cheap gold??

[LAG]

Has anyone ever used these to fume with???

http://cgi.ebay.com/10-MINI-KRUGERRAND-GOLD-coin-token-C_W0QQitemZ120307737572QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item120 307737572&_trkparms=39%3A2%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A1%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

I recognize they are plated but it is plated with 22kt gold. there are a lot on Ebay.. different prices...

[mer]

i'd suggest sticking with solid gold, 22-24k only.

[Slow]

Don't see why not, if you can isolate the gold. I always wondered about these (http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=22k+gold+card), myself. Anyone ever use anything like these?

[Mecha]

The auction for those coins specifically states that they cannot guarantee the composition of them.

Just stick to real gold in bar form. With coins you generally pay a "strike' price which adds a little to the overall cost. You can get bars as small as a gram, and you will end up paying market price for them.

Even doing a lot of fuming, a gram should last you quite a while.

[LAG]

I asked my mentor about this. This is his comment..

"I'm skeptical of any deal that's too good to be true. You won't get the results your looking for if your mixture of metals is less than complete 22 kt. gold. 24 is pure and 22 has a little copper and silver which are the active ingredients that makes it so it doesn't rub off. You might end up with the results like from the fillings if you use those plated coins. "

Just sharing information here... filter it out for your personal use...

[barefoot stash]

Trying to extract the gold from a plating would be a waste of time /effort. But for 15 bucks, why not chunk one up and see how it fumes. May get some cool effects.

[LAG]

I just might do that. thanks.

[Emmett's Glass]

I've been using dental gold for fuming for a while, it's 18k but works pretty decent.
You can remove gold from teeth with pilers, I'd sugest wait till Mike is asleep and grap 1 of his to try.
E

[Glacier_Arts_Studio]

Don't see why not, if you can isolate the gold. I always wondered about these (http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=22k+gold+card), myself. Anyone ever use anything like these?

holy sh*t, thanks for the link and the info...
i have been looking for some 22k gold to play with...
some of them are cheep enough and seems that they
are not plated... now i must check this source and the
products out, more thoroughly before i say it is a
good source...


========================================

here is a great source of gold and silver...
note that this seller has 100% positive feedback...

Cilck_4_Gold_&_Silver (http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/judgedredge_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ)

..:chilling:

[phab]

I asked my mentor about this. This is his comment..

"I'm skeptical of any deal that's too good to be true. You won't get the results your looking for if your mixture of metals is less than complete 22 kt. gold. 24 is pure and 22 has a little copper and silver which are the active ingredients that makes it so it doesn't rub off. You might end up with the results like from the fillings if you use those plated coins. "

Just sharing information here... filter it out for your personal use...

...your friend is right. i used to know a guy that owned a plating shop and he would dip the objects in precoating of copper or brass for a foundation even if the finish was crome. those commemoritive coins they sell for 9-11 or reproductions of old american coins are made in places like liberia and are gold plated. not worth buying for any reason i know.

i like the commercial where the pitchman is telling you to send in your "old" gold and get a check, like nobody wants dirty old gold. one of the tesimonials is a woman who said she sent in her rings "from my first marriage" and i got my check the very next day.

[MUPH]

If you were to clean the old rings and such, would you be able to use it for fuming?

[Alfred]

If you were to clean the old rings and such, would you be able to use it for fuming?
As long as they are 22k or better.If you can find a local jeweler that does their own casting,talk to them about buying a few pennyweights of casting grain,make sure you stress that it needs to be at least 22k if not 24k.I've found most jewelers are interested in the process,and are happy to help.

[schmoinkel]

This is where I buy my gold from (http://www.apmex.com/Category/9/Gold_Bars_999_Fine_1_gm___kilo.aspx)

There prices are as close to spot as your going to get while buying in small amounts. The one gram bars are like $35. plus shipping brings it to about $40, which I always compare that to buying inches of gold wire (http://www.generationsglass.com/Misc_Boro.html) $9 an inch(I don't know how much an inch of wire wieghs, but I go through the wire a lot faster)
The last one I got was 6 months ago, i've still got about a 1/3 left and I use gold a lot.
Personally I wouldn't buy gold off of ebay, you never know what your going to get.

Hope that helps

Scotty Boom Bots

[Greymatter Glass]

...really unless you're pretty knowledgeable in metallurgy stick with known sources of 22 or 24k gold: wire, solid coins, casting grain.


