Jewelry Making with Brad Simon

Soldering Platinum & Gold Together

When soldering platinum to gold always use cadmium free gold solder.  For health reasons, this is the only solder you should be using anyway.  However, for platinum it is especially important.  Cadmium can migrate into the grain structure and cause brittleness.

Before joining platinum and gold together ALWAYS finish and polish the platinum piece.  Platinum requires a longer polishing time than gold.  If they are polished after joining the gold would wear away before a final polish could be applied to the platinum.  As platinum does not oxidize when heated, the polished finish will remain after soldering.

Platinum and gold contract while cooling at different rates.  Because of this, if you have a long solder seam between gold and platinum the seam may crack as it cools.  To minimize this try to design your jewelry creations with a short seam where the gold and platinum touch.  If a long seam cannot be avoided, after soldering cover the piece to allow it to cool slower.  A used tuna fish can make an ideal cover.  After soldering place the can over the item you soldered and warm with your torch, then allow to air cool slowly.

Brad

Jewelry Making: Creative Platinum Fabrication

Creative Platinum Fabrication

with Jurgen Maerz CMBJ

Thursday April 24th, Friday April 25th & Sunday April 27th

Learn cutting-edge techniques and insights for fabricating intricate platinum jewelry.  Acclaimed platinumsmith Jurgen Maerz will provide instruction on a variety of platinum fabrication procedures using a torch to do traditional soldering and welding and innovative new techniques using a Laser Welder.  Revolutionize your platinum techniques and expand your design capabilities by learning platinum’s unique properties to create jewelry.

This seminar sponsored by Platinum Guild International, is part of the program at the Bench Jewelers Conference & Expo, April 24 – 27, 2008 in Los Angeles.  For details on all the seminars offered, more conference & expo information, and to register go to: www.BenchConference.com.

Brad

Jewelry Making: Platinum Casting

Platinum Casting

with Jurgen Maerz CMBJ

Thursday April 24th & Sunday April 27th

Today, platinum casting for the small shop is easier than ever - as long as you are sufficiently prepared.  Platinum casting is different from gold or silver casting, and insufficient preparation and understanding of the process can still lead to many hours of frustration.  Success depends on having good, functional equipment and learning all you can about the process.  This seminar will emphasize ways to improve your casting process by discussing how to recognize and eliminate common mistakes and improve efficiency in time and materials.

This seminar sponsored by Platinum Guild International, is part of the program at the Bench Jewelers Conference & Expo, April 24 – 27, 2008 in Los Angeles.  For details on all the seminars offered, more conference & expo information, and to register go to: www.BenchConference.com.

Brad