How Much Loss Can One Expect from Evaporation of Metal in a Pour?

Actually Michael, There is no loss from evaporation in the melting and pouring of gold ( or any precious metal for that matter) - what may happen , if using an old crucible that is gunked up with visible oxide containing borax glaze is that a few grains or spheres may stick to the borax from the glazing cooling before the metal is completely poured. The internal crucible area may appear reddish brown or green-blue depending on the Oxy/Fuel torch you use and the metal you are melting.Silver, .925 containing a high copper content relative to the sterling alloy will be more blue-green from cupric oxide(s), whereas high karat yellow golds will appear reddish brown or brown due to the fine silver content reacting with acetylene or propane due to the absence of copper or lower Cu content until you get to high copper containing alloys such as 9-14 karat golds. Whilst pouring keep the reducing flame ( a bushy blue flame as opposed to a hissing sharply pointed blue in deep blue flame) concentrated on the metal in the crucible. Gold is not a gas and neither a liquid so there is no evaporation from the metal to worry about. You can visually inspect the crucible for the small spheres of gold after a melt and remove them by breaking the pieces out of the glaze the glaze or warming it and removing them with tweezers.Spilled metal is easy to spot in the vessel you use for holding the mold.Generally a little will collect around the base of two part clamped type molds since there is usually a thousandth of an inch or so gap that is normal for molds that are hand assembled: even though the metal parts may seem truly square after use and repeated lubrication there is some seepage to be expected from a build-up of wax, oil or synthetic lubricants at which area the the plates join.I would not advise removing that "seasoning" as it helps the pour relaaese a brighter tougher ingot or rod from repeated healting and cooling of the steel used in its construction: much like a treasured cast iron kitchen skillet- that seasoning helps metals relaese easier just like foods release in a skillet that is well seasoned r and cleans up with only scalding water . If you do at some point remove any excess "pooled" lubricant material toss it into the scarp refining bin as it will contain some micro-particles of gold, or whichever precious metal you dedicate the mould to.Remember to pickle those bits as they are quite oily from whatever lubricant you choose to use in pre-heating your mould instead of just tossing it into the scrap container for the next pour, or for a small piece to use as an accent in a design because the oils will prevent the solder from flowing properly regardless of the flux that is chosen, or the metals to be joined. The best practise though is to use a new fused silica crucible.( a "burn-o" type with a high back wall and a pour spout works well for hand pouring).Be sure and use sturdy tongs intended for the purpose that cross-lock for holding a crucible securely. Avoid bar-b-que type or kitchen tongs.The best tongs are about $4.00 from most vendors. Warm it. Then put about two tablespoons of pure borax in the crucible and with a hot torch melt and swirl the borax to completely cover all surfaces of the inside of the crucible and if a pouring hole exists, try to get a small amount to glaze that too ( that is where most will become trapped in subsequent uses as the hole is often too small and the metal cools in the thick borax glaze). It will appear glass coated and is ready to take your scrap or casting grain at that point. Be sure all solder is removed from scrap before melting - it will contaminate your ingot or bar and cause many problems that are easily avoidable by running a magnet over your metal first, and insuring to inspect jewelry scrap you did not make for hidden solder joins around bezels, at clasps, and in settings. If there is any loss it can usually be reclaimed if you put your mold in an iron skillet filled with powdered charcoal, crushed lava or other refractory rock, sand or other grain that will both stabilize the mould and make it easy to spot drips or other escaped particles. Always grease or wax your mould before pouring and insure that it is at least warmed.I use a crucible for 22 and 24 karat pour that has a hole in the back and whilst heating the crucible and melting the metal flames automatically shoot out the hole and I position it so it heats the mould at the same time.Never get water in the crucible and store it when cooled as dry and humidity proofed as is possible. I use a different crucible for golds and silvers, and never mix .999 silver with .925, likewise do not mix 14 karat ( which i use only for parts that take stress such as clasps etc.) or other copper containing gold alloy combinations with high karat golds.Platinum and white gold get their own crucibles and since white gold in all karats contains nickel, it doesn't need different crucibles for different karats. I do hope this answers your question and accept my apologies for the length of time it took to find your email as there has been some illness in my family that required my attention away from the computer. Best Regards, Ari

