Should I soften it ?

[Yakub Bey]

Hi,

Do you guys soften gold wire by heat before you start gold inlay process ?

 

[Thierry Duguet]

Always

Good luck

 

[Yakub Bey]

Always

Good luck

Thanks for response,

Could you please let me know more about how you do it ?

What do you use for heat process ?

How long do you heat it ?

How do you know if it is ready or not ?

Best Regards

 

[jerrywh]

24K gold anneals at 500°F. I use a small propane torch and put the gold on a charcoal block. It doesn't have to get red hot but it won't hurt if it does.

 

[Mike Bissell]

When using short lengths of wire I'll just use a BIC lighter to heat the gold.

 

[Beathard]

I dont anneal dead soft gold wire, but I do anneal work hardened gold with a propane torch.

 

[zzcutter]

You should always anneal no matter weather dead soft or not. I coil the wire up like a spring and then use heat and when coil starts to collapse wire is ready to go. ZZ

 

[Thierry Duguet]

Gold like any metal will work harden, it will not stay dead soft, even manipulating the coil will harden it. Since annealing is so simple why avoid the pleasure, I use a small torch and usually anneal a few inches at a time, take it to a nice red and move the flame along the wire. There is no scaling with pure silver or gold, there is some with other materials you may consider dipping your newly anneal wire in a mildly acid solution to remove the scaling before attempting the inlay.

 

[Dani Girl]

Highjacking thread,... sorry... same process for anealing copper?

 

[Beathard]

zzcutter, why always anneal? If its dead soft and inlays fine, why waste the time annealing. When it work hardens, then you anneal it. Dont understand why you would waste the time annealing something that is soft...

 

[Thierry Duguet]

zzcutter, why always anneal? If its dead soft and inlays fine, why waste the time annealing. When it work hardens, then you anneal it. Dont understand why you would waste the time annealing something that is soft...

I do not quiet understand your reluctance to anneal. A large inlay may take several days, why would you want to jeopardize so much time and effort just to save a few seconds? As to why always anneal.......it is a good habit, after annealing you KNOW that it is soft, when you do not anneal you just ASSUME that it is as soft as it will get, I prefer to know than to assume.