In general gold jewelry will be AT BEST 18k gold.

Plated objects will very often have under coatings of nickel, silver, copper, or brass - nothing you want in your flame. And the amount of gold in flashed or plated items is so minuscule it's probably not even enough to fume once with. Anyone who has tried to fume with 24k gold leaf knows how little there actually is - plating is even less.

And I second Scott's suggestion of NOT buying gold on ebay. buy it locally or from a known reputable source.

-Doug

[The Alchemist]

hey guys.I was taught to fume w gold,about 10 yrs ago,been fuming ever since.I was always taught to use ONLY pure gold...that is gold that's 99.9% .that's not24 or 22 karet .its pure.the impurieties u have to burn off.aren't worth the health risks to skimp on the cost.in my oppinion...I once watched a nat geographic show on these cats in a 3rd world where then mind and smelted gold."melted"th ey did this w a welding torch in a crucible w a box fan for exaust.I have seen a few similiarities in a few glass studios I've seen.anyway .the life expectancy was like 50!from breathing all the impurities efore the pure gold.in my oppinion 99.9 is the best .gives the best colors,and best luster...it comes in only 99.9 not karet.in a small as 1 gram bars.will last ya a while...
anyone got a source on PURE 99.9 1 gram bars let me know.my shop mouse stole the last of my gold.likes shinney things too.peace out
VOTE!!D

[Master Yoda]

Anyone try rose gold or pink gold? I saw a lampwork supplier on the web selling it a while back (forgot who) and they claimed that it had decent effects

[Greymatter Glass]

I was always taught to use ONLY pure gold...that is gold that's 99.9% .that's not24 or 22 karet

By law, by practice, and by the standards of manufacturing processes 24 karat gold is pure gold. By law in the US, Europe, and most the industrialized world, to be stamped 24K you have to have 99.995 % pure gold.

Chinese Panda coins, SA Krugerrands and Canadian Maple Leafs are certified as 99.999% pure because they bother to get the certification, not because other 24k pure gold isn't as pure.

....

The 0.005% impurity wouldn't affect the composition of the gold as it related to fuming no matter WHAT the impurity was.


If you want to spend an extra $500/oz I'll certify your gold as 99.9999999999999% pure (because no one could ever prove me wrong).

-Doug

[Mr. Wonka]

I once purchased an American gold coin that was stamped, “Fine Gold”, and it did not work nearly as well as the panda or maple leaf coin. Is there a difference between “fine” gold and 24 kt / .999?

Tom

[jr23]

I just picked up 5 grams for 144 delivered of e-bay and it showed up now 5 gram bars on e-bay are bringing in as much as 160 and rising I have not checked today but buy lots o silver and stuff off the bay. no probs yet!

[vetropod]

cheap gold??

:crazy:

[Dom]

Oxy moron.

Arent krugerrands illegal?

[Greymatter Glass]

no....

why would they be?

And on further consideration, I think this guy "The Alchemist" needs to change his name. Anyone who says 24k gold isn't pure gold... doesn't know how to do simple math, let alone speak on the subject of alchemy or metallurgy.

24/24=1.000

Although most nations allow for 24/24 = .999


... I mean.... if i gave you 24 ounces of "pure" gold, and told you I wanted 24 ounces of 24k gold in exchange, you'd just hand it back to me... no change.

...

As for some coins working better than others...

"fine" gold is .999 fine or 999/1000 pure gold.
24k gold is .999 fine or 999 /1000 pure gold.

there's an allowance for 1/1000th or 0.01% to be impurities. Usually in gold the impurities will be cyanide, arsenic, mercury, or lead. The first 3 are used in the refining/extraction of gold, the last 2 are used to weight the gold to defraud someone if found in larger concentrations than would occur naturally. (mercury is used both ways)

So what that means is that gold from different parts of the world very well may have minuscule differences in composition.... after the first strike of fuming with it, those impurities should be long gone. I have always noticed that my first fuming with new gold will be difference that those from later fuming. I suspect this is due in part to blasting out any impurities, but also to forming new compounds between the glass and gold when it's super heated...maybe adding silica to the gold, or something. Though more likely boron, sodium, or aluminum.

...

-Doug

[Dom]

I thought it was for similar reason that cuban cigars are, bad relations with south afrika.

You never seen Lethal Weapon 2?

[Greymatter Glass]

You base your understanding of tariffs and foreign policy/relations on a movie?

