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Frequently Asked Questions

ABOUT THE COMPANY

What is Hoover & Strong's standing in the jewelry industry? How strong is Hoover compared with the other companies or jewelers?

• Hoover & Strong has an excellent standing as a major precious metal manufacturer in the jewelry industry. The company started in 1912 as platinum refiners and has grown into a major precious metal mill product, die-struck findings and jewelry manufacturer. For over 96 years the company has been providing jewelers with high quality products with, integrity, and exception personal service.

ALLOYS

Do we have a new and improved 18 white alloy suitable for rolling?

• Hoover's Brilliant white gold offers jewelers a high white color. However, because of the high nickel content it is not suitable for rolling. Hoover & Strong recommends their 14K & 18K palladium white gold or 950 palladium for rolling, because of its malleability.

Does Hoover have an extra white gold alloy similar to the Superwhite or X1 white alloys on the market?

• Hoover does have a high white gold alloy in 14K (14H) and 18K (18H) white gold, called brilliant white gold. However, jewelers need to be aware that all of these products contain a high amount of NICKEL. Unfortunately, other suppliers of these high white, high nickel alloys are promoting them as low nickel because these alloys have passed the European Nickel Standards. The Standards are based on a nickel release test and not just on the quantity of nickel, which would have provided much clearer guidelines. These new alloys may be slightly more hypoallergenic than its predecessors, but these alloys still have the same problems of all high nickel alloys. They are harder to work, harder to cast and more prone to prong failure. Hoover & Strong is promoting 950 palladium as a better option - TruPd is pure, white, precious and strong. 950 palladium is naturally white, needs no Rhodium, is malleable and is similar in cost to 14K gold.

How can you make a darker green alloy than our 14 and 18 green?

• Green gold color is dependent on both the gold and silver content to achieve its maximum green color. Therefore, you can not get as green of a color in 14K as with 18K. Hoover's 18k green is as green as you can get, unless you alloy 75% gold and 25% silver. However, the 75/25 alloy too malleable or soft for most jewelry use. If you add more silver to our 14k green alloy it will not get greener, it gets paler.

Is WCA alloy suitable for rolling?

• WCA is a casting alloy to make 18k white gold; it is very difficult to work with because of the high nickel content. However, it can be rolled with effort and care. This is the reason that we suggest that you order Hoover’s 18k white fabricated material.

BANDS

Can a ring made of 95% platinum/5% ruthenium be sized with a piece of 90% platinum/10% iridium wire?

• There is a subtle difference in the color. We recommend that you use our 95% plat/5% ruth that we now have available in sizing wire. However, you can use 90% plat and 95% plat together in a pinch.

Can we do bead set bands in 18k white?

• Hoover makes their 18K bands in18k palladium white gold, which allows easy bead setting. Our AZU02, 04, 07 and 12 complete azure/undrilled band is commonly bead set.

Can we make an AZU07 for 15 stones?

• Yes. Since this is an undrilled band, a customer can make as many holes as the band’s azures. In a size 6, you can have up to 22 holes.

What does Ezfit mean?

• This is a trademark of Hoover & Strong's bands. The rings are similar to comfort fit bands. They have a radius the inside of the band so that less metal is against the finger, giving additional comfort to the ring.

What rings can a customer get undrilled?

• Customers have several options for ring blanks. They can order Seamless Ring Blanks (WRB) in 14K, 18K, 22K, 950 palladium, 950 platinum in yellow, white, red and green from 2mm – 10mm. Hoover also offers undrilled Azure® bands (AZU) in multiple stone and finger sizes.

BEZEL

Can we coil bezel strip?

• We can only coil those sizes 2.5mm and smaller. The larger sizes are cut from sheet and cannot be coiled.

BULLION

Can our bullion be engraved upon?

• Yes, however the bullions are hand poured leaving the surface formed and not perfectly flat. Each bullion is individualistic. There is a $7/ounce + $10/pc pouring charge.

How can fine gold coins be appraised?

• The value of most gold coins is in the gold value only. Take the weight x the metal market price to get the approximate value. Most dealers will buy fine gold at 1-5% under market, depending on quantity. Unless the coin is an antique, it will not have a collectible value above the metal price.

CASTING

Can you fabricate Deox gold and silver alloys?

• "D" or Deox alloys usually will have silicon in them to help casters reduce oxidation and porosity. However, these deoxidizers will generally increase the metals temper, making them slightly harder. These alloys are formulated to enhance casting, not to fabricate sheet or wire.

