Sifter for granulation work

Hi. I’d appreciate any you might have about where
to find mesh sifters for homemade granules. I looked in some
tool catalogues (e.g. Rio Grande) but couldn’t find any. Also,
what standard sizes should I be looking for?

Thanks in advance for your help.

R.D.

Hi.  I'd appreciate any you might have about where
to find mesh sifters for homemade granules.  I looked in some
tool catalogues (e.g. Rio Grande) but couldn't find any.  

Have a look at a catalogue from a prospector’s or
mining/exploration supply house- bound to be more sieves there
than you can shake a stick at…

Laurie Veska.

Hi.  I'd appreciate any you might have about where
to find mesh sifters for homemade granules.  I looked in some
tool catalogues (e.g. Rio Grande) but couldn't find any.  Also,
what standard sizes should I be looking for?

I used a standard diamond sieve to seperate my first batches of
balls. I will be adding sieve plates as I need smaller balls.
Bruce

Hi. I’d appreciate any you might have about where to
find mesh sifters for homemade granules. I looked in some tool
catalogues (e.g. Rio Grande) but couldn’t find any

hi- Enamalists make their own, why can’t you? they use plastic
spray paint lids, or old yogurt cups- lay wire mesh flat across
openiing on one end and use an iron to melt the plastic into the
mesh for a dandy litlle sifter. I think they get the mesh from a
company called small parts- try thomas register on the web. Anne

You could make your own sifters by just drilling holes in the
bottom of some sort of container (plastic or tin cans, etc.) with
regular twist drills. Different size drills would vary the grade
of the sifter. Steve Brixner

hi- Enamalists make their own, why can’t you? they use plastic
spray paint lids, or old yogurt cups- lay wire mesh flat across
openiing on one end and use an iron to melt the plastic into the
mesh for a dandy litlle sifter. I think they get the mesh from a
company called small parts- try thomas register on the web. Anne

A stone sieve would be a better choice for granulation- you want
the granules to be very even in size, and the granule sizes can
be very small- well under 1mm in diameter.

On the other hand I made a granulated piece for Paula Crevoshay
last year and not only did she want me to make the granules, but
wanted the piece done in 18k rather than 22k. Needless to say I
ended up having to solder most of the granules onto the surface
rather than fusing them.

Rick Hamilton
Richard D. Hamilton, Jr
http://www.rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton

I’d appreciate any you might have about where to
find mesh sifters for homemade granules. I looked in some tool
catalogues (e.g. Rio Grande) but couldn’t find any. Also, what
standard sizes should I be looking for?

Can’t help you on what sizes to use, but I saw some 3" diam.
brass mining sieves that have a mesh size from 4.75 mm to 38 um
in the Miners Incorporated catalogue. I have a 1996 catalogue,
so the prices (which are a bit scary) are out of date - USD27.60
to USD51.84. If you want to order a catalogue from them the
address is:

MINERS INCORPORATED
P.O. Box 1301
Riggins ID 83549-1301

Why not check at Home Depot to see if they have a variety of
mesh sizes and make some of your own?

Dianne Karg
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
103125.1115@compuserve.com

In a message dated 97-05-06 00:06:27 EDT, dunstan@vineyard.net (Richard D.
Hamilton, Jr (Rick)) writes:

<< 18k rather than 22k. Needless to say I
ended up having to solder most of the granules onto the surface
rather than fusing them >>

Rick, can you run that fusing process by us again. I didn’t quite
understand how the copper and the adhesive combine to fuse the
22k.

Thanks, Mark Parkinson

18k rather than 22k. Needless to say I
ended up having to solder most of the granules onto the surface
rather than fusing them

Rick, can you run that fusing process by us again. I didn’t quite
understand how the copper and the adhesive combine to fuse the
22k.

David Arens had this to say 5-6-97

  • "when the piece is heated to fuse/solder the granules to the
  • backplate, the glue becomes a sort of charcoal & provides a
  • reducing atmosphere to aid in the fusing/soldering action that
  • takes place where the granule contacts the backplate."

The carbon in the hide glue becomes carbon dioxide and reduces
the metal oxides- the copper combines with the 22k gold alloy and
bonds the granules to the sheet surface. Probably hide glue is
traditional- other water soluable glues might work as well. You
have to realize that granulation has been done for several
thousand years. They got kids to do it- their eyesight was bad
by the time they were 12.

Several other people on the forum have more experience with
granulation than I do.

Rick

Richard D. Hamilton
Shop rule: Sailing is mandatory
Sailing on old gaff-rigged wooden boats
Fabricated 14k, 18k, and platinum Jewelry
wax carving, modelmaking, jewelry photography
http://www.rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton