Aluminum and magnesium alloy for jewelery

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hello,

I am looking for an aluminum magnesium alloy for jewelery. I am
currently training on aluminum but I’d like my jewelry to be stronger
for everyday use. Or can you suggest a different Aluminum alloy? For
months, I’m looking for without much success where to find this alloy
in wire form.

Thank you in advance.

2

Hi Daniel,

Good luck with the alumium alloys, just use a thicker section or a
hard rolled sheet. aluminium is available in soft medium or hard
forms.

As to wire, thats easy, you just need to ask the right question,
which is who uses ali wire?

well it is ali welders. go to your local welding supply store they
will have a whole range of wire from 1/.16 thin up too to 3 1/16th in
dia 1 yd long.

Here in the UK lots of folk are going down the ali jewellery road.
Bright coloured anodised cut out shapes with a saw.

Just one step up from beading.

If you really want to make that leap of the imagination, go to your
local scrap yard, ask for some 1/4in dia ali conductor cable usually
insulated in a 3 or 4 wire cable.

Its 999 ali.

then dont be afraid to forge it into a cuff type bracelet.

Have fun
tTd.

3

Hi Daniel,

There are many different alloys of aluminum to use depending on your
application and manufacturing techniques.

6061 and 6063 are a couple easily obtainable and easy to work with
alloys, they can be welded, machined and anodize well. You will
probably be able to find wire in these alloys but not a large
variety of sizes. As aluminum is generally rather soft it is easy,
after annealing, to draw the size wire you need.

the 1100 series are soft, almost pure aluminum, weld and solder
well, also cast well and anodize very cleanly.

5000 series aluminum is a good relatively strong alloy that can be
welded, anodized but hard to find in anything but sheet.

The 7000 series are probably the toughest alloys, often used in high
strength and higher heat parts. These are hard to work with.

There are a number of casting alloys like 1100, 356 and “Almag” that
cast well and anodize very well.

There are many links to explanations of aluminum alloys on the web.

I made anodized, cast and fabricated, aluminum jewelry for a number
of years and had no problem with it being too soft, it is not as
strong as silver or gold so you have to design accordingly.

Good luck
jeff kahn