Hello all, i’m a sophomore at Temple University, and i’m taking a
jewelry class. In jewelry terms, i’m a complete n00b, which is why
i’m taking the class. At the Tyler School, they sell some materials,
but being the frugal guy i am, i’m looking for better prices either
in the Philadelphia area, or (preferably) online.
Temple sells bronze for 30 cents an ounce, Siver for 9.50 an ounce
(there is a store somewhere that sells it for 6, but i don’t know
how to get there and i have no car), and they sell blue wax for 7 a
block.
Also, i’m wondering if anybody knows somewhere to get (relativly)
cheap 14k gold.
In the Philadelphia area, Hagstoz has the most complete selection of
metals and supplies. You’ll find it , along with many other jewelry
resources, on Sansom St, between Seventh and Eighth Streets.
Price per ounce is only one consideration, you can order silver
online or through an 800 number from a lot of different suppliers
and refiners but you wont save until you buy in quantity. Having
supplied our local college jewelry design class with metals for a
few years I can pass on the following. Get a group of your fellow
students together and make a large order. The cheapest and best 14k
would be to alloy your own 24kt casting grain also ordered from a
refiner, however if you hound some of the local pawn shops within
walking distance for used wedding bands or 24k coins or bars, you
might get the right amount for minimal price. BE AWARE! that
remelted wedding bands have their draw backs, the gold is alloyed to
be slightly more brittle, There may be more than one solder joint,
It may have been repaired with different karat gold or non plumb
solder. It will have a tendency to pit during casting and take on a
reddish brown hue that keeps on coming back even after polishing. I
do not recommend doing this for the simple reason that if the piece
you are making is worth all the time it take to design, carve,
invest, and cast, or forge do you really want to do all that work
and take a chance on the gold screwing up the piece. And you dont
save anything if you have to buy additives to replenish the alloy
lost in remelting an already made piece. Depending on the size and
number of pieces you are going to make 9.50 an ounce for silver is
cheap enough.
Someone mentioned Hagstoz-- I’ve bought from them, and they’re very
accomodating, especially about custom orders (such as rolling square
wire into rectangular, for example). But I ordered a piece of 22k
yellow gold, and it arrived with a sanded, somewhat scratched
surface. I called them, and was told they don’t supply gold
polished. I found this very odd and off-putting. Is this, in fact,
normal? I have never received sheet goods unpolished before, and I
don’t like it a bit. They’re a pleasure to deal with otherwise.
Comments or experiences?