Detailed Guide to Making a Sterling Silver Ring with Gemstone

Question
Hello

I am trying to make a silver ring with a gem to top it.  Can you provide me with some detailed instructions for the process i.e./[materials and steps].  I have observed some videos online but it would be nice to have an organized process written out.

Also...a couple questions...
1.  Are you aware of a medium that is dries clear, and of thick consistancey that would dry rock hard for bonding gems, crystals, stones together?

2.  When you have a gem that you want to connect to a ring form once completed...I am assuming this would be soldered on to the ring form?  Also..do you use another piece of sterling silver and heat it so that it is pliable to shape around the gem/stone/ rock as a base that attaches the gem and ring form together?  [Just note sure about how you form the base that holds the gem/stone/crystal and then attaching it to the ring form itself].

Thanks so much for you help on this...
regards, Cindy

Answer
Hello Cindy,
you should read Tim McCreight's the Complete Metalsmith- what you are asking is a four hour long response!.
The basics:
you will need a strip of silver sheet or a ring blank at least 58mm long, a butane torch and  hard silver solder, flux and an applicator and  if you have no experience a bezel cup and a cabochon that are the same size. Measure the  finger with a ring sizer ,or use a strip of paper or dental floss, lay it against the strip of metal (at least 24 gauge) and solder  together the cleanly filed  and perfectly meeting edges or joints by applying flux to both and directing the  torch flame to the piece of metal  that you have pre-formed into a circle on a ring mandrel or whatever shape you like, heating the piece on a charcoal block or firebrick and the hard solder will flow at about 1400 degrees (Then you will need to pickle it in an acid bath  before attaching the setting which can be bought or fabricated.).If it balls up the join was not clean and the  edges did not meet. Then you will add your setting, which could be as easy as making a ring that is the size of your gem, flattening it a bit with a leather mallet and adding prongs ( wires or strips of sheet filed to a desirable shape and then soldered to the  flat base) or using bezel cups and cabachons. You  will also need to  prevent the ring you soldered together from coming apart by applying some yellow ochre to that join  and adding the setting or bezel cup to a point you choose filed flat-ish to accept the setting without rocking, and using medium or easy solder.
Never try to just glue a stone on top.but if you must glue a cabochon into a bezel cup GS hypo-cement is the best product out there, but not if you are going to heat any parts of your workpiece.. I recommend your reading  the complete metalsmith  and then asking more questions.Also the Orchid forum at www. ganoksin .com has many references in their archives that will either give you more detail or  a link to a video on you tube that will answer this more completely than I can at this point.
feel free to ask  me more detailed questions once you have  researched the basics and  know what  operations you are having trouble with and the equipment you'll need..to set up a small studio to  solder  basic rings will cost about 600 dollars- so  check out  rockhounding clubs and jewelry schools  in your area or community centers, etc. they may have lessons available at little cost and access to tools.
Best regards,Ari