Gmail - How much loss can you expect from a melting and pour process? - vieuxcarrejewelers@gmail.com

Gmail - How much loss can you expect from a melting and pour process? - vieuxcarrejewelers@gmail.com: "c: Bcc:"

Make: Online : Drilling square holes with a Watts drill

Make: Online : Drilling square holes with a Watts drill Shared via AddThis

Artisan Economics : A Frank Discussion On Credit Card Processing, Data Systems Security and The PCI Mandate of 2010

The Impending PAYMENT COMPLIANCE MANDATE of 2010 for ARTISANS , CRAFTS PEOPLE and Small Businesses: A REALITY CHECK Payment Compliance Mandates that by 2010 all artisans and small businesses on the WorldWideWeb accepting credit cards ensure that not only are they protecting the security of their customers and clients but that they are meeting Federal and in some cases State mandates in the USA for payment processing through a third party source or agency, or directly through a bank card processing center. The following article edited by myself gives a brief summation of the terms of the mandate and what artisans should receive in return for their payment processing budget. Though very brief, it is a start and for more information I recommend you check out the Federal Trade Commission's Web site as well as your states trade center's sites too. Then read white pages from reputable publications like Internet Retailer for some options as to who's who among the companies offering these services. I have personally used Mal's E-Commerce for years and then PayPal, for international sales as the buyers are verified before you stamp the parcels and post them so everyone is protected.I also make certain that I have a clearly written Privacy Policy statement on every site I own and on all corporate paper systems, documentation, in every blog, etc. in which people use my sites, services, etc, so that they are assured that any data I collect is first : Secured and second: remains in the possession of my corporation or any partner corporate structures I may be engaged in unless otherwise specified, and then, how it will be used is spelled out so that a first grade student could clearly understand the ramifications of submitting data of a personal nature on any form I create or that I use in a business context.. Some budgets and sales however demand more from a shopping cart Scalability and conversion rates alone dictate that your best ROI may be by dealing directly with a bankcard center for the most services and protection in return for for the fees you have paid out. It is up to each individual to assure their business is working for them, and again, I always advise good consumerism- that is why I bring up Internet Retailer as a condensed source of models for payment processing: their "2009 Buying Guide" is a good place to start if you are just beginning to examine your options as a viable business and investigating your The artisan community is facing a changing landscape - with government regulation, varying price points, higher costs for traveling for self-promotion and other economically impacting factors that ultimately decrease one's bottom line if they do not realistically value their work. Lowering price points is not the answer. In fact as the costs rise , and one gains more experience and transitions from novice to jeweler and from hobbyist to a business organization of some sort, one's art or craft must reflect that acquired skill level and materials choices. Artists must then evaluate whether or not they can stay in business at their current level or invest in a bona fide Marketing Consultant ( like myself) to help them make reasonable transitions from unknown to branded and to stand out in the crowd of faddist jewelry makers, specific to this site, or get lost in the pack without real planning and a realistic assessment of their talents, production capacity and the amount of work the individual artisan or craftsman is willing to do to make the level they wish to operate at a reality, or rather realized, or simply existing in a dream state somewhere in almost- making- ends-meet relative to making art jewelry for a living..Deciding whether to operate a brick and mortar store or representation by galleries is one example of the decisions that you are faced with with pending regulation: all of this is due to the PCI Mandate and government forcing one's hand in facing profitability or losses and ultimately having to close shop or relegate oneself to traveling to shows for months out of the year to make it as an artist in the current and impending markets. For any artist that accepts credit cards, PCI (Payment Card Industry) and DSS (Data Security Standards) Compliance that MasterCard and Visa are mandating all merchants must comply with in 2010 should be assessed now and a viable plan to meet those standards and ensure a return on your investment in kind and that is in your favour is in place , by the time that the major credit granting agencies implement the mandate to anyone who participates in credit acceptance. MasterCard and Visa established the compliance standards to improve credit card holder information security.Legislation is following this movement to insure personal information remains secure. The most important thing to know about the compliance program your