....

and last I checked we're pretty buddy buddy with South Africa.

Am I wrong?

[The Alchemist]

my wife is a jeweler...there is a deffinate diference btwn.karet & fine "pure,99.9" gold.I only use 99.9 for 10plus yrs.have seen karets of gold fumed...you can buy 99.9 fine gold in 1 gram bars.in my opinion,key word opinnion...99.9 gold fumes nicer,looks nicer,more color variations...good luck.

yo,pm me if u can get 99.9 bars of gold in 1 gram incraments...the swiss make the best and will be stamped swiss gold 99.9 peace ,flame on.D

[The Alchemist]

piont taken.and there is a difference as yall stated earlier in a post.diff compositons,no matter how small will make a difference.in my opinnion.hey bro use what u want.im just tellin yall wat wrks best for me.and my oppinion.ill let u stick to the thoery and ur explanations.once again my oppinoin.gotta get back to work instead of dibate about gold...peace out,D

[Alfred]

As a measure of purity, one Karat is 1/24 purity by mass:

X = 24*Mg/Mm

where

X is the Karat rating of the material,
Mg is the mass of pure gold or platinum in the material, and
Mm is the total mass of the material.

Therefore 24-Karat gold is fine (99.9% Au w/w), 18-Karat gold is 75% gold, 12-Karat gold is 50% gold, and so forth.

Historically, in England the Karat was divisible into four grains, and the grain was divisible into four quarts. For example, a gold alloy of 381/384 fineness (that is, 99.2% purity) could have been described as being 23-Karat, 3-grain, 1-quart gold.

The Karat system is increasingly being complemented or superseded by the millesimal fineness system in which the purity of precious metals is denoted by parts per thousand of pure metal in the alloy.

The most common Karats used for gold in bullion, jewellery making and by goldsmiths are:

* 24 Karat (millesimal fineness 999)
* 22 Karat (millesimal fineness 916)
* 20 Karat (millesimal fineness 833)
* 18 Karat (millesimal fineness 750)
* 15 Karat (millesimal fineness 625)
* 14 Karat (millesimal fineness 585)
* 10 Karat (millesimal fineness 417)
* 9 Karat (millesimal fineness 375)
* 8 Karat (millesimal fineness 333)
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24_karat)




Millesimal fineness is a system of denoting the purity of platinum, gold and silver alloys by parts per thousand of pure metal by mass in the alloy.

For example, an alloy containing 75% gold is denoted as "750"....

The most common millesimal finenesses used for precious metals:...

Gold

* 999.9
* 999 (Fine gold equivalent to 24 carat, also known as three nines fine)
* 995
* 990 (equivalent to 23 carat; also known as two nines fine)
* 916 (equivalent to 22 carat)
* 833 (equivalent to 20 carat)
* 750 (equivalent to 18 carat)
* 625 (equivalent to 15 carat)
* 585 (equivalent to 14 carat)
* 417 (equivalent to 10 carat)
* 375 (equivalent to 9 carat)
* 333 (equivalent to 8 carat; minimum standard for gold in Germany after 1884)
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millesimal_fineness)

So technically 999.9 is purer(ie.99.99%),but "fine" gold as stated above is "24 karat" or 999(99.9%).I would have to agree with Doug ,both of the jewelers in my family agree also ,"fine" ,99.9% and 24k are the same.

[Greymatter Glass]

Alchemist - I don't know you, you don't know me - no hard feelings, never had any on this side....

That said, I'm glad your wife is a jeweler. So am I.

Fine, Pure, 24k, 99.9, .999, 99.9995, all mean the same thing.

To have an appreciable effect from impurities you generally need at least .5%. 0.01% wouldn't register on most popular detection methods.

When you get 99.9995 gold certified they take gold that's no different than .999 fine, 24k, 99.9% etc, and put it in a special machine (gas chromatograph, mass spectrograph, etc) and run destructive analysis on the sample. It's not cheap and all it's usually useful for beyond NIST or reagent use, is marketing your gold as better than other gold - but it's marketing, not a real difference.


In the real world I am sure there is some "pure" gold that's purer than others, or has a different composition of impurities, but that wouldn't really affect anything.

In gold fuming on glass there are SO many variables that will affect your final outcome that to say it's the quality of the gold within a margin of 0.01% is really not considering the entire issue. The surface composition of the glass, flame temperature and chemistry, distance from source, surface temperature of the glass, exposure time, hell maybe even barometric pressure, all play a significant role in how fuming turns out, and I somehow doubt anyone has done extensive controlled testing.

And I would be happy to sell you small bars of gold in any weight you'd like from 1 dwt to several ounces, just let me know what you need and I'll get a quote. I can manufacture them quite easily at a decent price. They'll be stamped ".999 fine" or 24k (same gold, happy to stamp it either way) and are guaranteed .


-Doug

[schmoinkel]

I got a couple of 5 gram bars made by Pamp Suisse .999 if anyones looking, with assay card .....oooo aaaahhh assay card... yeah

Scott


(card does not fume)

[Alfred]

(card does not fume):D priceless :D

[smutboy420]

I once purchased an American gold coin that was stamped, “Fine Gold”, and it did not work nearly as well as the panda or maple leaf coin. Is there a difference between “fine” gold and 24 kt / .999?

If that was something like an American gold eagle. It contains the stated weight in pure 24k fine gold. BUT they also have copper added to them making the coin only 22k But by weight a 1 oz American eagle has 1 full oz of pure gold in it. But the coin its self weighs more then one full oz. Because the AGE's are considered currency and so they add the copper for durability. But non currency coins made at the us mint like the first spouse or gold buffalo coins are pure 24k gold with no copper added.

But even if you can find them all recently made us minted gold coins are going to come with a high premium added as the us mint illegally suspended sales of gold coins and are rationing them making them very hard to get right now. They ended the eagle a few months ago and just ;last week suspended sales of the buffalo coins. They can't be having folks running around with money in there pockets when they crash the economy and declare material law in a few weeks . God forbid if the pit slaves were able to buy food and ride it out.

Now maples and pandas they are just gold and no alloy added. If one is looking for pure gold. Also new maples instead of being .999 are now .9999 fine if any one wants the extra 9 get 2008 or newer maples.

[smutboy420]

Arent krugerrands illegal?

Ha ha that made me think of a incident last week at a coin dealer I was asking if he had any krugs and he got huffy and puffy and told me they are a bad investment because no one is going to ever want to buy them back because of the political issues going on with south Africa. I was like ha? what are you talking about. And then he says apartheid. I almost pissed my self laughing at him. turns out he just can't get any and sells more expensive coins.

As I was leaving the shop I was wondering how long he has been down in his bunker to pull out a line like that. Thats so 1980's last time I heard of that regan was in office.

Even then krugs have been legal to own and sell in fact before gold was legalized in the us in the 70's krugs were the only coin that was legal and the reason the Kruger mint in south africa started making them was to sell in the American market were us gold coin was illegal to have.

[Ubatuba]

I like river gold. I think it fumes the best, I believe the impurities make it stick better. I had one batch that would fume that almost slime green color without any silver added. Can you explain why that would happen Doug? I'm clueless with the metalurgy of the situation.

Cheap Gold? All I can say to that is, Go to Alaska or a gold bearing river and pan it out.

[Granger's Glass]

I had one batch that would fume that almost slime green color without any silver added.

hmmm I am intrigued. Have any pics of this fumed gold?

[Ubatuba]

I made some marbles with that gold about six years ago, I definately don't have pics. River gold, fumed on a cobalt back, and encased with clear dots. I know my friend in Portland has a few of those marbles, it's a long shot but i will check it out.

It was wierd shit, you'd get a paler yellow with a tint of green.

[Greymatter Glass]

no idea what caused it....impurities in natural gold could be just about anything.

I've fumed with copper before and got an ugly ass green.... could be that.

but i'd think copper is more common in alloys, not natural gold... doesn't occur in the same veins usually, let alone as a natural alloy, AFAIK.

-Doug

[FoggyMountain]

CHEAP GOLD!!!!

I have seen it but have been really really weary of it and never purchased it.

GOLD BULLION FLAKE 24K FINE>

I saw it on ebay for like $30.00 for a HALF OUNCE!!!!!! I thought to myself if it is too good to be true it probably is. I heard that it was useless to jewlers and if you tried to melt it it would just vaporizeon contact. But i don't see how this is possible, this is just what the vendor told me when i contacted him.

Has anyone tried this. He was selling 1.75 grams for like $9.00 !!!

