METAL TECHNIQUES FOR CRAFTSMEN

: A Basic Manual, for Craftsmen 1

on the Methods of Forming and Decorating Metals

By OPPI UNTRACHT

R O B E R T H A L E L O N D O N

Contents

xiii Aluminum Aluminum alloys. Soldering aluminum. Brazing aluminum. Casting aluminum.

Introduction

Sand casting of aluminum. Plaster mold casting of aluminum. Other casting procedures with aluminum

Part One METALS : BASIC INFORMATION

Nickel METALS : ORIGIN, BEHAVIOR, ' , AND MANUFACTURE l

Considerations in working nickel. Soldering and joining nickel. Polishing nickel and its alloys Origin

Metallurgy 3 Characteristic Physical Properties of

Metals 4 The Behavior o f Metals: Their Mechanical

Properties C

Hardness. Malleability. Ductility. Tensile strength. Compressi n Shear. Toughness. p : Elasticity. Torsion. Bgttleness. Impact resistance. Rigiditv

Nickel alloys Nickel silver. Monel Metal. Nichrome wire. Invar Mercury Amalgam gold plating. Preparing gola amalgam. Applying the amalgam

Ferrous Metals Iron Steel Carbon steel. Alloy steel CLASSIFICATION OF METALS

Nonferrous Precious Metals Gold Gold alloys. Karat gold. Karat gold

THE MANUFACTURE OF METALS

Manufacture of Sterling Silver Sheet Metal

Wire Drawing Procedure for hand drawing wire

solders. Purchasing gold. IJsing karat gold: General considerations. Testing for gold with acid

Annealing the wire. Using the l 1 drawplate

Silver Silver alloys. Purchasing silver. General considerations in the use of silver. Testing for silver. Cleaning silverware by electrolytic action

Mechanical wire drawing The flat rolling mill Adjusting the rolling mill. Using the rolling mill Platinum

16 Sheet and Wire Gauge Measuring

16 Systems 18 Extruded Metals

Shotting l8 Annealing l8 Texture o f Metal Surfaces 19 Toxicity o f Metals

Base Metals Copper Copper-based alloys

Brass Bronze Lead Forms of lead. Casting lead. Soldering lead. Lead welding. Lead wiping. Decorative patina finishes for lead Tin Hot-tinning nonferrous metals.

Part T w o 20 METAL DECORATIVE TECHNIQUES 22

METAL TECHNIQUES

23 THAT DO NOT REQUIRE SOLDERING Antimonial tin solder White metal Zinc Uses of zinc

24 Preparing the Metal for Outline Cutting 25 The Jeweler's Saw 25 Inserting the saw blade in the frame

CONTENTS

Outline cutting with the jeweler's saw

Pierced work: Using a saw frame and blade

Pierced work: Using chisels

Pierced work: Using stamping dies

Bidri Work Casting the hidri base

Bidri sand casting

Bidri inlay process

Coloring the bidri alloy

Damascene Work Kuftgari, A Form o f Dama~cene

The kuftgari process

Finishing kuftgari Coloring the steel. Charcoal bluing of steel. Another steel bluing method

Doming: Using Punched Discs Forming the dome

Punching Tools Punch work Decoration Stamping: For Metal Identification and

Hallmark Applying the stamp METAL TECHNIQUES

THAT REQUIRE SOLDERING Repousse' Preparation of pitch

RepoussC and chasing tools and their uses

RepoussB tools. Chasing tools. Making your own tools i

The Repoussk Process l

l

Removing the work from the pitch

Silver Solders Composition, melting, and flow points

Choosing a solder Melting point and flow point: Solidus

and liquidus

Preparation of solder

Preparing the metal for soldering Fluxes and Their Application

Removing flux after soldering

Placing the solder

Fuels for soldering Simple heat devices. Torches for separate gas and air or oxygen supplies. Single unit heat sources. Plumber's torches. Lighting the flame. Regulating the flame

