If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
surface finish & titanium
First about surface finishes - which are there in jewellery making, besides
polished, diamond cut, laser cut, matte and oxidized? And about titanium: how mellable is titanium? I know that it's about 3 times lighter (less dense) than 14K gold, but don't know anything about it's melting ability. Heard that pieces of jewellery can be made of very little amount of titanium, much less than if made in gold. By the way, what is current price of titanium - I heard that it's somewhere around that of sterling silver? |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
On Tue, 28 Sep 2004 18:38:26 -0700, in õ "m4816k"
wrote: First about surface finishes - which are there in jewellery making, besides polished, diamond cut, laser cut, matte and oxidized? it depends a lot on which metal, and what you're making, but here are some which come to mind. Polished, as you've said, but that can mean highly polished, or a lower soft polish done with coarser compounds for a softer look. Matte, you say, but there are many variations. Brushed via steel bristle brushes, brushed with various abrasive brushes. "satin", done with specialized abrasives, a hand done abrasive finish just with abrasive paper, which can be either straight line or random "all directions". And then there's sandblasted, or beadblasted, each of which has variations. Coarser textures, no longer really "matte" can be produced with various types of grinding wheel. You say diamond cut, but that's only one type of engraving done with a certain machine. There is also guilloche, or engine turned engraving, hand engraving in many differenet styles, chiseled, etc, not to mention the highly detailed and wonderful things one can do with chasing and repousse work.. laser cut isn't actually a laser. Tthe finish usually called "laser finish" is an impact finish produced by a specialized tool, which is a diamond point mounted in an automatic hammer. the same tool, but with different type of tips, can produce many different textures. If you DO have a laser welder, it can also produce a number of intersting textures comprised of many small overlapping weld spots. Oxidized, which you mention, also has many flavors, depending on wether it's a painted on color, or an actual chemical patina. Some of the jewelry metals can take an enormous variety of chemical patinas in vartious colors and looks. And, moving away from your list, one can texture the metal with hammers. different shapes of hammer can give you anything from a soft glittery planished look, to a very rough and abused surface. Emobssed finishes are had by pressing the metal with some other surface to give it texture. Rolling mills are useful for this. Imagine, just as one overused example, what metal looks like once a piece of window screen has been pressed hard into the surface, and then removed again. Ordinary paper, when roll printed into the metal produces a wonderful soft random matte texture quite unlike other matte textures Anodizing can be used on some metals, (titanium, aluminum, niobium) to produce bright colors with a variety of appearances. One can etch most metals using acids or cyanides. If an etch mask is used, complex patterns can be obtained. And of course one can use the metal as the base for enamels, which provide a new wide range of colors, images, and effects beyond just metal by itself. I'm sure I've just scratched the surface (oh, another texture... (grin)), but let it just be said that there is an almost limitless variety of surface treatments, limited mostly by your imagination. If you can imagine it, there's likely a way to do it. Peter .. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
And about titanium: how mellable is titanium? I know that it's about 3 times lighter (less dense) than 14K gold, but don't know anything about it's melting ability. Heard that pieces of jewellery can be made of very little amount of titanium, much less than if made in gold. By the way, what is current price of titanium - I heard that it's somewhere around that of sterling silver? Titanium's melting point varies on alloy. Lots of rings are made from 6AL/4V which has 6% Aluminium 4% Magnesium and is (mostly) otherwise Titianium. It has a melting point around 3000 deg. F - although it reacts with oxygen when melted so is unsuitiable for casting unless you have some very fancy equipment. Here's the main point though - it is VERY tough. Tough to work with grinding, filing, polishing - even after heating a peice 1/4" square cherry red you will have to beat it with a (I use 22oz) hammer to bend it. That's why they make rocket casings out of it! That's also why so much Ti jewelry has a mechanical look to it - it is not worked with traditional jewelry tools but rather with engineering machine shop tools. I love working with Titanium because it can take shapes other metals could not and still be strong - but it is not easy. Price of Ti? The last time I bought some was a 6 inch wide x 3 foot long plate and it cost 80$ US. Look on Ebay for better bargains. PS. Aluminium may look like a 'softer' alternative but is (my opinion)unsuitable for jewelry: 1. Health considerations of wearing it, 2. Rubbed against the skin during wearing will blacken skin 3. Most Al. alloys are brittle to work. 4. Cheap and nasty Good luck - hope that was helpfull |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
|
#5
|
|||
|
|||
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
surface texture of cast glass | lisanne | Glass | 4 | August 16th 07 06:50 AM |
Titanium anodising high voltage colors | [email protected] | Jewelry | 8 | September 30th 04 08:22 AM |
fixing ear posts to titanium? | Des Bromilow | Jewelry | 4 | August 10th 04 04:45 PM |
Removing mirror finish from bead | Wendy | Beads | 3 | June 22nd 04 05:26 AM |
Restoring Satin Finish | Uriel Schafer | Jewelry | 11 | April 10th 04 01:44 AM |