[Alfred]

Sorry for the distraction ,but this is a big pet peeve of mine and I'm tired of it ;):




Weary:
Etymology:
Middle English wery, from Old English wērig; akin to Old High German wuorag intoxicated and perhaps to Greek aōros sleep
Date:
before 12th century
1 : exhausted in strength, endurance, vigor, or freshness 2 : expressing or characteristic of weariness <a weary sign> 3 : having one's patience, tolerance, or pleasure exhausted —used with of 4 : wearisome
— wea·ri·ly Listen to the pronunciation of wearily \ˈwir-ə-lē\ adverb
— wea·ri·ness Listen to the pronunciation of weariness \ˈwir-ē-nəs\ noun
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/weary)





Wary:
Etymology:
1ware, from Middle English war, ware, from Old English wær careful, aware, wary; akin to Old High German giwar aware, attentive, Latin vereri to fear, Greek horan to see
Date:
15th century

: marked by keen caution, cunning, and watchfulness especially in detecting and escaping danger
synonyms see cautious
— war·i·ly Listen to the pronunciation of warily \ˈwer-ə-lē\ adverb
— war·i·ness Listen to the pronunciation of wariness \ˈwer-ē-nəs\ noun
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wary)

[FoggyMountain]

OOOOOOOOOOOK

If anyone doesn't understand what i was talking about i just made another thread asking the same question in different words. Maybe i could get a helpful response there.

[Udai Hussien]

If you were to clean the old rings and such, would you be able to use it for fuming?
if they are 22k or 24 k (preferably 22 k) gold then yes, silver has to be 99.999 pure, not sterling

[Udai Hussien]

This is where I buy my gold from (http://www.apmex.com/Category/9/Gold_Bars_999_Fine_1_gm___kilo.aspx)

There prices are as close to spot as your going to get while buying in small amounts. The one gram bars are like $35. plus shipping brings it to about $40, which I always compare that to buying inches of gold wire (http://www.generationsglass.com/Misc_Boro.html) $9 an inch(I don't know how much an inch of wire wieghs, but I go through the wire a lot faster)
The last one I got was 6 months ago, i've still got about a 1/3 left and I use gold a lot.
Personally I wouldn't buy gold off of ebay, you never know what your going to get.

Hope that helps

Scotty Boom Bots
thats really good prices on that site. under $900USD an ounce, thats cheap

[Udai Hussien]

my wife is a jeweler...there is a deffinate diference btwn.karet & fine "pure,99.9" gold.I only use 99.9 for 10plus yrs.have seen karets of gold fumed...you can buy 99.9 fine gold in 1 gram bars.in my opinion,key word opinnion...99.9 gold fumes nicer,looks nicer,more color variations...good luck.

yo,pm me if u can get 99.9 bars of gold in 1 gram incraments...the swiss make the best and will be stamped swiss gold 99.9 peace ,flame on.Dyour wife is a jeweler, not an English teacher? I would have never guessed. 24 KARAT (I have no idea what the fuck a "karet" is) gold is pure 99.999 pure or better. Now "karet" and fine "pure,99.9" gold may be different. In the real world, 24 karat = fine gold.

[Steve Sizelove]

Back in '96 or '97, I fumed gold nugget alot. I've seen the green that Ubatuba mentioned. It was nice but really hard to get the deep gold oranges. It looked more like a gold over silver - not always desirable in my opinion, especially if it got scuzzed up before being encased.

Side note, it was kind of funny to go into the coin store and say that I needed a gram of nuggets....

[smutboy420]

gold nugget impuritys are commonly

Magnesium
Silicon
Sulfur
Titanium
Manganese
Iron
Nickel
copper
zink
Germanium
Molybdenum
Palladium
Silver

Silver being the chief impurity.

Were a nugget is from will have a lot to do with its variations. Some gold nuggets are less then 18k and some like Vermont nuggets are 23k lower karat value ones have a darker color to them. Higher purity nuggets stay yellow gold color and are bright and shinny and never tarnish.

So depending on the sources there can be a lot of variations.

[FoggyMountain]

I heard California gold averages about 22K and higher. I used some river gold from the Yuba and it looked nice, at first it fumed a yellow/gold, rather then the usual pink gold fume. After that it fumed nice and pink like the 24K i use.

[Udai Hussien]

Back in '96 or '97, I fumed gold nugget alot. I've seen the green that Ubatuba mentioned. It was nice but really hard to get the deep gold oranges. It looked more like a gold over silver - not always desirable in my opinion, especially if it got scuzzed up before being encased.

