[Jewelry making - Article 00272] - Re: [Orchid] Experience working with 950 palladium

[Teresa Frye]

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Hello Hratch,

>     After months of trial and errors and experimenting, I am asking
>     anyone on orchid with info and experience in working palladium and
>     it's alloys to give me some direction. 

    Your questions are very good ones given the number of new 950 Pd
    alloys that are being used in the industry. Some companies do
    sufficient testing of their products before they market them, and
    some leave it to the jewelers or retailers in the field to do it,
    often with bad results. As a contract caster, I have tested 8
    different 950 Pd alloys and have had very differing results. Most
    were bad. I cannot stress enough the importance of having the right
    alloy. A 950 Pd alloy that is composed of platinum group metals will
    certainly not have the bluish or dark gray colors that you describe
    unless it is associated with surface oxidation resulting from
    exposure to a torch, and that comes of easily as you describe. I
    suspect that the alloy you refer to contains cobalt, and that perhaps
    this did not remain homogeneous in the alloy. The casting process
    itself can also greatly impact the outcome, as palladium will heavily
    oxidize if not cast in a protected environment. 

    What I can tell you from my experience is the following: 

    1) There are very few good 950 Pd alloys on the market, but they DO
    exist. I have been casting a PdRuGa alloy since January with
    fantastic results. The hardness, even with partial recycle has been
    maintained in the range of 125 to 140 Vickers. I test my metal supply
    every six weeks to be sure. 

    2) Several alloys on the market are dangerously soft, ranging from
    60 to 100 Vickers. In addition, you also have casters that mix their
    own alloys, but never bother to get a hardness test. So, their only
    criterion is whether it looks good in the as-cast state with no
    concern for after market performance. 

    3) The casting process must be a highly controlled one. I have been
    casting platinum, (not exactly the easiest metal to cast) for over 12
    years. Without question, palladium is more difficult to cast than
    platinum. 

    4) At the moment, with 950 palladium you need to do your own
    hardness testing on the product you choose at least once. Don't take
    the sales guy's word for it on hardness values. For only $78.00 you
    can have a hardness test done at an aerospace certified lab here in
    Oregon. The name of the lab is Koon-Hall-Adrian Metallurgical and
    their website is khametal.com. It is a small price to pay to know
    that your stones won't fall out and your ring won't become oval. 

    950 palladium is a beautiful metal that is wonderful to work with,
    but the industry is jumping in with both feet and not everyone is
    taking the time to do their homework. It saddens me to see the short
    term dollar taking precedence over the long term reputation of 950
    Pd. Whether you are a bench jeweler, a retailer, or a consumer, your
    first experience with 950 palladium will strongly shape your attitude
    toward the metal. I can assure you that it does not have to be a bad
    one. 

    Please feel free to contact me off-line if you would like more
    information. 

All the best,

Teresa Frye
President
TechForm Advanced Casting Technology
(503)652-5224
www.techformcasting.com
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