QuestionMy daughter is a student at SCAD. She will be taking a course in working with gold and platinum next semester. I'd like to get her some of each. It seems a shame to buy half-ounce coins only to destroy them for their metal content. Where should I (or her in the future) go to get relatively small quantities of gold and platinum to work into jewelry?
AnswerSteve, please give me a day or two to come up with names and addresses. I will need to go by my work place to get that info. A few years ago, I spent some time here on the web with a kind lady who was attending SCAD in Savannah. She came from South America to attend. The school appears excellent.
The metals can be and should be purchased in the forms you need for working. To melt coins for gold is a waste of the coins for most projects since working the metal into a suitable shape of stock metal is time consuming and honestly requires a rolling mill and perhaps other tools and devices to go a good job.
Pricing of precious metals is almost universally based on the quantities purchased and tied directly to the daily spot prices of metals on the market. The spot goes up or down and so does the price of the jewelry grade metals.
I will try to supply names, most of whom I believe will sell directly to students. You will need to contact each supplier to see what their policies and pricing structure might be. Metal is available in several milled forms and in grain for casting. I would not suggest attempts at casing platinum unless the best equipment is available for use. Gold is much easier to cast. Platinum is not difficult to work once some practice is had. While gold may be joined by brazing without eye protection from the metal color when hot, platinum requires white heat to join and eye protection is definite and a total must. The bright light radiation can instantly burn the retina without proper goggles. (I use a #9 lens for welding the metal and use lighter shades work using the new platinum plumb solders.)
As a matter of interest, take a look at this refiners web site. You will find some videos of various metal forming processes using basic equipment. This is also the best source (and the developer) for plumb platinum solders (meaning the solders match the platinum content of the metal being worked).
www.preciousmetalswest.com This is an excellent company, by the way.
I will use a follow-up to get back just as soon as I can swing by work, avoid getting strapped to the work bench (it is Christmas season!) and get the names and addresses to send to you.
See you fairly soon. God Bless and Peace. Thomas.
------------Thomas is back-------------------------------------------------
Steve, there are two primary companies I will name. These will sell to the crafts person and proof such as a of a business license, sales tax registration number, etc. is not necessary. I mention this because the larger refiners and suppliers with whom I do business will not sell to individuals. Here are the suppliers you may contact right away:
http://www.hagstoz.com
This is T.B. Hagstoz, located in Philadelphia. I did business with this company many years ago, likely in the 1980's. They were reliable and trustworthy. Now, there is an Internet connection.
www.riogrande.com
Rio Grande sells all sorts of supplies for jewelers and metal arts crafts workers. In quite recent past there was not an online catalog but now there is. Click metals from the top menu then go to the upper left to click the metal you want to view. This company is in New Mexico. The company is well established, well known and reliable.
You might want to see if you can find a copy of The Jewelry Artist magazine, once named The Lapidary Journal. The website is http://www.jewelryartistmagazine.com
Check out the advertisements for metals suppliers. I imagine there are suppliers listed.
If you could deal directly with a refiner such as Hoover and Strong or Precious Metals West you would do slightly better on price but they do not sell to individuals. Also, the refiners are direct sources and minimum quantities required are very likely more than you would want to purchase.
Flat bar metal stock is likely the most versatile if a particular project is not planned requiring certain metal forms. This is also known as sizing stock, being sizes often used for altering the sizes of finger rings. Dimensions in millimeters range from tiny like 1 x 1 to perhaps 10 x 3. A width and thickness are given and you choose the length within certain minimums. This metal may be altered in dimension with a rolling mill to make the metal wider or longer and thinner. Wire is another option but altering the form is more difficult except to make smaller diameter wire.
I have no clue how much training she will receive in platinum working. Prior to purchasing that particular metal, I would wait to see what might be the most appropriate. It is a very costly metal. In the meantime, gold is always nice in jewelry karat qualities. While 14k is likely the most popular, there are also choices of 10k and 18k from most suppliers in various milled forms.
Best wishes with this. Wishing her success and fine holidays to all.
God Bless and Peace. Thomas.
