Mirror Finish?

I have trouble getting an acceptable finish on either gold or
silver. I remove burrs after casting and smooth out rough spots
such as where sprue was attached. I then sand meticulously with
400 followed by 600 grit. After this, I use a muslin buff on a
grinder shaft with Tripoli. I then clean up and dry. Next comes
a different muslin buff and red rouge. Lastly I clean off the
rouge with detergent.

My pieces look fair but not with the high polish I would like.
What am I doing wrong?

I would like to get off the red rouge as it is a real chore to
remove from crevices etc.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Bob B

 I would like to get off the red rouge as it is a real chore
to remove from crevices etc.

I like ZAM, myself.

The only reason Gates is still alive is because Ted Kaczynski
wasn’t ever forced to use Microsoft products.

Bobert

Bob: After using nail salon type foam emery pads to smooth the
surface, I use TWINKLE on a dry soft buff to get the high
polish. Be sure and use a respirator when polishing. It works
great on silver, gold and platinum. Good Luck!

Regards,
Roger

www.jewelrycreations.com

Bob, I have found it extremely helpful to use felt buffs or
especially laps if you can to produce a mirror finish. Whenever I
use all muslin buffs, I get an uneven surface (no matter how fine
a sanding I do). As for the rouge, there are two types. Make sure
you are using the type that is water soluable. It is much easier
to remove. Hope this helps. Ken

Bob if your detergent is too ammoniated it will screw up the
finish, also if you are scrubing the piece with a brush to get
the red rouge off it scratches the surface. Is your grinder motor
turning at least 3400 rpm’s.Yellow compound is good and lots less
mess. Maybey your problem is pourosity.Try a final polish with a
lead centered soft cotton buff wheel with yellow rouge.

Try emery paper after you sand and before you polish with the
tripoli buff. It comes in a variety of grits and you should work
your way from coarsest

to finest.
Hope this helps,
Karen

For a mirror finish you might want to try burnishing. I
(sometimes) do that and then follow it up with a water soluble
red rouge made by Vigor. Washes right off with soap and water.

Jill
@jandr
http://members.tripod.com/~jilk

I would like to get off the red rouge as it is a real chore to
remove from crevices etc.

I recently asked this same question on orchid and
rec.craft.jewelry. Received two great answers. Both of these
sites are fantastic! Check it out under “Polishing and buffing”.

As for removing the red rouge, the best way I’ve found is to put
a solution of warm Mr. Clean or Fantastic (I personally like Mr.
Clean best for rouge and Fantastic for bobbing compound or
tripoli) in your sonic cleaner and let it run a few minutes.
Rinse under hot water - and its all gone. If necessary you can
use a SOFT toothbrush in tight crevices using the Mr. Clean
solution.

Nancy

@nbwidmer

Bob, Use a fine weave buff and good rouge. I suggest the Rio
Grande System 3 white buff and Gesswein’s water soluble rouge. I
have used some rouges that have contaminates in them, but the
water soluble seems to be very consistant. Break in the buff by
combing the edge with a buff rake or a hacksaw blade and use the
rouge sparingly. Clean using a heated ultrasonic and Oakite BCR
(Gesswein). The rouge should only take 2-3 min in the ultrasonic
to remove. I would also suggest adding a step between tripoli
and rouge. Use an intermediate compound such as Zam for silver
or Fabulustre for gold. Again use sparingly and don’t allow the
piece to get too hot or the binder will plasticize and will be
hard to remove.

Brett

Bob: After using nail salon type foam emery pads to smooth the
surface, I use TWINKLE on a dry soft buff to get the high
polish. Be sure and use a respirator when polishing. It works
great on silver, gold and platinum. Good Luck!

Sounds great…But what the heck is TWINKLE ? Sol K.

I would like to get off the red rouge as it is a real chore to
remove from crevices etc.

I had a Fairie that I cast that had an extermely rough texture
and I couldn’t get the rouge off. Someone suggested that I boil
it in a pan of water with a drop or two of dish detergent. (I
believe Dawn was the preferred brand). It worked!

Kathie

We use Parsons Sudsy Ammonia in the ultrasonic. It is the best
cleaner/remover of the rouges and other buffing materials I have
ever found. Toothbrush is near by for the crevices.

John and Cynthia/MidLife Crisis Enterprises
Maiden Metals/C. T. Designs/ Bloomin’ Wax Works. etc.

PO Bx 44, Philo
CA 95466
Ph 707-895-2635 FAX 707-895-9332

If your’re headed in the right direction,
each step, no matter how small, is getting you closer to your goal.

nancy try bcr you can get it form most jewelry tool houses . i
have a trade shop and we use it and we buy in 5 gallon drums and
it last just about a year if you do this as a hobby you can get
it i a 1 gallon and it will last you a long time we use a 4to 1
mix and it last all week and at christmas it last about 3 days
but the work load 3 times as much good luck Jack

nancy try bcr you can get it form most jewelry tool houses . i
have a trade shop and we use it and we buy in 5 gallon drums . . . .

Nope, not a hobby - full time. I’m mostly self-taught and
can’t find any literature on tumble polishing but heard it worked
so I tried via Rio’s directions. What is bcr??? I have most
catalogs and haven’t noticed that before. Thanks.

Nancy

@nbwidmer

You may be jumping your sandpaper grits too fast. Try using 500
grit between the 400 and 600. You might also want to buff with
bobbing compound before the tripili. I think that Zam gives a
faster and cleaner polish. The speed of the buff may be too slow.
If your buffer is a single speed like mine, you can control the
surface speed of the buff by using a larger diameter buff to
obtain a faster speed. You may not be using enough pressure on
the buff. I also think that I get a better polish with a firm
buff and not a soft fluffy one. Do no let the buffs get cross
contaminated with the different grits.

Marilyn Smith

Nancy, BCR is abbreviated for buffing compound remover. I use
L&R prep clean. It used to be called bcr. Its a green
concentrated liquid and works very well on getting polishing
compounds off of jewelry. Another good cleaner is made by Blitz.
(Hyper Sonic concentrated gem and jewelry cleaner) although its
rough on the skin. Here is their phone #'s if you want them. I
think you have to purchase in 4gal case quantities. The cost is
approx 50 or 60 bucks per case. L&R (201) 991-5330 Blitz (800)
356-5330

Ken

Sounds great.......But what the heck is TWINKLE ? Sol K.  >>

I think “TWINKLE” is a sort of metal polish (can be found at the
hardware store . . .)

Sol said,

Sounds great.......But what the heck is TWINKLE ? Sol K.  >>

It’s a metal cleaner for copper etc. Its available at grocery &
hardware stores.

Dave