Hello all,
After some cajoling with the owner… The early registration price
that closed out July 4th ($590 rather than $640) will be available to
Orchid readers right until the event August 14th & 15th. New
feature- The Brainstorm- BBQ dinner and open bar Saturday August 14th
after the presentations. Since Kraftwerks always gathers great
talent in one room, a good dinner and a drink or two really gets the
conversations going. Last year when we started the in house BBQ, this
phenomenon came up. A subject comes up like dealing with white gold
or some new technique, and the most experienced experts around start
to trade ideas… Well you can imagine the progress that gets made.
Anyone already signed up should bring their most vexing difficulty
from the shop and work the room. Special guests include Jurgen Maerz,
Peter Richardson and Marc Robinson. MJSA editor Tina W. will be there
to represent AJM magazine. Ganoksin will have a table there.
Thanks to all who responded to my palladium white inquiry- Early
results, Good News---- Nearly everyone who wrote back LOVES Pd white
gold. Most who responded buy karated grain for casting and rolled
stock or drawn wire for usage. Very few mix from master alloys.
The bad news is that few have any idea how much palladium is in the
material, which effects casting temperatures, annealing details and
color. Of course since Pd is over $200 Toz there is a
cost/margin/benefit ratio left unknown to most users. Some are
unaware of the need to either weld Pd gold or use Pd based solders to
avoid nickel sensitivity liability. It looks like nickel white is
price driven only. Those whose clients can afford Pd white really
should. Comes to about an extra two dollars or so per Dwt, or about
$40 per ounce of karated gold in 14k or 18k.
Hey Orchidians-Ask your supplier how much Pd is in there (like
sizing stock) and for any tech sheets so you can get it right the
first time and not wrestle with a alloy you only need every once in a
while. It’s hard to develop experience with an alloy you use annually
or less.
Daniel Ballard
WWW.Pmwest.us