Does Deox Sterling Silver hold up for as long as a year without tarnishing?

• It depends on the environment. If you live in Palm Springs or phoenix for instance, it may last up to a year without tarnishing. But if you live in New Orleans or somewhere that is humid or has more pollution, it will not hold up that long.

Have problems casting with 14k white. Have to cast twice and still have pitting?

• White gold contains gold, copper, nickel and zinc. Most alloys use nickel as the whitening agent. These metals are whiter than palladium white gold, but are not as malleable. Nickel white gold is difficult to forge, and will crack if the metal is not annealed enough, or if not annealed at a high enough temperature. To anneal, the metal should be heated to a cherry red (1500 f) and then allowed to air cool. White gold should not be quenched. White gold is hard, but annealing too frequently can cause cracks. See article on "Stress cracking and Prong Failure" on page 208 in 2006-2008 catalog or learn more for info on white gold cracking and stress related problems. Remember Hoover does custom casting and specializes in unusual colors and metals.

How much silicon can be added to sterling "d" casting before it gets brittle, or can it be done period?

• We do not recommend adding more silicon to the sterling "d" casting. Without proper metallurgical or alloy experience you can quickly ruin the alloy. A little bite of silicon goes a long way and too much silicon will produce a brittle alloy. Remember Hoover does custom casting and specializes in unusual colors and metals

What is a button?

• A button is used to cast a piece of jewelry. The button is a cylindrical piece of metal used to push the molten metal through the sprue. It is designed to solidify last so that there is correct feeding to the sprue and therefore the castings take place.

What is a good pickle to remove nickel oxide which can cause 18k white casting to be gray?

• Oxides that are harder to remove, such as those generated with nickel white gold alloys, can be removed by using 5% nitric acid. Fire scale is best removed form silver alloys by using a 10% sulfuric acid. You must add the 90% water into the acid - not vice versa.

What is a sprue? What is spruing?

• A sprue is used to cast a piece of jewelry. The sprue provides a channel through which molten metal is fed into the mold. The sprue attaches the wax piece of jewelry to the tree stem. You should always sprue to the thickest part of your casting. The sprue should be at least 1.25X as thick as the thickest part of the casting.

What is an investment?

• Investment is used to cast a piece of jewelry. Investment is gypsum, which is a plaster-like material that is formulated to withstand the necessary temperatures, and gives a good surface. The investment is poured into a flask around the wax tree. The investment solidifies and the wax is burned out, leaving a cavity in which the metal is poured into - producing a duplication of the wax tree in metal.

What should be used to remove blackness or fire scale?

• Most fire scale is removed by pickling in a sodium bisulfate based solution. A common pickle pot used to hold and heat the solution is a crock pot. The pickle solution works best at about 180F or 80C. Oxides that are harder to remove, such as those generated with nickel white gold alloys, can be removed by using 5% nitric acid. Fire scale is best removed form silver alloys by using a 10% sulfuric acid solution.

When casting 18k yellow, can you heat-treat the piece to make it more durable?

• Most alloys can be heat treated to some extent, see heat treating instructions in technical section to learn more. Silver offers the best results. 18k yellow and 18k green are the least (because of high silver content). Hoover & Strong offers 14k yellow and 18k yellow spring gold alloys when the material needs to harder learn more.

When using 18 royal alloy, casting ring had holes. Why did this happen?

• Royal yellow and green gold alloys have more silver that yellow gold. If these alloys are over heated they will be more prone to porosity. Cut flask temperature back 25F and make a sure the sprue is at least 1.25X as thick as the thickest part of the casting. Remember Hoover does custom casting and specializes in unusual colors and metals.

When working with 14k pink casting grain, had a poor casting. Cast material was dark colored and porous. Why?

• The black coloring is oxidation. The copper in pink gold will give you problems if you cast the piece the same way as yellow gold. With pink, the addition of copper causes the melt-flow range to be expanded, allowing the melt to improperly solidify while in this range. Increase the number of sprues and thoroughly heat the metal. It is critical to use a small amount of flux and a deoxidizing flame to protect this alloy. Remember Hoover does custom casting and specializes in unusual colors and metals.

When you are casting with our 18k white, can you use 50% new and 50% old metal?

• According to the gold counsel, you should use at least 70% new gold.

Why are rings made from Deox Silver cracking after being quenched?

