I have worked only in silver and have been given some gold to begin
working with. My research on how to anneal and how to solder give me
conflicting info! What color do I anneal to? What do I look for
prior to the flow of hard solder? My sources tell me exactly the
opposite It looks as though a smaller flame is called
for as the entire piece does not need to be up to the temp for the solder to flow?
Am I correct on this?
Hello friend,
The best annealing you possible find is where you buy
your metals from.Annealing is one word but there our several types of
annealing just as background I’ve several books and lists
showing me all kinds of info,but it really depends on the used
alloy’s,annealing time and temperature.As a common rule you could say
that (talking about gold alloy’s)red’s, yellow’s and green’s made up
of only gold ,copper and silver (again starting from pure metals)need
to be annealed “IF”!!! they are hard workened.The annealing
temperature is around 650�C or 1200�F if I’m correct in transfering
into fahrenheit.The colour is dull red.As soon as the colour
dissapears quench your piece totaly in water,pickle or other
acids.For white gold alloy’s based on nickel,you need to go up to the
cherry red colour which is 760�C or 1400�F.DO NOT QUENCH THIS
ALLOY!!Let it be aircooled or place it on a piece of metal plate to
cool down since quenchng definetly leads you to cracking of the metal
in the later proces of handling.Silver needs a lower temperature.Pure
silver 300�C or 570�F (first red or faint red),sterling silver 650�C
or 1200�F.You do not have to quench it but you can if you like. I’ve
been talking about those colors and they’re just written words,but
the interpretion of the colours are subjective.But here also you’ve
got a save window of toleration.If you not sure,you’re better be save
then sorry and don’t overheat the metal.It is a big help for you if
you could work in a dark area while annealing proces is performed.Use
a blue flame or neutrale flame and run it slowly over the whole
piece.If you’re annealing a plate,make 8-shape patterns to cover and
heat-up the entired piece. I hope that this s not toomuch
but it’s very basic and not too boring,I think? Regards
Pedro Palonso@t-online.de