BASE METALS
Nonferrous base metals have a range of useful working properties, and are less expensive and more reactive than precious metals.The reactivity allows a range of chemical patinas, or colouring techniques, to be used with these metals, but also means that surfaces will quickly tarnish in air.
Applications
This group of base metals has a number of useful applications within fashion jewelry making. With the exception of zinc, these metals can all be soldered with silver solder and borax, to themselves, to each other, and to precious metals to create interesting colour combinations, or to construct first-run test pieces and models. However, these metals cannot be hallmarked because they are not precious, and cannot not be used in precious metal pieces that will be hallmarked. Although nickel is also a non-ferrous base metal with useful working properties, many people are allergie to this rnetal so it should not be used in fashion jewelry making
As gilding metal has a similar malleability and working properties to silver, it can be used to make models or test runs of pieces, or large-scale final pieces that are then electroplated to appear as if they are silver or gold; this will help keep material costs down. Very thinly milled gilding metal leaf is used as a cheap alternative to gold leaf, and can be found in a range of shades in both loose and transfer leaf.
Copper is a good metal for making large pieces that are heavily formed, but too soft for thin, intricate forms, and can be quite tacky to pierce. Although copper is relatively soft, structural forms constructed from copper sheet often have enough integral strength to stay rigid. Copper is a reactive metal and quickly oxidizes in air; this property allows many colour variations to be created through heat or chemical patination. Specifïc chemicals or processes can be used to create verdigris, blue, brown, black, purple and red effects (see page 211), and the same chemi¬cal solutions can be used on brass, gilding metal and bronze — each metal will give a slightly different result. Any nonferrous metal can be copper plated by wrapping it in binding wire and leaving it in a pickle solution for a time – the copper dissolved in the pickle will be deposited on the piece (use a separate container from your usual pickle tank for this process, to avoid plating other pieces of work!).
Brass is hard and can be brittle – but is a good choice for base metal wire structures as it is very rigid once work-hardened, though it can easily be overworked and requires regular anneal-ing. Air cool brass rather than quenching it, as the shock of a sudden change in temperature may cause excessive internal stresses leading to
cracking. Due to its hardness, brass is suitable for making certain types of tools – press-forming tools, simple punches and pierced templates are most common. The production techniques of brass products will affect the metal’s working properties – much brass rod is extruded and this can make it prone to cracking if overworked or overheated.
Bronze is mainly used for casting as it is very hard, and will retain a very high degree of detail; it can also produce a good range of patina-tion colours.
Check out useful tips about the topic of preorder PlayStation 3 – please read the web site. The time has come when concise info is really only one click away, use this possibility.
Leave a reply to Base Metals For Fashion Jewellery