processor offers is: are you receiving a valuable service for the increased cost - if you are now paying for it how does it benefit you? Unfortunately for far too many credit card processors the business, has become nothing more than a cash cow: another way to make money offering little or no services in return to the artisan trying to make a living by diversifying payment options for their customers. What Does Viable PCI Compliance Mean? It will vary depending on what your credit card processor chooses to do – without question you should receive highly clarified literature from your credit card processor ,or a third party vendor contracted to administer the PCI Compliance program to small scale businesses. You should not have to request it if the company you are dealing with is in compliance. It should be yet more envelopes you receive in the ocean of privacy statements and other paper you receive weekly as a business person offering slight but perhaps worthwhile service differences for a relatively equal and reasonable amount of money from various service organizations involved in credit card processing and you should receive verification of your businesses compliance in a legalese document or certificate that is issued at least quarterly if not monthly, as the laws of your location dictate that you must be scanned for compliance on the instrument on which you process credit card payments, or through a third party blanket certification issued to paying and in good standing customers, for the service of keeping you in compliance with the mandate by 2010, if not currently.. The basics in any decent programme are: 1.Your participation by Submission of a Form that states your willingness to disclose your payment acceptance methods and have them monitored by the service you hire for processing your credit payments- that is by each one of them if more than one: Any Form you fill out regarding the way you process (store, transmit, take orders, etc.) credit cards THEN your answers to determine if you require a monthly scan on your computer or other processing instrument.The bottom line is that All businesses that have an outbound IP address will be required to have a monthly scan by the processing agency of your choice. 2. Upon completion of any scans, monthly or quarterly, you should receive a Compliance Certificate in some form They are obligated to supply you or your organization with such proof as is legally binding and in order with whatever federal and state legislation may be implemented by 2010 that related specifically to this mandate and credit card processing and Data Securities Systems. .If you have not already procured one and are in compliance, your service should upon your sending or faxing them valid proof positive that you are indeed a business entity and need to deal at all with the PCI Mandate, based on your credit card acceptance policy and options you offer customers, as well as the volume of sales that you receive in a given quarter, (unless you report monthly). 3. Your compliance will need to be submitted to MasterCard/Visa if received from a third party vendor or service. It should be abundantly clear whether you are required to follow up or if your processor is doing it for you. 4. Your business will be required to maintain compliance through the duration of your status as a business .Non-compliance means fines for both you and your credit card processor. It is advisable to be informed of the ramifications of non-compliance as incentive to keep your bookkeepers and C.P.A's on the same proverbial page as you and your organization are relative to processing sensitive data from the public in any capacit Questions to ask your credit card processor about PCI: 1. Is my current service/terminal PCI compliant? 2. How much will it cost me? What are the fees monthly , annually or bi-annually, and what do I receive in return? 3. Am I already being charged for compliance ? 4. Who is responsible for assessing Non-Compliance fees? How much are they? and Do they vary from state to state if I am doing traveling shows, trade events, etc. or just accepting interstate credit cards? Does this mean I will also have to start charging State sales tax to cover my ass or the ass of my business organization so-to-speak? 5. If I have questions about the PCI mandate who can I call at the company that handles my credit card processing ? As you answer these questions you will have to decide if you want to continue accepting credit cards as payment from your customers at all.Ultimately, you must answer for your business whether or not PCI compliance is a feasible cost for the ROI you get back, or from it. When weighing the options, keep in mind the ultimate goal of PCI is to reduce the risk of threat to your customers, and your business via credit card and identity theft.. If your customer knows their credit card information is safe with your company, they will show loyalty to your brand or business and continue the trust relationship with repeat business. Accomplishing this goal may mean you as the artist and a good consumer will hold your credit card processor accountable for providing you a viable compliance program. Additional Resources: The PCI Security Standards Council : https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org

