Granules

Hi Charles-

The cappuccino maker as a steam cleaner is a brilliant idea. Now
I have to figure out which closet it’s hidden in (g) then I’ll
give it a try.

Just bought some 22K granules from SPM, Inc. in NY. They are
beautiful and perfect. The price was not. They charge a set-up or
fabrication fee of $300 per oz. (each oz.) plus the current gold
close. This is expensive. My question: Does anyone know any other
place to get granules. Thanks for any advise.

Linda
Red1Eagle

I make my own granules, they turn out beautiful and perfect too.
But I am not home, reading this from a friend’s home, will write
you more when I get back next week.

Elizabeth

Thanks to someone on this list, I did my first granulated piece
last week. I’m not prticularly happy about a lot of the work that
I do, however, I was quite pleased with this piece. Sometime when
I can get around to working on my page again, I will include

I made the granules by snipping a 22K strip like one snips
solder, spreading the snippets out on charcoal and beading them
up with a torch. I then used a stone sieve to seperate out enough
uniform brads to do the job. In the future, I will make some
smaller sieves for smaller beads.

Thanks again, whomever!

Bruce D. Holmgrain
E-mail: Manmountaindense@Knight-Hub.com
WWW: http://www.knight-hub.com/manmtndense/bhh3.htm
Snail Mail: POB 7972, McLean, VA 22106

Rolling the beads off the block and allowing them to fall
several feet into water will help make them spherical.

Did you plate them with copper and glue them in place with hide
glue before fusing?

Rick Hamilton
Richard D. Hamilton, Jr
http://www.rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton

I have a question–is the hide glue you are referring to the
kind you use in woodworking and marquetry? Can you tell me a
likttle more about its use in metalsmithing?

…I made the granules by snipping a 22K strip…

I’m curious, never having tried granulation in metal (I’ve done
faux granulation in wax) is it usually done using a higher
karated metal than the base metal of the piece? If so, why?

Thanks,

Sharon

I made the granules by snipping a 22K strip like one snips
solder, spreading the snippets out on charcoal and beading them
up with a torch. I then used a stone sieve to seperate out
enough uniform brads to do the job. In the future, I will
make some smaller sieves for smaller beads. >>

A friend suggested to me that you can get uniform granuales by
coiling wire and making tiny jump rings. Then you bead them up
as you describe. This give you some control over the size of the
granuales also. I haven’t tried it yet, so I don’t know if it
will help.

Larry Hammons
Cheyenne Wy

I have a question–is the hide glue you are referring to the
kind you use in woodworking and marquetry? Can you tell me a
likttle more about its use in metalsmithing?

hide glue is part of the traditional granulation process. The
granuled are plated with copper by putting them in used pickle
with a piece of iron. The hide glue is used to glue the granules
to the metal surface. When the piece is fused, the carbon in the
glue reduces the copper turning it into a solder. Some people use
a bit of copper sulphate and some flux as well.

Rick Hamilton
Richard D. Hamilton, Jr
http://www.rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton

A friend suggested to me that you can get uniform granuales by
coiling wire and making tiny jump rings.  Then you bead them up
as you describe.  This give you some control over the size of the
granuales also. 

I’m not sure that I could make small enough beads by making
jumprings first. By rolling out a strip, I can control the
thickness and width. Then by splitting sections I can cut off
multiple pallions five or eight at a time. The only problem is
that the beads have a tendency to roll around the on the surface
of the charcoal when being melted. Roughing up the surface and
allowing a layer of ash to build up helps.

…I made the granules by snipping a 22K strip…

I'm curious, never having tried granulation in metal (I've done
faux granulation in wax) is it usually done using a higher
karated metal than the base metal of the piece?  If so, why?  

Someone else getting served by this listserver knows a lot more
about granulation than I, at the moment.

I used copper carbonate mixed in flux. The copper alloys with the
gold producing an alloy with a lower melting point than gold.
With further heating, the copper migrates into the gold. I tried
this with 18K, however I didn’t have much luck, as the 18K has a
very close melting point… This isn’t to say that it can’t be
done, just to say that I wasn’t doing very well with it. I
suspect that I can try another alloy or two and get a little
better results.

I have two more jobs to work on and as I learn a little more,
maybe I can pass something on. Bruce

I used copper carbonate mixed in flux. The copper alloys with the
gold producing an alloy with a lower melting point than gold.
With further heating, the copper migrates into the gold. I tried
this with 18K, however I didn’t have much luck, as the 18K has a
very close melting point… This isn’t to say that it can’t be
done, just to say that I wasn’t doing very well with it. I
suspect that I can try another alloy or two and get a little
better results.

Depetion plating the beads in spent pickle solution will achieve
the same result, though a copper salt (carbonate or sulfate)
mixed with flux works well too. Hide glue provides a reducing
carbon element that helps with the fusion.

