Seamless platinum tubing

The experts in the field of volume and form, Lee Marshall and Phil
Poirier, believe that the small 3" volume and form dies would work
to draw seamless tubing. This technique keeps the thickness
constant, so if you started with an 18 gauge disk, your tubing would
be 18 gauge. The good news is that platinum would draw easier than
gold.

But to return to reality, first you need a separate set of dies for
platinum, so that you don’t contaminate the metal, and even more
convincing, a 3" disk of 18 gauge platinum would cost in excess of
$1500US, just to prove you could do it. Who’s first?

Judy Hoch

In January 2002, I was musing about the possibility of using the
Bonny Doon Press to draw platinum tubing. Phil Poirier is doing a
lot of work in making seamless tubing and has successfully drawn a
seamless 950 platinum/gold tube from a 3" disk. You can see the
result at:

http://www.bonnydoonengineering.com/cgi-

bin/ceilidh.cgi/ceilidh/?C33f51a0c5Mpo-4733-926-00.htm

These tubes can be sawn into ring blanks and because they are
seamless, you simply stretch them on your ring sizer.

Very cool indeed.
Judy Hoch