• When doing ring casting, cast might have been too cold or quenched too fast casting temperature recommended is approximately 1850F. When working with Deox Silver, the castings must be air cooled for 15 – 20 minutes (not quench) before dropping into the pickle. If the casting are quenched immediately the casting will crack, or be brittle.

Why is platinum casting grain in chopped wire or chopped sheet form?

• Because of the high temperature of platinum its makes pouring it into pellet or grain difficult. It is more economical to chop small pieces of sheet or wire and produces a cleaner product.

Why is the 18 yellow "D" casting crumbling or brittle?

• "D" or Deox alloys usually will have silicon in them to help casters reduce oxidation and porosity. However, these deoxidizers will generally increase the metals temper, making them slightly harder. If the metal is over-heated, this will make metal harder to the point of brittleness. Remember Hoover does custom casting and specializes in unusual colors and metals.

CHAINS

Why are our 14k yellow chains so green? Can they be polished? How can they be made more yellow? Do we have only one source for chains?

• There are only three chains that have a green tint. They are the chdr1 (small diamond rope), chdr2 (medium diamond rope) and chdr3 (large diamond rope). These diamond cut rope chains have a higher silver content giving them a greener or royal yellow color.

CIRCLES, WASHERS & CHARMS

How do you piece a circle not priced in the catalog?

• Take the diameter and divide by 2 to get the radius. Take pie x the radius x the radius x the thickness x the density (dwts of 14k in cubic inch). The density for 14k is 137.7. Example: item requested is 1.6" x .072" circle. 1.6"/2 = .800 3.1416 (pie) x .800 x .800 x .072 x 137.7 = 19.933 dwts. To get the weight adjustment factor, take the dwt weight per piece and divide by the thickness. If the thickness is .072" as above, take off the 0 and just use the 72. Example 19.933 dwts divided by 72 = .27685 weight adjustment.

What are the labor charges on circles, washers and charms?

• The labor or stamping charges are included in the pricing of circles, washers and charms. The stamping charges per piece are as follows: 1+ 5+ 10+ 25+ 50+ 100+ circles $1.15 $1.10 $1.00 $0.75 $0.50 $0.25 washers $2.15 $2.10 $2.00 $1.50 $1.00 $0.50 washer charms & spec blanks $3.15 $3.10 $3.00 $2.25 $1.50 $.75

EARRINGS

Do you carry different sizes of screw-on/screw-off earnuts?

• At this time we sell only the EN16.

Why aren't Hoover & Strong's earrings rhodium finished?

• Our 14k white gold is among the whitest in the industry because of the high nickel content. So Hoover does not rhodium plate so that jewelers don't have to worry about removing the rhodium during stone setting. The consumer won’t return the earrings as the rhodium wears off. Lastly, the high price of rhodium would also increase the cost.

Why doesn’t Hoover sell earnuts in platinum?

• H&S offers two platinum earnuts: a large friction nut (EN17) and a screw on – screw off style (EN16). Because higher value diamonds are usually put in platinum earrings, Hoover’s offer these styles.

GENERAL METAL INFORMATION

Do we make metal that is fuzz and dust-free?

• H&S changes their finishing rolls 2-3 times a year to provide a medium polish finish. To offer a high polish, dust free surface Hoover would need a special room for rolling so that it can be completely dust-free. Stern Leach offers high polished sheet for quantity orders.

What is the Vickers scale used for?

• The Vickers hardness test is used to measure the hardness or temper of soft metals, such as precious metals. It uses a diamond pyramid is pressed into the metal by a load of 5 – 120 kilograms. B&S or Rockwell hardness is used to compare harder metals, most commonly steel.

What metal should you use to make bobby pins?

• Any of the harder alloys such as: 14k & 18k yellow spring gold or 14k & 18k white gold.

GOLD METALS

How do you anneal pink gold?

• Pages 148-149 of the 2006/8 Hoover & Strong Product catalog offers melt, flask & cast temperatures, Vickers hardness, and annealing temperatures & techniques. Pink gold anneals similar to yellow gold. Heat the metal to cherry red (1400 f) and then quench or let metal air cool.

How do you remove lead from gold?

• The most important part of getting lead off of gold is doing it as soon as possible after the gold is contaminated. In time the lead will absorb or bond with the gold, making removal difficult. Use 40-50% nitric acid with water to dissolve the lead. The higher the acid concentration, the quicker the gold will discolor. DO NOT HEAT THE LEAD - when heated the lead will amalgamate into the gold.

How do you remove mercury from gold?

