Second, is there a place where you can buy "silver and
platinum"and"gold and platinum" mokume game billets? I know Rio
sells sheet but it is leopard spots rather than wood grain.
This particular combination, especially gold and platinum, is easy
to "fake".
Normal mokume work is done by diffusion bonding, which isn't quite
as simple to do. but you can exploit the vast difference in melting
points with platinum and gold. roll out many pieces of gold and
platinum, to suitable size for the billet you wish, and anything from
foil on up in thickness. Stack them up, lightly fluxed, alternating
platinum and gold layers as you wish, and use a moderately reducing
flame to heat this up till the gold melts. Essentially, you're sweat
soldering all the pieces of platinum together using your desired
quality of gold as solder. Keep the gold layers fairly thin, like you
would with solder. May not be quite as slick as mokume done "the
right way", but this is quick, easy, and works fairly well,
especially with smaller pieces. I've made several rings this way,
with a woodgrain pattern. I made what was essentially heavy square
billets that I could roll in a square wire mill, then forge/twist a
bit to get enough pattern. If there are flaws or delaminations in
spots, just heat them up again with a very small flame and reflow
just that spot...
Peter
