Have any of you been playing with niobium? If you heat it with a
torch you can get a really durable charcoal to black pent-oxide
that can be matt or given a high polish with a little work. Just
don’t bother trying to solder it- it does make a great soldering
pick, just like titanium. I do gypsy set diamonds in it, they
burnish in nicely.
I’ve been fabricating wedding bands using 18k and niobium for
about 10 years. (Niobe is the goddess of grief)
Has anyone tried casting it in place? My one attempt was using a
commercial casting house- and a total failure- somehow the
casting process left the niobium melted looking(?!!) partially
dissolved, and brittle. Didn’t pass my stringent quality control.
(I fabricated the final ring). A year later I’m still having
(fill in the blank- virtual hearty handshake for best quip)…
Rick Hamilton
Richard D. Hamilton, Jr
http://rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton
Hi Rick,
I have cast Titanium in place in 14K using a vacuum caster,
nothing out of the ordinary. I haven’t tried Niobium, maybe
their heat treatment characterisics are different? Titanium is
heat-colorable. After the piece has been cast the Titanium has
been heat colored a greyish color evenly over the whole surface,
which could have a more subltle use than the bright colors you
can get with heat coloring by a small torch. The integrity of
the Titanium seemed to be fine.
As you said there is no way to fuse the metal to it, so you need
to mechanically lock the Titanium / Niobium piece in place in
the wax before it is cast, in such a way that it will stay there
after it is cast, ie: undercut/dovetail, drill holes in insert
with wax coming through, etc…
I have not tried stone setting in Titanium, but it is really
hard to move, Niobium is a lot easier to work.
How do you secure the niobium to the 18K in your rings?
See ya,
Stephen Bargsten
@73643.1716
Stephen-
I build the ring around the niobium- fabricate an internal tube
in 18k- make a tight fitting niobium section, and solder 18k rims
on the sides. I hammer the sides tight with a planishing hammer.
And yes, stone setting is easier in niobium than titanium- sort
of like iron- definitely easier than nickel gold alloys. In
general rivets, flaring, soldering pins through the niobium-
anything is fair. I like the black oxide color (it is quite hard)
The bands I make appeal more to men than women.
I haven’t run into you on the jewelry forum on Compuserv- (in
handcrafts) but the Orchid forum is more focused on jewelry
metalsmithing.
Rick Hamilton
Richard D. Hamilton, Jr
http://rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton
Where is niobium available?
Reactive Metals Studio in AZ is the supplier I use. They carry
sheet, wire and tubing in a small range of sizes. They are
knowledgable about nioubiun titanium and tantalum. The also carry
Sparkie fusion welders.
Rick Hamilton
Richard D. Hamilton, Jr
http://rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton
Where is niobium available?
E-mail: manmountaindense@knight-hub.com
WWW: http://www.knight-hub.com/manmtndense/bhh3.htm
Try Reactive Metals at 520-634-3434 or reactive@sedona.net
Brain Press
Box 1624, Ste M, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2L7, Canada
Tel: 403-263-3955 Fax: 403-283-9053 Email: @Charles_Lewton-Brain
Metals info download web site:
Learning Center - Ganoksin Jewelry Making Community Product descriptions:
https://www.ganoksin.com/kosana/brain/brain.htm Links list hosted at
the Metal Web News:
http://tbr.state.tn.us/~wgray/jewelry/jewelry-link.html
Hi Charles…
Sorry that I was not able to make it to the Portland workshop
with Tim McCreight. I would have really enjoyed chatting with
you. One of your classmates should have been Bill Seeley of
Reactive Metals. They carry a full line of the stuff.
Lee
Bonny Doon Engineering, Inc
Designers & builders of Metalsmithing Equipment
http://www.bonnydoonengineering.com
Hi Charles…
Sorry that I was not able to make it to the Portland workshop
with Tim McCreight. I would have really enjoyed chatting with
you. One of your classmates should have been Bill Seeley of
Reactive Metals. They carry a full line of the stuff. Lee
Bonny Doon Engineering, Inc Designers & builders of Metalsmithing
Equipment http://www.bonnydoonengineering.com
Hi Lee,
we all missed you there, the workshop was a ball (I roomed with
Bill-an old friend from years ago) and it was like old home
week. Tim did a great job and at some point I’ll have a report
for this list on PMC( precious metal clay) which was the subject
of the workshop. The material has great promise for certain
things. Charles
Brain Press
Box 1624, Ste M, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2L7, Canada
Tel: 403-263-3955 Fax: 403-283-9053 Email: @Charles_Lewton-Brain
Metals info download web site:
Learning Center - Ganoksin Jewelry Making Community Product descriptions:
https://www.ganoksin.com/kosana/brain/brain.htm Links list hosted at
the Metal Web News:
http://tbr.state.tn.us/~wgray/jewelry/jewelry-link.html
<< brainnet@cadvision.com >>
Would you please tell us how much
over spot you pay for sheet sterling in Canada. Lloyd.
Would you please tell us how much
over spot you pay for sheet sterling in Canada. Lloyd.
Depends where, at the coin dealers we buy stamped bars (no
taxes-its considered currency) for spot price and roll them into
sheet, local suppliers sell sheet up to 80% over spot, refiners
sheet prices are based on bulk and we try and group order in 10kg
and more. It is generally 5% or less at that point-not really
sure, I just pay it (I think-perhaps Andrew Goss can comment here
if he’s listening).
In the US Indian Jewelers Supply has a good name for low prices
on silver, I’ve heard of Canadians ordering from them as a less
expensive source. Charles
Brain Press
Box 1624, Ste M, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2L7, Canada
Tel: 403-263-3955 Fax: 403-283-9053 Email: @Charles_Lewton-Brain
Metals info download web site:
Learning Center - Ganoksin Jewelry Making Community Product descriptions:
https://www.ganoksin.com/kosana/brain/brain.htm Links list hosted at
the Metal Web News:
http://tbr.state.tn.us/~wgray/jewelry/jewelry-link.html
We pay $0.65 over spot for serling silver sheet in lots of 500
oz. or more. A friend of ours was going to Canada to open a small
shop and was wondering if he should buy it here and ship it. Do
you have regulations about that? Lloyd
We pay $0.65 over spot for serling silver sheet in lots of 500
oz. or more. A friend of ours was going to Canada to open a small
shop and was wondering if he should buy it here and ship it. Do
you have regulations about that? Lloyd
Not a clue, he should call Canadian customs etc for mor e info.
Precious metals carry no duty, but GST (7%) is payable on
imports. Charles
Brain Press
Box 1624, Ste M, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2L7, Canada
Tel: 403-263-3955 Fax: 403-283-9053 Email: @Charles_Lewton-Brain
Metals info download web site:
Learning Center - Ganoksin Jewelry Making Community Product descriptions:
https://www.ganoksin.com/kosana/brain/brain.htm Links list hosted at
the Metal Web News:
http://tbr.state.tn.us/~wgray/jewelry/jewelry-link.html