• The most important part of removing mercury from gold is to do it as soon as possible after the gold is contaminated. In a short period of time the mercury will absorb or bond with the gold, making removal difficult. Use a 50% nitric acid and 50% water solution to dissolve the mercury. Do not leave the gold in the solution too long as it will start to dissolve the gold. Another option is to heat the article to vaporize the mercury off the gold, use proper ventilation. Be careful not to melt the gold.

Is sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid acceptable substitutes for pickling platinum?

• The Hoover catalog recommends sodium bisulfate as a pickling agent for Platinum however these two acid will remove oxidation.

Is the 22k yellow gold that we make fusing now?

• Yes, Hoover has gone through great efforts to use an alloy similar to the Kulick-Stark formula. They have even gone back to hand pouring the 22K ingots to enhance the fusing capabilities. Hoover's 22K material is used by jewelers that use the granulation technique for their jewelry. To learn more about granulation see article on page 202 in Hoover 2006/8 Product catalog or click here learn more.

Trouble with 18k white sheets being too hard. Ordered sheets annealed, and annealed them again himself. Had piece cherry red when annealed. Is afraid it will crack. Will it?

• Once a piece of metal is annealed re annealing it will not make it noticeably softer. The piece must be forged or work hardened before it can be affectively annealed again. 18k white is just a very difficult metal to work with due to the nickel content and difficult to over anneal. 18k palladium/white gold and 950 palladium are much more malleable.

What are the advantages of peach gold?

• Peach gold is formulated to create a warmer, softer appearance to better complement skin tones and various gemstones. It has a rich elegance. Unlike yellow gold, peach gold eliminates the brassy contrast with flesh tones and certain gems.

What makes green gold "green"?

• Green gold color is dependent on both the gold and silver content to achieve its maximum green color. Therefore, you can not get as green of a color in 14K as with 18K. Hoover & Strong's 18k green is as green as you can get, unless you alloy 75% gold and 25% silver. However, the 75/25 alloy too malleable or soft for most jewelry use. If you add more silver to our 14k green alloy it will not get greener, it gets paler.

Why does 14k white and 18k white crack and become brittle when shaping into a design?

• White gold contains gold, copper, nickel and zinc. Most alloys use nickel as the whitening agent. These metals are whiter than palladium white gold, but are not as malleable. Nickel white gold is difficult to forge, and will crack if the metal is not annealed long enough or if not annealed at a high enough temperature. To anneal, the metal should be heated to a cherry red (1500 f) and then allowed to air cool. White gold should not be quenched. White gold is hard, but annealing too frequently can cause cracks. See article on “Stress cracking and Prong Failure” on page 208 in 2006-2008 catalog or learn more for info on white gold cracking and stress related problems. Hoover offers 14k palladium white and 18k palladium white which are much more malleable.

PALLADIUM METALS

What is the annealing process for 950 palladium?

• 950 palladium may be annealed with a torch or furnace. Heat metal to a cherry red color, 1500-1550F, for 30 seconds and let the metal air cool.

What is the annealing process for palladium/white gold metals?

• Palladium white gold may be annealed similar to traditional white gold with a torch or furnace. Heat metal to a cherry red color, 1400 - 1500F, for 30 seconds and let the metal air cool.

PLATINUM METALS

Can Hoover & Strong fabricate 50 ozs - 100 ozs of platinum on a regular basis?

• Yes, Hoover has the capability to manufacture for both large and small customers.

Can Hoover & Strong melt platinum with other metals such as ruthenium, rhodium, iridium for a fee?

• Hoover can alloy pure platinum with ruthenium or iridium. Hoover will do custom melt for volume customers, or exchange pure platinum for 950 platinum/ruthenium and 900 platinum/iridium. H&S does not manufacture platinum/rhodium.

Does Plat S+ darken when heat treated?

• Yes. It will oxidize similar to karat gold, because it has non precious metal in the alloy to make it harder than traditional platinum/iridium or platinum/ruthenium. That is why H&S recommends using stainless steel heat treating foil to prevent oxidation.

How do you anneal platinum?

• Annealing can be done using a hand held torch. We recommend oxygen/natural gas. Cleanliness at this point is very important. Use only a brick designated for platinum annealing. Minute quantities of lead, aluminum, steel, gold and silver should be kept away from the work to avoid contamination. Lead in particular will dissolve in platinum making it brittle and unworkable. Use a bright blue oxidizing flame in order to properly anneal. Softening occurs rapidly at 1800F or when the metal is bright orange in color. Once the temperature is reached annealing will occur rapidly. An average ring will require heating for 30 seconds. A 1" sq sheet 18ga will require 1 minute. Air cool or quench.