The Chasing Process Repousse' and Chasing on Deep Pieces Engraving

Engraving tools

Tool preparation and maintenance Applying the design

Using engravlnd tools Correcting engraving errors

Florentine finish with liners Soldering surf aces

General soldering considerations Soldering gold

Visual judging of approximate temperatures during the soldering of silver and gold

Annealing and pickling gold

Basic soldering situations Joining flat surfaces. Perpendicular joints. The use of soldering jigs. Butt joints. Soldering wire to sheet

Controlling the flow of solder Solder inhibiting pastes

The use of stick solder

Unsoldering

Spelter solders

Splitting Carving Filing Pickling

Common pickling bath Pickle containers

Stripping Stripping solution

Etching Acid resists or covering agents Etching fluids or acid solutions

Containers for acid in use Etching procedure

Acid etching solutions for particular metals

Bright dip

Matte dip Sof t Solders

Soft-solder fluxes

Soft-soldering procedure

Soldering coppers or irons Metal Fusing

DECORATIVE TECHNIQUES

EMPLOYING CONTRASTING METALS Tinning the soldering copper Using the tinned soldering copper

Sweat soldering

Soft-solder removal Soft-solder stripping solution

Metal Encrustation or Applique' Tanjore Swami Work

Procedure for swami work Positive and negative mold stamping

Inlaying or encrusting the medallions Mokume Mexican Married Metals

CONTENTS

Niello preparing metal for niello

preparing niello for metal

Charging the niello

Fusing the niello

Finishing niello

Niello formulas

Wire Hand-drawn gold-plated silver wire

Filigree

Granulation Granulation technique: Making the

granules

Joining the granules

General considerations

Making Shot i

COMBINING METALS i

WITH NONMETALLIC MATERIALS

Metal Inlay in Wood Tarkashi Work Wood as a Filler Tortoise Shell and Pique' Work Piquk Work with Tortoise Shell, Horn.

Ivory, and Bone The pique process

! Leather and Cloth Stones Abalone Shell Inlay

Part Three METHODS OF METAL FABRICATION

SILVERSMITHING

Metals Used in Forming Processes 240 Use of the Hammer when Raising 244

Stakes and anvils 245

Annealing or Softening Work-Hardened Metal

Annealing Temperatures of Some Metals Use o f the Annealing Torch Quenching Annealed Metals Compressed Metal Forming Methods

Metal raising Angle raising

Edge thickening

Planishing

Squaring a bottom

Dutch raising

Crimping

Stretched Metal Forming Methods Sandbag

Blocking

Pressing

PEWTER: BRITANNIA METAL

The Forming o f Pewter Soldering Pewter

Soft solders Low-melting soft solders

Polishing Pewter Decorative Treatments for Pewter:

Applique' Other decorative possibilities

Casting Pewter Low-melting metals

Slush casting of pewter

FORGING

Wrought Iron Forging Wrought Iron and Steel Forging Tools Forging Operations Forge Welding Other Joining Methods General Considerations in Forging Cold Forging

OXYACETYLENE FUSION WELDING

Equipment Procedural Preparations for Welding

Adjusting the regulators for pressure Oxygen. Acetylene

The torch Regulating the flame

The Welding Process Welding rods

Braze or bronze welding

Flame-cutting metal

COLD METAL SPINNING

General Considerations Lubrication Spinning Lathes Spinning Tools and Their Functions

The chuck: The spinning form

Basic Spun Shapes The technique of spinning Before the disc is in motion. After disc is in motion. Trimming

General considerations

the

JOINING WITH RIVETS,

NAILS, AND SCREWS

Riveting Choosing the rivet

The riveting process

How to avoid riveting faults

Riveting wire for jewelry findings

Rivet wire used to hold pierced stones

CONTENTS

Nails Joining with Screws

The female thread The male thread Two-piece dies

CASTING

Casting an Ingot Casting a Lead Block Vocabulary o f Casting Sand Casting

Casting sand Preparing the mold Preparing the metal Pouring the metal Finishing the casting

Metal Casting with Two-Part kaster Molds 330 Materials for patterns 1 331 Parting compounds 331 Preparing the plaster 33 1 Placing the pattern: Symmetrical shape 332 Setting of the plaster 332 Drying the mold 333

