[Jewelry making - Article 00220] - Re: [Orchid] Gold bezel wire for a novice goldsmith

[John Donivan]

========[ Invite a Friend - http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm  ]========

>     Is annealing gold different than silver? What karat is the most
>     forgiving? Is all 18k the same in workability? 

    Kelley - another thread I'm sure you'll get many replies. gold
    probably should be annealed a bit hotter - "probably" because there
    are 1,000 alloys, unlike having one sterling silver. 22kt. gold will
    probably most resemble fine silver, but it comes with it's own
    issues, cost being the first. Other than that, 18kt. is probably the
    most forgiving, which is part of it's popularity, and not all of
    anything is the same, of course. I make an alloy, which I'll post or
    tell you if you want, that's very soft and easily worked - 80%
    silver, 20% copper, really (that's the alloy mix). The thing you're
    coming up against is that gold just is stiffer and harder than
    silver. I used to use mostly a leather mallet on silver, and when I
    went to gold I switched to steel - the leather just wouldn't move it
    for what I was doing. And you can set a fine silver bezel in 30
    seconds with a burnisher, but you'll never do that in 18kt. gold.
    Stuff like that... You'll get it - gold is way more fun to work in
    the long run. 

http://www.donivanandmaggiora.com
____________________________________________________________________
T h e   O r c h i d   L i s t
Open Electronic Forum for Jewelry Manufacturing Methods and Procedures
____________________________________________________________________
Orchid FAQ:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/faq.htm
Orchid Archives:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive
Orchid Galleries:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/gallery.htm
Invite a Friend:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm
____________________________________________________________________
Tips From The Jeweler's Bench - Article Archive
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/tip_sear.htm
The Jeweler's Selected Bibliography List
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/jewelry-books
Buy Orchid Jewelry:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/shop
____________________________________________________________________
-Unsubscribe:
-Email: orchid-request AT ganoksin.com Body=unsubscribe subject=blank
____________________________________________________________________