My cousin's husband's sister contacted me and asked me to make her a ring like she had seen elsewhere for much larger center stones. I designed the ring as sent her some cad cam pics for her to review.  it was just like she wanted,  so we proceeded to the milling machine.  The first wax cracked and broke into 3 pieces,  so wax take two!  The second wax cast funny,  not sure if investment had a thick spot or some wax dripped inside,  but one side of the filigree did not cast.  So,  wax take 3!  Third time was the charm!  I cast it while my cousin was visiting so she could watch the melting of the metal and the pour into the 1000 degree flask sitting in the vacuum casting machine.  2 hours later it was cleaned polished and set! hallaluia!  I sqaushed the gremlin that had been sittin on this job!  next i was apperantly having problems with the merchant services gateway for my website,  so she could not pay me!  after an ahour on the phone with two different companies,  the gateway co,  and the merchant service provider,  and an online pci compliance questoinaire update,  I hopefully have chased that bugger away!  But the ring is awsome!