Side note, it was kind of funny to go into the coin store and say that I needed a gram of nuggets....sizzlechest, you are a sexy sexy man... I want to ravish you, not in that gay way, of course

[Big Jay]

. And then he says apartheid. I almost pissed my self laughing at him. turns out he just can't get any and sells more expensive coins.

As I was leaving the shop I was wondering how long he has been down in his bunker to pull out a line like that. Thats so 1980's last time I heard of that regan was in office.
.


ROFL. Guy live in the woods with no TV or radio? Talk about being disconnected. :D
Gold lasts forever as far as fuming. No need to try to find a cheaper alternative. Just don't be wasteful cutting huge pieces. A fine needle point amount will fume an entire piece.

[Big Jay]

your wife is a jeweler, not an English teacher? I would have never guessed. 24 KARAT (I have no idea what the fuck a "karet" is) gold is pure 99.999 pure or better. Now "karet" and fine "pure,99.9" gold may be different. In the real world, 24 karat = fine gold.

My neighbor's a doctor so I am going to start doing surgeries next week. Want a vasectomy?

[Evolving Creations]

Just feeling the need to add my 2 cents.
I stick with 22k and don't buy the whole 24k is better thing. Just about anyone who has decent experience fuming with gold will tell you that 24k doesn't have the sticking power that 22k does. It rubs off. Cheaper and better. Not every day that it rolls out that way.
As far as health risks go..you shouldn't be breathing any thing glass-related. Exotic colors give off some of the nastiest shit there is. Bottom line is that your ventilation should be taking care of your air quality, then you don't have to worry about that smidge of copper and silver in your 22k.

This is 22k heavy and straight up.

[Udai Hussien]

My neighbor's a doctor so I am going to start doing surgeries next week. Want a vasectomy?no, but I do want you fuckers to chip in and give me my forskin back!!! X-mas is around the corner!!!

[FoggyMountain]

Looking good. Nice advice. I never thought of the sticking ability. I do notice that some of my outside gold fuming rubs off easily with a little oil from your fingers. Even leaves permanent finger prints sometimes too!

Doesn't all the impurities burn off when you hit it with the torch the first time though? I thought that was why i get a color difference first when i use river gold.

[Udai Hussien]

Just feeling the need to add my 2 cents.
I stick with 22k and don't buy the whole 24k is better thing. Just about anyone who has decent experience fuming with gold will tell you that 24k doesn't have the sticking power that 22k does. It rubs off. Cheaper and better. Not every day that it rolls out that way.
As far as health risks go..you shouldn't be breathing any thing glass-related. Exotic colors give off some of the nastiest shit there is. Bottom line is that your ventilation should be taking care of your air quality, then you don't have to worry about that smidge of copper and silver in your 22k.

This is 22k heavy and straight up.kudos, thats a really cool bead, and the fuming is pretty kick ass. Personally, I like too fume silver/gold/silver then rake 4mm clear like 6 to 8 lines, then gold again and rake between the rakes I made. So I get that cool, greenish lives. Some times I spin clear, and rake the clear so I get green arrow effect. I learned that from grandad like 2001. that bead is tight thought

[Evolving Creations]

Thanks. It's ISO with Northstar peach dots just in case anyone was wondering..makes for a nice backing to pop the gold rather than pink or green.
Ha! A trip that you mentioned the spin and rake!
I just made a few beads a couple hours ago wit that old school style almost exactly like you're saying. Did silver/gold then clear spin trails and opposing rakes. Looked sick. Used to do alot of raked spintrails back then (like 8 years ago). Fun to bring that stuff back out from time to time..
Indeed much fun to be had with precious metals..back when color was scarce it was all about fume..with the skills you can get any color of the rainbow with clear, silver and gold alone...
Anyway to merge back on topic...I just recommend 22k gold from anyone selling at market price. I got my last bit as wire from Rio Grande. Coins are a crapshoot pricewise most often their more than market if they're much cheaper they're prolly plated or less than 22k...

[FoggyMountain]

I get my 24k from ebay. Just need to bid on the right auction at like 1-3am. I got my last gram for a dollar less then spot at the time, and that was with shipping and everything.

Right now i am using Istambul gold, and no complaints. 1/2 gram has lasted me about 4 months now.

