Best method for mixing alloy 24K

Can anyone give a little insight or tips on the best method of
mixing pure 24K casting grain and alloy. I am not asking for the gram
calculations, but the method of mixing it properly. Right now we are
just using a torch and mixing it in a crucible then pouring it into
bars for casting. Would it be more efficient/wiser/safer to buy and
electric melter and then stir it and pour it from the mixer.

Thanks,
HB

Hi HB,
24K alloy?

Regards Charles A.

Best Method for Mixing Alloy +24K

Sorry the forum took away my “+” sign for some reason. What I meant
is mixing pure 24K Grain with alloy.

I was going to assume that, but recently customers have been asking
for 24 carat white and pink gold. I was speechless.

The best way (imo) is to get the alloy calculations correct.

I melt in a bilge type crucible, putting the lower melt point metals
at the bottom, using an adequate amount of pot line flux.

Regards Charles A.

There is no such thing as 24Kt alloy! if you are raising the karat
that is another recipe, otherwise simply melt and pour the 24 kt gold
from well glazed crucible to warmed mould keeping the flame near the
gold while pouring particularly in a cold ambient air atmosphere.

No need to buy an electro melt furnace unless you are processing a
large amount of gold into bars, and at that point You need to check
into your local laws regarding minting, possession of over “x” amount
of gold before it becomes an offence or illegal, etc. as legal limits
differ place to place country to country…

If you clarify what you need i can send a recipe to raise karat if
that’s what you want, but you won’t come out with 24 kt. gold in
raising the karat either- a 22-23kt is the highest you can
"alloy"…otherwise you are simply melting casting grain, or refining
mined gold (which requires some specialised equipment other than what
is used for melting/pouring).

There is no such thing as 24Kt alloy! 

Exactly, hence the pounding of the forehead when the customer gets
off the phone. The request is usually prefaced by the comment “I’m a
jeweller…”

Thus far I have been asked for 24ct white and 24ct pink, both times
I was totally stunned.

I suppose if you did alloy the.001 component as copper, then
technically it wouldn’t even be considered an alloy, and there would
be no noticeable colour difference.

Regards Charles A.

Hi Gang,

Charles, there are some micro-alloys that people have been playing
with. Titanium being one of them, as I recall. Very, very low
percentages, well under 1%, IIRC. Other than knowing that people are
playing with them, I don’t know much about them, but I’d suspect Jim
Binnion would.

After realizing I knew next to nothing about microalloys beyond
their existence, I did a little googling, and discovered two things:
A product PR site for a “24K” micro alloy that claims to be as
strong as 18K, but still hallmark-able at 24K. (Because 24K (in the
US) has a slop factor down to.997, and this stuff is.9985.
(“PureGold”. Google it.) Claims to be age hardenable to 110
vickers.)

Also found a commercial jewelry info sheet on microalloys, here:
http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/ep812l

No real relation to the OP’s question, but interesting knowledge
anyway.

FWIW,
Brian.

PS. > So far as I know, all the micro-alloys are 24K butter yellow.
That’s sort of the point. Butter yellow, and strong enough to
actually do something with.

PPS. > I’ve always fancied a 48Kt purple, but that’s just me…

PPPS. > My very first jewelry tutor did some messing about with
purple gold when it was first ‘invented’. Nasty, evil stuff.
Couldn’t do anything with it, but lord was it a pretty color. I’ve
always wanted to be able to get that color in some sort of useful
alloy.

people who do not know anything about jewelry will sometimes come in
as if they know everything. that said only pure gold is 24K. and to
get a color change you have to drop it to at least 22k to be able to
visually see any difference…

and then only if you look very closely and with one next to the
other… my suggestion is tell them you are the expert and know what
you are doing and that what ever they have heard or read is BS. if
need be have a example of 24k and a alloy of 22K on hand to show
them. see if they can see a difference. you are the expert not them.
that is why we get the big dollars for our training and knowledge.
not them.

Vernon Wilson
Designer
Panama Bay Jewelers

Vikas didn’t ask how to melt “24K alloy”. He was asking how to
mix/melt 24K WITH alloy, ie whether there is a specific process such
as putting the lower melting point metals at the bottom of the
crucible, for example.

From reading his question, I think it’s quite clear.

Helen
UK