Peter, I agree with you
Perhaps the biggest problems with rose golds are that finding
solders that match well in color can be difficult. The best color
matches tend to still not be the best working solders. I've yet to
find one I actually like. "
I finally have made my own , I use the same alloy as I cast [ I do
all my own alloy’s except white golds] and have made up a DWT of 16
, 14 , 12 ,10 , Kt “golds” and use them as solders . These have
poor flow characteristics but color is great and I can get seamless
solder joints . Mark Clodius
I finally have made my own , I use the same alloy as I cast [
I do all my own alloy's except white golds] and have made up a DWT
of 16 , 14 , 12 ,10 , Kt "golds" and use them as solders . These
have poor flow characteristics but color is great and I can get
seamless solder joints . Mark Clodius
Care to share the alloy data you used?
Peter
Peter , and all . This may be a chance for me to learn more . Many
years ago I read that the “old” way to make solder was to use the
same alloy that you are fabricating in and alloy down , two to four
karats to make solder . I worked briefly with a jeweler who did just
this , learned from his father , from South America.
“My” rose gold recipie is as follows for 18k ; 76gr.fine gold [I
always over karat] 22.5 gr. pure copper and 1.5 gr fine silver . I
used to alloy just gold and copper but the small addition of silver
seems to reduce oxidation and improve working characterstics with
negligible color change.
When alloying 14k [ 59 gr. fine gold ] I bump silver into the 3-4%
range , Alloying only a dwt at a time makes for a rather more
variable mixture than the 100gr I usually make, so I try to be
extra careful with my measurements , and use our "legal for trade"
diamond balance to weigh the metals and use a nice clean crucible
too … The first time I tried this the “lower” k solders seemed to
have a HIGHER melting point so I bumped up the silver even more
,and added some commercial alloy containing zinc , but then you
start to lose the color . As I write this I think I understand why
there is no good Red gold solder , copper melts at a higher temp
than gold as you search for an alloy that will both melt and have
color you can have one ,or the other . ?? I’m sorry this is not so
formulaic but was done , some 10-15 yr’s ago and I’m still using the
same pices of solder today .
Like I said in the first post it is NOT a “good” solder , as
solders go , the 12k is VERY hard and will leave some “artifacts” as
the paillion melts but it will allow “seamless” soldering …
now the surface of the seam may need to be worked slightly to get
that seamless look as you may get a little “orange peel” from being
so close to the melting temp, I am a great fan of the “rotary
hammer” or “porosity killer” - margin rollers don;'t last as long as
the solid metal ones do.
If/when I would try to make more solder today I might try a Higher
karat alloy …as a solder … I know there are participants here
who are really knowlegable in metalurgy/alloys . Is there truley no
such thing as a good red gold solder ?
Also , I’ve seen a “redder” gold in some jewelry from Italy than
any I’ve been able to make myself , any comments?
Mark