[Udai Hussien]

Thanks. It's ISO with Northstar peach dots just in case anyone was wondering..makes for a nice backing to pop the gold rather than pink or green.
Ha! A trip that you mentioned the spin and rake!
I just made a few beads a couple hours ago wit that old school style almost exactly like you're saying. Did silver/gold then clear spin trails and opposing rakes. Looked sick. Used to do alot of raked spintrails back then (like 8 years ago). Fun to bring that stuff back out from time to time..
Indeed much fun to be had with precious metals..back when color was scarce it was all about fume..with the skills you can get any color of the rainbow with clear, silver and gold alone...
Anyway to merge back on topic...I just recommend 22k gold from anyone selling at market price. I got my last bit as wire from Rio Grande. Coins are a crapshoot pricewise most often their more than market if they're much cheaper they're prolly plated or less than 22k...I agree, umm if you are lucky, and have bigger pawnshops, I used to buy 22K gold from this one pawnshop in downtown raliegh, along with 99.999 silver coins. YEARS ago when I used to blow. now if I need anything Kristian at generations sells the wire, gold and silver. I think it's the same type stuff from rio Grande, it's much eaiser to deal with that pounding a coin with a sledge hammer, then wire cutters,, lol, the good ol' days! and spin trails are a great change of pace. I don't know what name he uses now, but "grandad" from the fartglasspipes board, gave me tips, and taught me spintrail techs. he was/is awesome

[Evolving Creations]

Snodgrass is often said to be the originator of that style but you know how that goes..I wouldn't argue that he did, but the Egyptians were raking trails like 1000 years ago so it's one of the many things that's already been done, in a way...
That's the cool thing about glass though, coming up with new things to do with old techs is what it's all about.

[Udai Hussien]

Snodgrass is often said to be the originator of that style but you know how that goes..I wouldn't argue that he did, but the Egyptians were raking trails like 1000 years ago so it's one of the many things that's already been done, in a way...
That's the cool thing about glass though, coming up with new things to do with old techs is what it's all about.yeah it's true, but you must remember, all of India stole Nomad's style, so he is sueing the entire country!!!

Hehehe that guy is a fruitloop! (nomad, not snodgrass, Snoodgrass is cool)

[jr23]

I try to keep my best gold in gold form not fume like smutty said someday it's all going to fall apart and I want some leverage when it does. I have a jeweler across town I get casting scrap from to fume. When I get my hand's on certified papered Swiss,turkey or other stamped certified source I keep. It cost time and money to certify so I like to keep for investment purposes. I used 1 gram and that lasted a long time still have a little of it.

[smutboy420]

Right now the royal conadian mint has said they will keep producing the maples. They to were shut down for a bit because of unprecendentad global demand for gold right now. gold is starting to get as tight as silver right now as far as trying to find it at any were near spot price. So many places are sold out and back ordered months ahead right now. on any sort of coins and even bars are getting scarce. Right now every one is buying and not a lot of supply to meet demand.
A few weeks ago one single dude wiped the kruger mint out of there exsisting stock of kugerands He took all 5,000oz's they had in stock a few weeks ago right after AIG and mariel lynch went down. So the mint had to issue a stament that because one fucker bought all there gold they won't have new kugerrands till october november ish.

Tho I would love to be that guy the day the mail main brings that package. I'd feel like I was scruge mcduck.

[LAG]

Has anyone an opinion on buying gold nuggets like this??

http://goldfeverprospecting.com/gonuforsaexl.html

and Beau... you are killing me with that pink IO bead!!

[Greymatter Glass]

those nuggets would work as well as nuggets do....

[smutboy420]

Originally Posted by schmoinkel
This is where I buy my gold from

There prices are as close to spot as your going to get while buying in small amounts. The one gram bars are like $35
Apmex is awesome to deal with. And they do have some of the lowest prices on gold and silver. BUT they tend tend to be expensive on tiny orders under $5,000 at a time. with the added fees like the expensive shipping and the charge to pay with a credit card or bank transfer. So paying $45 in addition to a one gram sale of gold can get pretty pricey, Not so bad if your ordering a few oz or some thing tho.

There best deal going is there 24k gold shot or bb's. only $9 over spot for a oz. in there wholesale speshials on there gold page.
even straight from a refiner is more then that usely.

But right now this very instant ebay while using Microsoft's search engine to search for any item n ebay you can receive 30% cash back from Microsoft. The amount changes daily some times its only 8% others its 10 but yesterday and today its a full 30% off. They let you get up to a $200 discount and let you do it 6 times per Microsoft cash back account. Its just got to be a buy it now item and you need to use micro softs search engine to get to ebay then you search for the item you want and buy it and then you get a refund put in to your pay pal account after a waiting period.

