why won't my 22kt gold stick to quartz rod

[Johan]

Why won't my piece of 22kt gold stick to the tip of my quartz rod. Whhhhyyyyyyyyyyy????????????? the 24kt sticks just fine...the silver even better. but the 22...that son of a bitch just won't stay put.


Also I noticed if i try to pick up my gold up off of graphite it dosn't work so well. If i do it off of marble it works great but only for the 24kt.


Whhhhhyyyyyyyyyyy?????????????

[ALIEN!]

i use a 7mm clear glass rod for gold, got sick of that issue w/ the quartz. Not such a prob w/ silver though.

[Greymatter Glass]

sand (or sand blast) the end of the rod, should suck the gold up better.

I always made a little cup for gold tho.... now I use a cobalt (turbo, or cobalt 5/6) rod, works much better.

[Johan]

I tried using a 10mm rod but just ended up encasing my gold. Don't have access to sand blaster. Do you think the excess gold residue from many fume jobs is stoping the gold from sticking? Maybe i should score the tip off and try a fresh spot.

[Mark F]

Like Doug said try sticking it on the end of a cobalt rod.

[Greymatter Glass]

Don't have access to sand blaster.


So use sand paper (emery cloth works best), or just rub it on some concrete or something... a sandblaster would just be ideal.

[Snurf]

I must give it up to the cobalt 6 for gold also

[smutboy420]

Touch a tiny tiny tiny spec of boro to yout quarts rod and use that like glue to hold your gold on the quartz rod Tends to help quite alot. Just not make it such a big blob that it wants to crack off and go flying when it cools down.

Something just bigger the a poppy seed is all you need . It will also keep it from running around your quarts when the flame hits the gold and melts it. But to small of a pcs of boro for it to bury its self.

[CripSkillz]

im gona go by a friends work this week and grab some quartz from him i might try to get extra to send out on here..

let ya know

[Swampy]

Heat the end of the quartz rod.

About 5mm from the end, press your tungten pick in there against your graphite marver.

This makes a little bowl like Doug mentioned.

Place your gold speck in the dimple.

Holding the quartz rod horizontal, put it in the back of the flame and heat it until the gold balls up.


So now I use the rod like this, so it doesn't drop out by chance.

Careful the flame pressure blows your gold out of the dimple, so hold it so's the rod is rotated away and the flame isn't directly on the gold.

[Glacier_Arts_Studio]

Heat the end of the quartz rod.

About 5mm from the end, press your tungten pick in there against your graphite marver.

This makes a little bowl like Doug mentioned.

Place your gold speck in the dimple.

Holding the quartz rod horizontal, put it in the back of the flame and heat it until the gold balls up.


So now I use the rod like this, so it doesn't drop out by chance.

Careful the flame pressure blows your gold out of the dimple, so hold it so's the rod is rotated away and the flame isn't directly on the gold.

this is what works best for me, as well, with cobalt or, quartz...
hot pick ups are prone to problems...


sand (or sand blast) the end of the rod, should suck the gold up better.

I always made a little cup for gold tho.... now I use a cobalt (turbo, or cobalt 5/6) rod, works much better.

the cup rocks and i still use my quartz, half the time...
depends on whats on it...


im gona go by a friends work this week and grab some quartz from him i might try to get extra to send out on here..

let ya know

hit me, i'm game... i'll hit ya back...

..

[Cosmo]

Why quartz? A rod of borosilicate works just fine.

I use a rod of cheap Asian cobalt so it doesn't get lost in the sea of clear rods floating about my bench.

[Johan]

because quartz is da bomb!!!!!...Its only this recent batch of 22kt gold that gives me the problem.

Cosmo....you never have to worry about over heating the glass and loosing your metal in the rod. It stays as a little ball til the very end. I hate fuming with boro rod. thats just me and my comfort zone...



Thanks for the ideas guys. I've never tryed using cobalt. think i'll give it a try 2morro.

[Cosmo]

because quartz is da bomb!!!!!...Its only this recent batch of 22kt gold that gives me the problem.

Cosmo....you never have to worry about over heating the glass and loosing your metal in the rod. It stays as a little ball til the very end. I hate fuming with boro rod. thats just me and my comfort zone...



Thanks for the ideas guys. I've never tryed using cobalt. think i'll give it a try 2morro.

I've never had that problem in the first place. I have been fuming with the same rod of cobalt for over a year and have only lost the metal a couple times, but that was from me knocking it off.

[J Howard]

i don't like to use quartz for gold- silver yes, gold no. when the glass goes a little molten, i think the heat transfer helps the gold fume better. you get more control and a cleaner fume. i just use clear..... i'll have to try the cobalt.

[TorchedGlass]

After putting a dimple of the end of the rod, preheat the gold on a paddle in front of the flame until it gets a little molten then pick it up with the preheated quartz. The dimple keeps the gold in place when it gets molten from fuming.

[Johan]

So i tryed using cobalt and it didn't work....weird...maybe i got a bad piece of 22kt...


I noticed the gold turned a dark non metalic color as soon as it was heated...I know 22kt has copper and other metals in it but i've never had it turn a dark color like that before..

[Dom]

You probably got like 20kt or maybe even lower.

[Cosmo]

So i tryed using cobalt and it didn't work....weird...maybe i got a bad piece of 22kt...


I noticed the gold turned a dark non metalic color as soon as it was heated...I know 22kt has copper and other metals in it but i've never had it turn a dark color like that before..

That doesn't sound like 22k. I have used both 22k and 24k and they look exactly the same when heated/melted.

[steven p selchow]

I use 24kt shot, don't fume a lot myself, but like Doug said, a cup keeps the silver/gold in place. I would use a rod instead of quartz, it sticks instantly, for the price of clear its problem solved. I think a lot of people using quartz think it will be the last punty ever needed for that purpose, I tried it, but the metal dropped off was a pain in the ass.

steve

[Johan]

i love the quartz with my 24kt...i just wanted to try some 22kt. I heard the colors can come out a little different. i think I was given somethiing other than 22. i orderd 2" of it from Mountain glassarts...Maybe i'll give them a call 2morro.

[J Howard]

(quartz) I tried it, but the metal dropped off was a pain in the ass.

steve


exactly!!!


you don't have a bad piece of gold (it's possible, but i doubt it). i have seen gold turn colors, especially 22kt. 22kt has silver and nickel in it btw. yes you can get better colors, and it's far superior to 24 for surface colors. 24kt is better for inside out, if you want pure gold tones. 22kt is better if you want that alien green color.


i use gold all the time, and swear by standard rods. i also swear by it in wire form because i can cut a smaller piece and never waste it.

heat your 6mm rod and pick up the gold. immediately marver the sides straight, then immediately return it to the flame. you'll see a little pink flame come out for a second (i believe that's the nickel). now set it aside for use.

when you go and use it, heat the rod a 1/4" behind the gold, then slowly move it into the flame, and it won't pop off. after about 4-5 uses/blasts it will be 24kt gold. i keep mine separated in different cups, for different colors. the purified gold i keep for stuff i will encase, less it rubs off.

for real success in gold, it matters what flame you use to fume, how hot the piece is when you fume it, what flame you use after and how you bake it in, and how long you anneal it. all those factors will affect the end result. if you're just looking for "gold". just fume the crap out of it. if it looks muddy, you're using way too much heat or a dirty flame

i can get transparent green, blue, violet, pink, purple, and red with it - but that, you will need to discover for yourself

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