Casting an irregularly shaped pattern 333

Core Casting , Creating the core '

Lost- Wax Casting 338 Benin bronze casting: Primitive lost-wax

casting 338 Lost-wax casting of sculpture 341 Small, solid castings Making the mold. The burnout kiln. 341 Pouring the mold. Finishing the casting 344

Centrifugal Investment Casting Casting waxes Mineral waxes

Petroleum waxes Vegetable Waxes Wax additives Centrifugal casting waxes

Tools for shaping wax Spruing the model Mounting the model Positioning the model Debubblizing the wax model The investment material

Preparing the investment

Preparing the asbestos flask liner Applying the investment, and pouring

The burnout Recommended burnout cycle Measuring the metal

The centrifugal casting machine

Heating the metal 372 Removing investment and sprues 374

ELECTROPLATING AND ELECTROFORMING 379

The Electroplating Process 3 79 Electric power 380 Electroplating and electroforming

equipment 381

Electroplating and Electroforming Procedures

Electrocleaning Electrostripping Electrolytic plating solutions Gold baths. Silver baths. Copper baths. Nickel baths. Rhodium baths. Chromium

baths 384

Electroforming on Metal Models 386 Nonmetallic models 387 Solid or hollow objects 387 Elec{roconductive coatings 389

Plating Miscellany 390

Part Four METAL FINISHING

POLISHING AND GRINDING

Polishing Hand polishing Motor polishing' Polishing compounds The natural abrasives The artificial abrasives General polishing and buffing

considerations Polishing and buffing wheels

Polishing and buffing practice Bristle brushes Wire brushes Burnishing Common polishing and buffing situations Polishing hazards and precautions

Grinding and A brasives Grinding wheels Tool maintenance Sharpening stones Judging steel composition by spark

observation

COLORING METALS

Cleaning the Metal before Coloring Chemical Coloring

Formulas for chemical coloring

Coloring by Heat

CONTENTS

part Five HAND TOOLS AND THEIR USES

BASIC TOOL GROUPS

Basic metalwork and jewelry-making tools

Decorative metalwork tools Basic soldering tools and equipment Hard soldering. Soft soldering Basic forming and raising tools

The Hand Tools Marking and measuring tools and

materials Cutting and piercing tools and materials Forming tools and materials Special stakes Holding tools and materials Stone-setting tools I I

The flexible shaft and motor Heat treatment for small tools

Part Six CHARTS AND TABLES

Periodic Table of thq Elements Weights and Measures Equivalent of Measures Comparison of Standard Gauges Sheet Metal: Weight per Square Inch

by B. & S. Gauge Round Wire: Weight in Pennyweights or

Ounces per Foot in B. & S. Gauge Approximate Length per Troy Ounce of

Sterling Silver Wire

Sterling Silver Square and Half Round Wire; Weight in Ounces per Foot 454

Sterling Silver Sheet Weight in Troy Ounces per Square Inch 454

Silver and Gold Wire Forms Available in Standard Millimeter Sizes 454

Sterling Silver Seamless Tubing 455

Circles and Squares; Circumferences and Areas 455

Comparison of Measurements (Inch, Mm., B. & S. Gauge, Stubbs Steel Wire, Drill No.)

Fractional, Decimal Inch, and Millimeter Equivalents

Comparison of Saw Blade Sizes and Drills

Jeweler's Saw Blades, Thickness and Width in Inches

Straight Shank Twist Drills, Wire Gauge Sizes

U. S. Standard Ring Sizes, Length and Diameter in Inches

Standard Copper Sheet Thickness: Rolled to Weight

Temperature Conversion Tables: Fahrenheit to Centigrade Centigrade to Fahrenheit

The Melting Points of Selected Metals

Coefficients of Linear Expansion of Metals Table of Specific Gravities and Weights

Relative Characteristics of Common Metals

Sources of Supply

Glossary of Terms

Bibliography

Index

CONTENTS