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Thread: Observations on annealing

  1. #1
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    Default Observations on annealing

    Firstly, I am not in any way an expert. I am a relative beginner and I am not instructing rather I am making observations from my limited experience.
    There are reams written on annealing by many true experts but it is only by reading several of these experts articles you in fact “get the whole story”. The issues I have had are 1. How often to anneal ?2. To air cool or quench? 3. The actual annealing temperature?
    For me the answers are:
    1. Every time you hammer bend or deform your silver you are work hardening it. So I have found it necessary to re anneal repeatedly….depending upon what you have subjected to piece to. It becomes less pliable / formable. You CANT anneal too often.
    2. Air cool till all colour has gone then quench. Otherwise you will “shock” the molecular structure and in essence will work harden it yet again!
    3. Colour…a dull room out of any direct light and just up to a glow….not cherry red! A sharpy black pen line tends to disappear at or just before the correct temperature…..STOP after maintaining that temperature for 15 seconds or so. Then, yes, air cool before quenching.
    Again repeat after working on the piece if there is more forming to be done.
    Please forgive me if it seems that I am “teaching my grandmother to suck eggs” as is said, but by writing this it has helped me to understand and reinforce the essentials of annealing. Like learning your times tables at school! It is assumed we know but ??
    David.


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  2. #2
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    Yes that's about what most of us do David, and authoritative articles and text books dont go much furtherer, With the exception of: You CANT anneal too often.

    I've read somewhere, but dont ask me where, that attempting to anneal metal which is already soft will create a more granular brittle structure.
    So working in the dark, so to speak, I don't anneal until the metal becomes hard. Dennis.

  3. #3
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    Hmmm that does ring a feint bell…thanks
    David


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  4. #4
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    Further comment on annealing: yes, my comment was meant to be that there is no restriction as to how many times you can anneal if your work piece becomes work hardened. Not that you can anneal again and again expecting greater malleability…… I must say I am surprised that only Dennis has made a corrective / constructive comment. We all have to anneal our work pieces…..there must be those with particular hints and advice and tips…..such as using a sharpie mark to judge when the correct temperature has been reached. Please share for the benefit of us all!
    David (Ruedeleglise)


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  5. #5
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    It may be that it’s just something you do without thinking about it and there is little else to say. I thought it untrue that you can’t anneal too often but as Dennis responded I didn’t feel the need.
    I have discovered a very comprehensive 8 pages on annealing in The Theory and Practice of Goldsmithing by Prof Dr Erhard Brepohl. I photographed each page but upload failed
    Last edited by CJ57; 05-07-2022 at 11:28 AM.

  6. #6
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    I don' t really have any tips I just seem to have become used to to correct colour over the years, it is not as critical as when hardening and tempering steel

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by CJ57 View Post
    It may be that it’s just something you do without thinking about it and there is little else to say. I thought it untrue that you can’t anneal too often but as Dennis responded I didn’t feel the need.
    I have discovered a very comprehensive 8 pages on annealing in The Theory and Practice of Goldsmithing by Prof Dr Erhard Brepohl. I photographed each page but upload failed
    What a pity…


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  8. #8
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    I’ll try and see if I can reduce the final image. I’ve had to chop of the page numbers but you should be able to follow!


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    Last edited by CJ57; 05-07-2022 at 06:19 PM.

  9. #9
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    Oh dear! Cant enlarge it. Might well be me!


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  10. #10
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    I think it depends what you’re viewing on. I can’t enlarge anyones photos on my iPad . It maybe requires a laptop. I can email them to you if you really want them but the best I can do for here

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