Openwork Pendant with Freeform Bezel Set Cab
25 gm PMC3
PMC 3 paste
PMC3 Syringe
1 inch 28 gauge 1/8" x .013" fine silver bezel wire
small cabochon
Choose a design that will fit well inside a circle and has open areas that can be cut away. Make a photopolymer plate of the design so that the design is recessed and will act as a mold.
In a area protected from UV and natural light, make a sandwich with a piece of masonite (or glass) on the bottom, then a piece of foam core sheet, the PPP with the emulsion side up, the transparency with the toner side down, and a piece of non-UV resistant glass on top. Secure with large bulldog clips. Place under a 9 volt UV lamp and expose for 30 seconds (avoid looking at the UV light source). It may be necessary to adjust the timing of the exposure, depending on the light source. Start with a small image and small pieces of the photopolymer plate and experiment, increasing the exposure time in 5 second increments until an exposure time that gives a good wash out is achieved. Remove the PPP from the sandwich and wash with a soft brush under tepid water until the unexposed portions of the plate clear. Allow to dry and expose to the UV light source again for 1 minute to cure.
Roll out some fresh metal clay 3 cards thick and cut out a circle. Cut out a second circle ¼" smaller in diameter from the center of the first circle and remove the excess clay taking care not to distort the form of the circle. Allow the clay to dry to a mostly dry stage. Refine the inside and outside edges of the circle with emery boards and sanding sponges.
Roll out some more clay 3 cards thick. Using a tissue blade, cut the clay to form a rectangle and then trim away portions of the sides to form a blunt diamond shape. Place the bail shape over a straw or glass rod, pushing the bottom edges together so that one side remains straight while the other side is curved. Allow to dry to a mostly-dry stage and refine the edges with emery boards and sanding sponges, smoothing the pointed top edges of the diamond shape into a gentle curve.
Wrap the bezel wire around the cabochon and mark at the spot where wire
overlaps and clip with flush cutters. Trim the wire a small bit at a time
with the flush cutters until the bezel has a slightly loose fit around the
stone. Match the ends of the bezel wire by gently pushing the ends of the
wire over and under each other until the ends square up and are held
together by the tension formed in the process. Place a small amount
of PMC3 paste over the joint in the bezel and fire at 1650 degrees for 20
minutes and allow to cool.
Lightly oil the photopolymer mold. Roll our more clay 3 to 4 cards thick, depending on the depth of the mold and press the clay gently into the mold. Remove the clay from the mold and cut out a circle around the design the same diameter as the outer circle of the top portion of the pendant. Allow the clay to dry to a semi-dry state. Using a small paintbrush, place a bead of paste around the edge of the base portion of the pendant and moisten the back of the circular top portion with water. Invert the top portion over the base. Press down gently while lining up the edges. Allow to dry to a mostly-dry stage. Fill any gaps between the top circle and the base with a syringe and allow to dry.
Place the cabochon at the edge of the circle and use a craft knife to cut a platform for it to be set on. The platform should be approximately 12 to14 percent larger than the stone as the clay will shrink during firing. Cut around the rest of the design being sure to leave it anchored to the edge of the circle in at least two places. Carefully remove the excess clay. Allow to dry to a mostly-dry stage. Use paste to add a signature and quality mark to the back if desired. Refine the edges with sanding sponges and small files.
Place some paste on the straight side of the bail and moisten the back of the pendant with water. Invert the bail over the pendant and press down gently. Allow to dry. Fill any gaps between the bail and the pendant with a syringe. Smooth and allow to dry to a completely dry stage. To prepare the pendant for a shiny finish, polish the outer edges and front of the top circle and the bail with polishing papers, starting with the coarsest grit and working up to the finest. Polish the central design lightly with a fine grit while being careful not to remove definition from the design. Place the pendant face down on a kiln shelf and fire at 1650 degrees for 2 hours and allow to cool.
Place some paste along the edges of the platform. Dip the bottom edge of the bezel in the paste and set into place. Allow to dry. Fill any gaps with more paste and allow to dry. Place the pendant on a kiln shelf bezel side up and fire at 1650 degrees for 2 hours and allow to cool. Use a small file to remove any excess metal from the outer edges of the platform.
Brush the pendant with a wet, soapy brass brush and then tumble for 1 hour or burnish by hand. Use a new set of the finest grits of the sanding sponges to remove any obvious scratches or imperfections. Polish the outer ring and bail of the pendant to a high shine using a new set of polishing papers, working again from the coarsest grit up to the finest. Polish the central design lightly with the two finest grits of paper, again taking care not to remove definition from the design. Apply liver of sulphur to the central portion if desired to increase the definition of the design.
Check the fit of the stone by laying a piece of dental floss over the bezel and inserting the stone over the floss (the floss will keep the stone from becoming stuck in the bezel). If the bezel is too high, the stone will need to be raised. Cut several pieces of thin, soft plastic (a portion of a CD sleeve works well) to fit the shape of the stone. Place the plastic pieces into the bezel and check the fit, again using the dental floss. Add enough plastic so that a flat topped cabochon is just below the edge of the bezel or so that the bezel comes just up to the point where a rounded cabochon starts to curve. Remove the dental floss and set the stone by using the bezel pusher to push the bezel wire up against and over the stone. Keep going around the stone, pushing gently to maintain the shape. Use a curved or agate burnisher to flatten and smooth the edge of the bezel wire against the stone.
Sit back and admire your work.
