View Single Post
  #1  
Old September 15th 06, 02:41 AM posted to rec.crafts.jewelry
br
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 11
Default rolling mill questions

Hello all,
I've been a lost-wax caster for over thirty years, and I never really
learned to use a rolling mill. I never even bought one, because I could
always figure out how to get along without it. I have several questions for
you bench experts concerning rolling gold wire. For an upcoming line, I need
long bands of 18K yellow gold to then have disks punched out, 1/10th. of a
millimetre thick and 8mm in diameter. How many operations/reductions am I
looking at to roll down a 1.2mm wire to a 0.1mm x 10mm ribbon? Is this too
thin to be done reasonably? Could I do this, with good repeatability
(thickness-wise I'd like to stay between 0.09mm and 0.11mm), using an off
the shelf rolling mill? Do standard mills have well polished rollers, and
will I have a problem getting an easy polish on the ribbon after the final
reduction? I'm hoping to need about 10 meters a year, lets say 1000 pieces.
What are the do's and don'ts for doing these myself? Perhaps I'd be better
off getting them made? I have kilns and temp. control for annealing. That's
no problem. I'd appreciate any and all ideas, comments, etc. B.RANDALL
http://www.srdfrance.com



Ads