Rick Hamilton
Richard D. Hamilton, Jr
http://www.rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton

I’m not sure that I could make small enough beads by making
jumprings first. By rolling out a strip, I can control the
thickness and width. Then by splitting sections I can cut off
multiple pallions five or eight at a time. The only problem is
that the beads have a tendency to roll around the on the surface
of the charcoal when being melted. Roughing up the surface and
allowing a layer of ash to build up helps.

Another way of making the spheres is to layer the pieces in
charcoal powder (sounds like a messy job!) in a steel box and
putting the box in a kiln for 30 minutes or so at a high enough
temperature to melt the 22k. Afrer cooling, the beads can then be
sifted out of the charcoal and sorted with a stone sieve.

Richard D. Hamilton, Jr
http://www.rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton

Hi Rick,

I have made granules with that method, and also by cutting
coiled wire. They are still not as evenly round as the bought
ones- but, yes, much cheaper :).

I do copper plate the 22K granules. I fuse to 22K backsheet,
usually .010. I use hide glue 1 drop, flux (batterns) 2 drops and
12 drops water, this makes the glue. I also enrich the backsheet
by heating in a kiln and pickling - 3x.

Hope this helps a little.

Linda
Red1Eagle @ aol.com

I tried this “messy job” of making granules. It was not
successful. My question is the following: What kind of steel do
you use? At what high enough temperature should be used? I
followed the directions given in the Oppi Utrech… Book which
suggests to preheat the kiln to 2000F for making granules for
18k. What temperature should be used for 22k or fine silver? Can
graphite crucible be used instead of steel container? The kiln I
used is Neycraft kiln.

Just bought some 22K granules from SPM, Inc. in NY. They are
beautiful and perfect. The price was not. They charge a set-up or
fabrication fee of $300 per oz. (each oz.) plus the current gold
close. This is expensive. My question: Does anyone know any other
place to get granules. Thanks for any advise.

SPM makes the granules for the electronics industry primarily
(they are used for contacts) and thus aren’t subject to the
jewelry industry pricing structure. Maybe we could convince
Hoover & Strong to make them…

Rick Hamilton
Richard D. Hamilton
Shop rule: Sailing is mandatory
Sailing on old gaff-rigged wooden boats
Fabricated 14k, 18k, and platinum Jewelry
wax carving, modelmaking, jewelry photography
http://www.rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton

I must divulge my secret formula for granulation on 18k…My
glue is a soup of knox gelatin, pure water and self pickling
green flux(batterns). Good results are obtained after depletion
guilding the surface of the ground and then heavily copper
plating it in a bad pickle solution (using some nice ungalvanized
nails). This has worked best for me. I am still improving my
heating apparatus to obtain more consistant results,however. I
think that 22k is a better choice for granulation metal. All
things considered, I’m glad that granulation is not a big income
source forus! It certainly tries my patience. I suppose that it
is more of a therapy to keep one humble!..steve

Steven B. Wardle & Barbara W. Knowlton
Designer-Goldsmiths
Forest Beach Design
Chatham MA 02633
508-945-7334

I do copper plate the 22K granules. I fuse to 22K backsheet,
usually .010. I use hide glue 1 drop, flux (batterns) 2 drops and
12 drops water, this makes the glue. I also enrich the backsheet
by heating in a kiln and pickling - 3x.

Linda
Are you fusing in the kiln or with a torch? Hadn’t thought about
the surface enrichment.

One of my studio-mates is an enamelist so I have access to her
kiln, as well as a trinket kiln. I’ve been thinking about playing
with granulation some more, would add some interest to the pieces
I’m currently making for a show that benefits the local Family
Planning organization. The pieces are mostly mixed colors of 18k,
some pearls, and the usual mix of gemstones.

Rick Hamilton
Richard D. Hamilton
Shop rule: Sailing is mandatory
Sailing on old gaff-rigged wooden boats
Fabricated 14k, 18k, and platinum Jewelry
wax carving, modelmaking, jewelry photography
http://www.rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton

You should have polished the surface of the back plate to a
great shine etc…important!!!1

Maybe we could convince Hoover & Strong to make them…

That is a nice idea. Perhaps someone on the list that does a
good deal of business with them could persuade them to make
granules. A little healthy competition always keeps the pricing
honest.:-).

Linda
Red1Eagle

The only problem is

that the beads have a tendency to roll around the on the surface
of the charcoal when being melted. Roughing up the surface and
allowing a layer of ash to build up helps.

The guy that taught me granulation in a workshop took the
charcoal block and made a series of itty bitty depressions for
each little granule to form in . ( Doug Harling , I think is his
name- you see his stuff in Ornament and places like that) Anne