Fusing 18k gold loops

Hello! Anyone familiar with fusing loops for chain making- I’d love some help.
I watched this video on loop in loop chain making not long ago Gold Jewelry Techniques: Chain Making - YouTube . I thought it seemed simple enough since I do a bit of soldering.

I stupidly bought way too much 18K Yellow Gold Round Wire, 22-Ga., Soft from riogrande and I cannot seem to successfully fuse these links. Either the whole loop melts, or the bond isn’t strong enough and it breaks when I start forming the links. I don’t know if the issue is using 18k instead of 22k gold, or that the wire is too thin, or something else I’m missing. I would love some insight.

Lower carat gold, below 22K, has too low a melting point for successful fusing. Also, you really should use a reducing/alloying agent at the joint, generally a copper salt in solution with an organic gum.
This is the same technique as fusing granulation, so read up on that for pointers.

3 Likes

For me, I found that by taking a portion of the metal you’re using,(14k, 18k) and rolling it out very thin, then clipping it into small pieces, a bit larger than the wire, and using it between the wire joint, will help in fusing of the wire together.

Wrap the wire around a piece of steel close to the inside diameter of the loop you want, in a continuous length. The warping around the mandrel will work harden the metal, and each link will be the same. After cutting the links away from the coil, make sure there are no burs from the saw, and close the link. I take the small clipping and place it in the seam. The jump rings when cut and closed, will have a bit of spring and will hold the very thin pieces of metal. I will use a saw rather than nippers in most case, my nippers tend to pinch one side and leave a bur on the other.

Add flux, add heat. That’s the tricky part, particularly using 22 gauge wire. I would bounce a very small, hot flame on the joint until the very thin metal melts, The very thin piece of metal melts first, bonding with the wire.

You’ll have to experiment to get the size of the clipping correct, so to minimize the clean up, and yet have it melt first. The flame shouldn’t be too hot, but hot enough. I modified a tip to my torch where the the opening is approximately .7 mm. That’s very small. That limits the volume of gas and oxygen, so the flame won’t be too hot. I use a natural gas & oxygen set up.

Tjones
Goldsmith

4 Likes

“For me, I found that by taking a portion of the metal you’re using,(14k, 18k) and rolling it out very thin, then clipping it into small pieces, a bit larger than the wire, and using it between the wire joint, will help in fusing of the wire together.”

Great tip! That’s how I was taught to torch weld platinum, way back when. It makes sense that would work with gold as well.

Thanks!

Jeff

2 Likes

There are different alloy ratios for gold… fusible gold may be what you’re looking for! The gold ratios differ from refinery to refinery. I have found that 18k gold from Stuller is wonderful as well as 22k Romance gold from Fells… ask what the alloy ratios are, it’s important for fusing.
Best of luck!

1 Like