Jewelers Studio In the Woods a div. of Red Tent Design Group, and Global Resources Internationale,Ltd. Serving Artisan Jewelers and Metalsmiths with Resources for Business, Tools, Supplies, Equipment, Education and Start-Up Business Consulting Custom Raw Materials , Specialised Custom and Creative Services and International Business Counsel Presents: "Artisan Economics : A Frank Discussion On Credit Card Processing, Data Systems Security and The PCI Mandate of 2010", by Dr.Ari Roark ,Goldsmith,Consultant- Vieux Carre Jewelers- New Orleans VOTED NATIONAL JEWELER 'S BEST INDEPENDENT -2009

METALSMITHS RESOURCES DATABASE

Arizona Designer Craftsmen 23645 N. 83rd Place Associan Mexicana de Esmaltistas A.C. Plateros #37 Col. San Jos Lane DF 03900 MEXICO Baulines Craft Guild PO Box 150158 San Rafael CA 94915 www.baulinescraftguild.org California Blacksmith Association P.O. Box 997 San Jacinto CA 92581 president@calsmith.org www.calsmith.org Camden Goldsmiths Association 20 Main Street Camden ME 04843 Canadian Enamellists‘ s Association 229 Younge Street Suite #404 Toronto ON M5B 1N9 CANADA Centre de L’Art de L‘Esmalt Ciutat de Balaguer, 17 Llotja Barcelona 08022 SPAIN Chicago Metal Arts Guild info@chicagometalartsguild.org www.chicagometalartsguild.org Colorado Metalsmithing Association P.O. Box 261898 Littleton CO 80163 www.coloradometalsmiths.org Craft Iowa 2501 33rd Street Des Moines IA 50310 Craft League of Urbana-Champaign 512 West Nevada Urbana IL 61801 Creative Metal Arts Guild P.O. Box 8946 Portland OR 97207 guild@actonjewelry.com www.cmaguild.org Deutches Goldschmiedehaus Alstadter Markt 6 Hanau D-63450 GERMANY Enamel Guild East 383 Littleworth Lane Sea Cliff NY 11757 Enamel Guild South 19601 N.E 24th Avenue Miami Beach FL 33180 Enamel Guild West 6461 Dwane Avenue San Diego CA 92120 Enamelist Society 6105 Bay Hill Circle Jamesville NY 13078 info@EnamelistSociety.org www.enamelistsociety.org Florida Society of Goldsmiths 719 Central Ave St. Petersburg FL 33701 fsgjm@earthlink.net fsg4u.com Form-I-DABLE Frazosische Allee 16 Hanau D-6450 GERMANY Georgia Goldsmiths' Group PO Box 52125 Atlanta GA 30306 gggemail@bellsouth.net www.gagoldsmiths.org Guild of Eugene Metalsmiths 20 West 31st Street Eugene OR 97405 Houston Metal Arts Guild P.O. Box 270452 Houston TX 77277 info@hmag.org www.hmag.org Japan Enamel Art Association 6F-A Asakawa Building 1-19-13 Hyakunin-Cho 169 JAPAN Jewellers & Metalsmith Group of Australia - New South Wales (JMGA-NSW) PO Box 340 Pyrmont NSW 2009 AUSTRALIA info@jmgansw.org.au www.jmgansw.org.au Kansas Artist Craftsmen Association 8201 E. Harry #2102 Wichita KS 67207 www.kacaonline.com KUNSTERVEREIN Hans-Holbein-Weg 10 Coburg 96450 GERMANY Long Island Craft Guild 56 William Street Copiague NY 11726 Louisville Artisans Guild www.louisvilleartisans.org Maine Crafts Association PO Box 228 Deer Isle ME 04627 Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild 1815 Metropolitan Street Pittsburgh PA 15233 Massachusetts Metals Guild 15 Cogswell Avenue Cambridge MA 02140 Metal Arts Association of Silicon Valley P.O. Box 2924 Cupertino CA 95015 membership@maasv.org www.maasv.org Metal Arts Guild P.O. Box 590785 San Francisco CA 94159 alison@antelman.com www.metalartsguildsf.org Metal Arts Society of Southern California 1644 So. Clementine St. Anaheim CA 92802 info@massconline.com www.massconline.com Metal Link North 2753 East Broadway Suite 101, 156 Mesa AZ 85204 Metal Link North 1902 S. Main Street Seattle WA 98144 Metal Link South 218 West Knox Drive Tuscon AZ 85705 Metalmorphosis 2704 Alan Street Ft Collins CO 80524 Metalsmiths Association PO Box 527 Clyde NC 28721 Metalsmiths of Door County 1848 Highway ZZ Sister Bay WI 54234 Metalwork Guild of S. Maine and New Hampshire 16 Vaughn‘s Lane So. Berwick ME 03908 Michigan Silversmiths Guild 4081 Clark Road Ann Arbor MI 48105 www.misilversmith.org Minnesota Metalsmiths Guild 1980 Quasar Avenue St. Croix Beach MN 55001 Monterey Bay Metal Arts Guild P.O. Box 51511 Pacific Grove CA 93950 www.mbmag.org Timestamp NAME Address Alternate or Shipping Address State Postal or Zip Code Country Email Website To be Added Comments,Instructions Etc.: Name Address City State Zip Country Email Website National Enamellist Guild 9024 Beatty Drive Alexandria VA 22308 North Carolina Society of Goldsmiths P.O. Box 196 Pittsboro NC 27312 www.ncsg.net North Texas Enamel Guild 1311 West Abram Arlington TX 76013 Northern California Enamel Guild P.O Box 254 El Cerrito CA 94530 Northern California Enamel Guild P.O. Box 254 Emeryville CA 94530 ncegguild@sbcglobal.net www.enamelguild.org Northwest Enamellists Guild PO Box 230-416 Tigard OR 97281 Ohio Designer Craftsmen 1665 W. 5th Avenue Columbus OH 43212 Oklahoma Guild of Metalsmiths 2124 Belleview Dr. Oklahoma City OK 73112 Out of Hand 411 Twelfth Street Eureka CA 95501 Palm Beach Enamel Guild 867 Lakeside Drive North Palm Beach FL 33408 Pennsylvania Society of Goldsmiths info@pagoldsmiths.org www.pagoldsmiths.org Philadelphia Alternative Metals Society 10173 Bridle Road #1 Philadelphia PA 19116 Pittsburgh Metals Society PO Box 42381 Pittsburgh PA 15203 Precious Metal Clay Guild 1921 Cliffview Lane Florence KY 41042 Director@PMCguild.com www.pmcguild.com Richmond Art Center 25th and Barrett Avenue CA 94804 Seattle Metals Guild 1425 Broadway #154 WA 98122 president@seattlemetalsguild.org www.seattlemetalsguild.org Society for Midwest Metalsmiths PO Box 31314 St Louis MO 63131 midwest.metalsmiths@gmail.com www.midwest-metalsmiths.org Society of American Silversmiths PO Box 72839 Providence RI 02907 www.silversmithing.com Society of Dutch Enamellers De Galop 15 Dronten 8252 NETHERLANDS voorzitter@enamellers.nl www.enamellers.nl/english Society of Louisiana Artists in Metal PO Box 850694 New Orleans LA 70175 South Florida Jewelry Arts Guild info@sfjag.org www.sfjag.org Southern Highlands Craft Guild PO Box 9545 Asheville NC 28815 Southwestern Virginia Metal Arts Guild 617 6th Street, SW Roanoke VA 24016 LewisReserve@yahoo.com svmagmetalartsguild.com Spokane Jewellers Guild 6312 S. Nola Ct. Spokane WA 99223 The British Society of Enamellers 30 Kensington Square London W8 5SD ENGLAND The Guild of Metalsmiths P.O. Box 11423 Saint Paul MN 55111 www.metalsmith.org The International Guild of Wire Jewelry Artists, Inc. info@WireJewelryArtists.org www.WireJewelryArtists.org The Metal Arts Guild of Canada P.O. Box 241, Station C Toronto ON M6J 3P4 CANADA www.metalarts.on.ca Washington Guild of Goldsmiths Washington DC WashDCGldsmths@aol.com www.washingtonguildofgoldsmiths.com Western Canadian Blacksmiths Guild 14707-115th St Edmonton AB T5X 1H7 CANADA fwreyno@telusplanet.net www.wcbg.org