I have been buying money one ebay and reselling them and getting 30% back.

I picked up some nice stuff yesterday all way under spot. Whats cool is when you sell it the person buying it can also use the cash back thing and they to can get 30% off.
lol lo the stupid dumb mumbnuts at micro soft dint count on any one being smart enough to buy real money on ebay.

Some of the guys over at the gold forum have made an art out of using the Microsoft discount to get free gold and silver. For less then market value.

Right now with the 30% even over priced gold becomes below spot.
I picked up a 1/2 krug and 1/2oz eagle and a perth mint 1/2 kangaroo. I still have 3 more discounts to use. So I'm prebey going to pick up some bars today. If I can find some good deals. I can turn down free gold.

[Loïc]

i got to my local jewelry store.. ask for "dropplets" of melting residue... they selll you the little drop of gold that goes out the mold when they make the piece...... u can have as little as u need.. 2~3 drop can last for a good year if well used

[larren]

I buy gold coins from a local coin/jewelry stoe. They are asian coins and are stamped 99.999 I just got one 2 weeks ago for $50 1/20 ounce was like $4 over spot

[J Howard]

i stil say gold wire is the way to go. no waste = more savings. plus i swear it fumes better. i do alot of fuming with it

http://rjasonhoward.com/pages/SunburstMartinis.html

[seadal]

I have used placer nuggets off of ebay as low as 20kt. Works great.

[Udai Hussien]

hey guys, there is a local Jewelry repair (jeweler?) in town. He told me he could get me some gold dust in 22k. have you guys used any of this before? I was thinking about taking some tubing, and preheating to stage 2, the rolling in the powder, or pouring down in the tube. Any ideas?

[seadal]

Dust? Like powder? That would look pretty cool. Give it a try.

[Mecha]

I thought gold dust was the wrestler with tourette's?

[J Howard]

might be cool. at that point, don't you really just want gold foil? post the results if you get something good... so we can all bite it ;)

[dws glass]

I have used gold flake many times the thng to rember is that the gold will turn into bbs and takes a little extra work to get melted in like an encasement
the dust should look prety good kinda like glitter probly

[Mac Maestro]

You can fume a large piece of glass with just a pin point of gold. I think any application of rolling in gold or dumping down a tube may just be wasteful. Unless you're able to trap the gold to get the encased look. Still, that's a lot of gold.

I've dropped chunks of gold (14K) into blowtubes and encased them. (Bench jeweler scrap I cut from the ring mold) It doesn't look all that special, but will form a sphere of gold when encased...

[Udai Hussien]

Dust? Like powder? That would look pretty cool. Give it a try.yes, I was imaging like powder, or really fine frit


I thought gold dust was the wrestler with tourette's?http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/2457/golddust2by5.jpg
Look motherfucker, I told you before, STOP DISSIN' MY GODDAMNED SISTER!!! yeah shes ugly as hell, but she's still family


might be cool. at that point, don't you really just want gold foil? post the results if you get something good... so we can all bite it ;) Hey thats not a bad Idea, I have some scrap 22k foil from when I used to do signage. is the 30 year warrany film, ahd has a super tacky adhesive. so it will adhere to the glass, then a design, maybe? I'll do some research on the adhesive, before I vaporise and inhale it. thanks for the insperatrion


I have used gold flake many times the thng to rember is that the gold will turn into bbs and takes a little extra work to get melted in like an encasement
the dust should look prety good kinda like glitter problyit wont vaporise? I as thinking, it would vaporise wit hthe right flame, internally, and give a hologrphic look. think of triple pasion fine frit spoon. I think I will try and see what happenes. I am sure with my lame lamping, it will be shitty no mater what

[J Howard]

the trick with the foil is to stuff and puff it. roll it (easy part) with barely warm glass, and stuff it in a premade sleeve that's just a little bigger. never let it get hot, keep it pretty cold-(not even warm really)

[J Howard]

http://www.toffolo.com/gallery/cesare_toffolo/traditional_work/bubbles/amber_bubbles/

[gypsea]

rex is really good at the gold stuff & puff. i have an amazingly beautiful goblet that he made with that tech as a component. he did a demo of that tech in a goblet demo he did at agi one year.....the goblet is a couple of feet tall...it is on display at wonka's shop...a lot of ya'll have prob seen it.