[Jewelry making - Article 00206] - Re: [Orchid] Rose Gold Solders

[M. Clodius]

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    Peter , and all . This may be a chance for me to learn more . Many
    years ago I read that the "old" way to make solder was to use the
    same alloy  that you are fabricating in and alloy down , two to four
    karats to make solder . I worked briefly with a jeweler who did just
    this , learned from his father , from South America. 

    "My" rose gold recipie is as follows for  18k ;  76gr.fine gold [I
    always over karat]  22.5 gr. pure copper and 1.5 gr fine silver . I
    used to alloy just gold and copper but the small addition of silver
    seems to reduce oxidation and improve working characterstics with
    negligible color change. 

    When alloying 14k  [ 59 gr. fine gold ] I bump silver into the  3-4%
    range ,  Alloying only a dwt at a time makes for a rather more
    variable mixture than the 100gr  I usually make, so I try to be
    extra careful with my measurements , and use our "legal for trade"
    diamond balance  to weigh the metals and use a nice clean crucible
    too .... The first time I tried this the "lower" k solders seemed to
    have a HIGHER melting point  so I bumped up the silver even more
    ,and added some commercial alloy containing zinc , but then  you
    start to lose the color . As I write this I think I understand why
    there is no good Red gold solder , copper melts at a higher temp
    than gold as you search for an alloy that will both melt and have
    color you can have one ,or the other . ??  I'm sorry this is  not so
    formulaic but was done , some 10-15 yr's ago and I'm still using the
    same pices of solder today . 

    Like I said in  the first post it is NOT a "good" solder , as
    solders go , the 12k is VERY hard and will leave some "artifacts" as
    the paillion melts but it will allow "seamless" soldering .......
    now the surface of the seam may need to be worked slightly to get
    that seamless look as you may get a little "orange peel" from being
    so close to the melting temp, I am a great fan of the "rotary
    hammer" or "porosity killer" - margin rollers don;'t last as long as
    the solid metal ones do. 

    If/when  I would try to make more solder today I might try  a Higher
    karat alloy .....as a solder .. I know there are participants here
    who are really knowlegable in metalurgy/alloys . Is there truley no
    such thing as a good red gold solder ? 

    Also , I've seen  a "redder" gold in some jewelry from Italy than
    any I've been able to make myself , any comments? 

Mark 


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