopefully in the next few weeks....
I'll probably do this again sometime since it seemed so easy, I have two extra lapis lazuli 20mm cabs, some amber ones and some red jasper on the way in the mail for potential future projects. Seemed pretty easy and figured I'd share, I've seen some with Turqoise spacers but not many with other gemstones.

I got my cabs here: Wholesale Beads and Jewelry Making Supplies - Fire Mountain Gems and Beads
I have on the way from them some bead caps as well to use for the washers for this set that are sterling silver and have approx 1.5mm centers which is exactly the diameter of the sterling silver round rod I got ... so planning on doing that for pins, should come out nicely ... we'll see though