Genral Tips for Working with Palladium

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hi,

I just caught this thread. Several companies make 950 Palladium,
including my employer PMWest. I’m very curious to hear what folks
have to say about working with palladium. We have “Alabaster 950 Pd”
and will be developing further “specialty” versions that are heat
treatable. Pure palladium is unsuitable for most common jewelry uses.
Too soft. I have spent quite a few hours working and developing
variations of 950Pd.

You must use eye protection of the same level as you would for
soldering platinum given the flow point of about 1350 or hotter
(depending on which 950 Pd you like). I suggest either a plumb 950Pd
solder or in a pinch for time use 1100 or 1200 platinum repair
solder. Also, when soldering be careful that there is no oxide
coating to interfere with the quality of the joint. If you are making
bars or casting palladium be very careful about your eyes.

As a technical resource I set up 950pd.com where I am adding all the
tech data and jewelers tricks for using any kind of palladium.

We have sold enough to know that customers are very pleased with the
look and the price, setters are very pleased with the malleability,
and any competent platinum caster can easily handle palladium too.
Not just “mine” but from any of the several makers. Hoover & Strong
has TruPd, we have Alabaster and they are alloyed differently.

I think 950 palladium is a wonderful option for anyone unhappy with
white gold for any reason at all. It’s light specific gravity and
white/gray color makes it a very good option for men’s rings.

Platinum customers will stay platinum customers I’m sure.

2

Hi All,

I have been sporadically following the Palladium thread and thought
I might post some data for you. Palladium is a Platinum family metal
and does behave a lot like Platinum. Hoover & Strong has a patent
pending 950 Palladium product called Tru-Pd™ that is a unique
alloy that can be used for all manufacturing techniques. We use the
same alloy for casting, die striking and drawing. To quote our Mill
and Refining Director, Stewart Grice:

"I would like to point out that palladium alloys do not need to be
tuned for specific purposes, and that “the best casting alloy is
different than the best fabrication alloy”, is not necessarily true.
Hoover & Strong is the sole supplier of TruPd99, which is a patent
pending, general purpose 950 palladium alloy that is excellent at
both investment casting and as a mill product. There are no cracking
problems with this alloy, it is malleable, ductile, and once the
investment casting parameters are tuned in, gives porosity and
defect-free castings.

We do not sell different alloys for different purposes because we do
not need to. As any jeweler knows, using the same alloy for both
purposes gives several distinct advantages. versatility, and above
all color match. If you don’t have enough casting grain for your job,
when the alloy composition is identical, you can use some
fabrication scrap to make up the weight. Conversely, you can use some
casting sprue to fabricate some sizing wire if needed. Versatility
and complete color match.

While I’m sure that other 950 palladium alloys are excellent at
specific tasks, TruPd masters ALL fabrication techniques."

ALLOY NAME 950 Palladium “TruPd”

ALLOY COLOR White

ALLOY DESCRIPTION General purpose

PRODUCT FORMS AVAILABLE Casting grain, flat sheet,round wire, sizing
wire, shape wire, pattern wire, bezel strip & wire, findings, ring
blanks.

RECOMMENDED USES 950 palladium is suitable for all general
fabrication techniques. It can withstand high levels of deformation
between anneals. This alloy does not require rhodium plating.

PROCESSING RECOMMENDATIONS

Working: For best results, H&S recommend 950 palladium is reduced by
a minimum of 50% area/section thickness between anneals.

Annealing: If using a furnace, anneal between 1650 - 1832 F (900 -
1000 C) for 15 30 minutes depending on size. If using a torch, heat
to an orange color. This alloy can be quenched after annealing.

Investment casting: Melting range: 2462 - 2516 F (1350 - 1380 C).

Casting temperature range: 2820 - 2910 F (1550 - 1600 C).

Flask temperature range: 1250 - 1350 F (675 - 730 C).

Investment type: Platinum (phosphate bonded).

Cover gas: Argon.

Tru-Pd must be cast using similar techniques to platinum alloys due
to the high melting range of the alloy. Sprues and gates must be
typical of those used for platinum castings.

Tru-Pd must be melted under an argon protective atmosphere to
prevent gas absorption. It is recommended that induction casting
equipment with a sealed melt chamber be used. Ideally the melt
chamber should be vacuumed after loading the charge, and then
back-filled with argon. If an open crucible is used, care must be
taken to ensure complete cover with argon. While it may be possible
to successfully cast Tru-Pd using a torch, results cannot be
guaranteed. Temperatures may differ from these recommendations
depending on processing considerations.

After casting, the flask may be quenched and de-vested once the
button has returned to black heat. Final de-vesting may use
techniques standard to platinum alloy processing.

Soldering: Standard soldering techniques may be used with 950
palladium.

RECOMMENDED SOLDERS H&S palladium hard, medium and easy solder.

MATERIAL PROPERTIES Melting range: 2462 - 2516 F (1350 - 1380 C)

Specific gravity: 11.84

Density: 6.24 troy ozs/in3

Hardness: Cast 115 HV

Annealed 105HV

Hard 180HV

We have technical advisors that can help you fine tune the use of
this new metal. Our brochure also has a lot of technical
Please call 800-759-9997 to order one.

I hope this is helpful.

Eugene C. Gentile (Gino)
National Accounts Manager
Hoover & Strong, Inc.
295 Princeton-Hightstown Road
Suite 11-364
West Windsor, NJ 08550

01-609-936-8588
877-687-7770
Fax: 01-609-936-1838

EGentile@hooverandstrong.com

3 
PRODUCT FORMS AVAILABLE Casting grain, flat sheet,round wire,
sizing wire, shape wire, pattern wire, bezel strip & wire,
findings, ring blanks.

What is sizing wire? I’m not familiar with this term.

K

4

Hi Daniel

Pure palladium is unsuitable for most common jewelry uses. Too
soft. I have spent quite a few hours working and developing
variations of 950Pd.

I would like to understand whay you say it is too soft. I made chain
links 12mm in diameter using.999 palladium and the only problem I had
was having to reheat the wire I made after pulling it through the
draw plate once it doubled in length. I waxed the wire each time
before pulling it… I wasn’t so much sticky as brittle and when I
noticed this I then just reheated it. Are you refering to casting
palladium? How is your variation different and is it whiter than fine
palladium,

Beth Thompson
Cimmaran Designs
Edinboro, PA