I have made an a few 18K rings that need to be age-hardened. Some
quick background: I bought gold nuggets, purified them in the chem
lab, and mixed an 18K alloy. I did the lost wax casting process in
my garage with hand fabricated equipment because I couldn’t afford to
buy the real stuff.
My question is: Now that I have cast my rings, how do I age harden
them?
My alloy is 18K yellow (Au 75%, Ag 16%, Cu 9%). I have searched all
over Ganoksin and haven’t found clear instructions for this type of
alloy. I need temps and durations for both annealing and
age-hardening.
So far, I have found: Anneal at 600C and quench, Age harden at 300C
for 2 hours. Can anybody please verify this or provide me with
correct
My alloy is 18K yellow (Au 75%, Ag 16%, Cu 9%). I have searched all
over Ganoksin and haven't found clear instructions for this type of
alloy. I need temps and durations for both annealing and
age-hardening.
Unfortunately the alloy you have made will not age harden much if at
all. Typically you need to be in the 12% or greater copper content
to get any age hardening in 18K alloys. Try holding it at 660F (350C)
for an hour. No need to solution treat (anneal) it prior to the
aging. If there is anything to be had you will get it.
James Binnion @James_Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts