TeeDee
17-01-2016, 11:52 PM
Apologies in advance if this thread leads me to ask many further questions.
I have recently been asked to take on a few small commissions in gold some simple and some less so.
I'm reasonably familiar now with working with 925 silver but the more I research gold the more I find a staggering array of carats, colours and differing properties even within these groups.
So 2 initial questions:
Annealing: I have recently aquired Mark Grimwade's excellent 'Intro to precious metals' which seems to indicate water quenching at close to annealing temperature for 18ct and lower coloured golds presumably yellow and red?? ( pg153 in my book). Most other sources seem to suggest air cooling to black heat before considering quenching. Have I misread the book or am I missing something and is there a generally accepted method.
White gold solder: I have been asked to make an 18ct white gold ring in approx 2.3x2.3mm square section. I will be rolling from 3x3 to get the correct dimension and intend to fabricate from 18ct high palladium content white stock. Given that Cookies and Betts don't sell white solder wire I will need to buy a complete 2gm panel. Is there much colour difference between hard/med/easy as there is certainly a cost difference. Also are there any problems I should anticipate as I have not worked white gold before.
Any advice appreciated
Tim
I have recently been asked to take on a few small commissions in gold some simple and some less so.
I'm reasonably familiar now with working with 925 silver but the more I research gold the more I find a staggering array of carats, colours and differing properties even within these groups.
So 2 initial questions:
Annealing: I have recently aquired Mark Grimwade's excellent 'Intro to precious metals' which seems to indicate water quenching at close to annealing temperature for 18ct and lower coloured golds presumably yellow and red?? ( pg153 in my book). Most other sources seem to suggest air cooling to black heat before considering quenching. Have I misread the book or am I missing something and is there a generally accepted method.
White gold solder: I have been asked to make an 18ct white gold ring in approx 2.3x2.3mm square section. I will be rolling from 3x3 to get the correct dimension and intend to fabricate from 18ct high palladium content white stock. Given that Cookies and Betts don't sell white solder wire I will need to buy a complete 2gm panel. Is there much colour difference between hard/med/easy as there is certainly a cost difference. Also are there any problems I should anticipate as I have not worked white gold before.
Any advice appreciated
Tim