Question: Inlaying Gold

[Steve223]

I have never inlayed gold and i want to play with some on some xmas presents. I have inlayed silver,Duz gold inlay the same? And whats the lowest K gold that i can get away with inlaying? And any other tips yall may would sure be appercaited.
I am drawing up a design for a pendant that i want to combine some gold and silver inlays on that i will post later to get your thoughts on.
Thank you everyone in advance!
Steve

 

[FANCYGUN]

24K wire is the easiest and most forgiving to inlay

 

[jerrywh]

You can inlay gold as low as 18k or even as low as 16k but it is not any fun at all and anything lower than 22k cannot be sheet inlaid or overlaid successfully because it is too hard to take to the teeth. It would have to be inlaid in wires or parallel wires to form a figure. The amount of money saved is so small it is not worth the effort. The money saved in gold is not enough to compensate for the money lost in time. I once recieved some 22K from a supplier accidentally and when I went to inlay it I knew imediately something was drastically different.

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

All good advice.
Here is a pic with 18 k peach for the face, 170 vickers hardness(VH),18 k green 120 VH, 23k white or green, about 45 VH , fine platinum 52 VH, 24k gold 30 VH and copper, which I think is about 40 VH. This was made mostly from sheet, about .010 in or less.

here is another pic with 18k pink 195 VH, and 24kgold:

The key is having a matrix or base metal witch is harder than the inlay.
If using more than one hardness of metals, inlay the hardest first.
The Perazzi in the first pic was fairly hard from the factory.
The Ron Lake knife is a little harder than the 18k.

Ron Smith is the guy I learned a lot of these ideas from.

 

[Steve223]

Thank you Guys i appercaite the help...Beautiful work Barry! I was just thinking about inlaying the backbones of my scrols...I have another question for you i plan on inlaying the backbones of the scrols in 14 gauge steel and then releif engraveing it...The question is how do i handel the places where my relived back ground comes upagainst the inlayed scrol backbones?
Steve

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

I was just thinking about inlaying the backbones of my scrols...I have another question for you i plan on inlaying the backbones of the scrols in 14 gauge steel and then releif engraveing it...The question is how do i handel the places where my relived back ground comes upagainst the inlayed scrol backbones?
Steve

that is a good question, you can leave a sliver of steel between the gold and the relief, that is the way I handle it.

 

[Steve223]

Thank You Barry Your help is much appercaited!
Steve

 

[John B.]

Barry,
That is great information regarding the actual Vickers hardness of the various alloys.
Thank you; you’re a font of great knowledge.

Others, here’s a way to inlay low karat gold sheet and harder metals such as soft iron.
Most of the established engravers already know this so please excuse me rambling on.
It’s also a help (not perfect) in reducing punch damage to castings that must be inlaid.
Tin the back of the material with a very thin layer of silver solder and solder a thin sheet,
4-5-6 thousandth thick of 24K gold to the bottom of it.
The 24K spreads into the undercut and allows the bottom teeth to bite into it.
Make sure your base material is WELL supported from underneath or inside.
Put the inlay into the fully prepared cavity and apply a couple of layers of clear tape over it. Burnish the tape down all around the perimeter. Also clamp it if you can.
Use a brass punch about 3/16 inch diameter and a hammer.
Be prepared to give it good whacks all around the edges, working north, south, east and west. Then set the middle.
Firm whacks are best, it will work harden and you might not get a second shot at it.
I think I posted this before and a fuller explanation may be in the tips section.
Hope this is a help to some.
Best.

 

[Steve223]

Thank you John that is some great info!!
I cant tell everyone who has helped me on this forum how much it is appercaited. None of this stuff comes real easy for me and im sure some of you have thought " GEEEZThis guy is dumber than a box of rocks" Not unjustafieably i might add lol. But i really am thankful for the pataince and help!!
Steve

 

[jerrywh]

John. B.
What is the tape for??

 

[John B.]

John. B.
What is the tape for??

Jerry,
The tape, believe it or not helps to keep the inlay in the cavity when you give it a good whack.
It also acts as a second pair of hands when setting a clamp or placing the punch on the right spot for the first hit without tilting the inlay on the far side and letting the bottom rise up above the undercut.
Just my way, thought some might like to give it a try.

 

[jerrywh]

good tip John. Thanks.