How long do you need to anneal platinum/iridium sizing wire before working with it?

• The trick to annealing is reaching the proper temperature; the most common fault is that you will not heat the metal hot enough to soften it. Once the temperature is reached, annealing will occur rapidly. An average ring will only require heating for approximately 30 seconds. A good guide is a 1" square by 18 gauge sheet will require 60 seconds, increase or decrease the time according to the size of the piece. Platinum can be air cooled or quenched in water after annealing.

We add iridium to platinum to harden platinum. Is iridium by itself harder than platinum?

• Yes – Iridium is extremely hard. Customers have asked if they could make a ring out of iridium. It would be very difficult to cast a ring in iridium (although Hoover has done It) and it will crack very easily.

What alloy would make platinum magnetic?

• Some casters use Cobalt in their platinum to make the alloy easier to melt and cast. However, Cobalt is magnetic and will cause a slight oxidation when the metal is melted and annealed.

What is 585 platinum?

• 585 platinum is a platinum alloy that has 58.5% pure platinum. Some jewelry manufactures were trying to produce and market a 14K platinum alloy to lower the cost. Hoover does not supply or sell this product, and does not know the formula of this material.

What is the hardness of 14k yellow and 950 platinum?

• Using the Vickers Scale, 14k yellow is 140V and 950 platinum is 130V. Please see Vickers hardness on page 148 & 149 in the 2006/8 Hoover Product catalog for the hardness of other metals or click here to learn more.

What is the temper of our platinum sizing wire? Does the customer need to anneal it before he rolls it down? Does the customer have to anneal his platinum before rolling, and if so at what temperature?

• Platinum is very malleable and can be reduced, without annealing, further than gold. Platinum can easily be reduced at least 50% in thickness until annealing is needed. Rolling platinum can be done very easily with little stress to your rolling mill. If you begin with a thickness of .150", you can roll to .030" without annealing. The metal will roll out easily, but will be hardened enough in the process to get nice sharp pieces when blanking. However, if the metal is going not to be worked after rolling, anneal at .050" before rolling to .030".

PRODUCT PHOTOS

Do you have pictures of your product that we could use to make fliers to show to our customers?

• Yes, send a request in writing to our advertising coordinator. If you desire digital files, specify the format. We can give photos in specific formats. We use a variety of Macintosh applications.

REFINING

How do I send in my scrap?

• We recommend that you send clean, by insured (<$1000) or registered (>$1000) US mail, and sweeps by UPS or Common Carrier. Make sure to securely seal the box and include your name, address, phone, weight of material and desired payment.

Where do I send my scrap?

• Hoover & Strong, 10700 Trade Rd., Richmond, VA 23236-3000. No need to mark the package to anyone's attention. All packages come to our refining division.

ROUND WIRE

Can we cut round wire to an exact length (example 2.8mm)?

• Yes, we will cut up to 5 pieces or 2' for free. Multiple cut pieces of straightened round wire cost $.50/pc cutting charge. If ordering coiled round wire, we cannot guarantee exact cut lengths.

What do we supply that is close to Pintong Wire?

• Pintong wire is a brand name of another supplier, now out of business, for spring gold. Hoover offers 18K yellow spring gold. They do not offer white gold spring gold because nickel white gold is harder than yellow.

What temper do you use when making sterling silver jump rings out of sterling silver round wire (16 ga)?

• Hoover uses regular temper sterling, which is 1 die hard, or annealed 1 die before the final diameter.

SETTINGS

How do you set a cluster setting?

• Open holes with the appropriate setting bur. Set the middle stone first. When setting the outside stones, center prongs are shared. Cut a notch inside of the center prongs. Cut seat in outside prongs. Fold over the stone to lock it into the notch in the center prongs.

SHEET

Can Hoover & Strong make sheet .005", .006", .007", .008", .009" thick?

• Hoover can roll sheet down to .010" (30ga) thick.

Can we make sheets 4-6 inches wide?

• Yes. We can cut sizes of gold, platinum, and palladium up to 6 inches wide. We can cut silver sheet up to 12 inches wide.

When sterling silver sheet is hardened, is it skin-hardened with a soft core?

• No. The sterling sheet is completely hardened.

Why do customer's ask for their wire/sheet hardened for springiness instead of spring gold sheet? What is the difference?

• Work hardening a sheet or wire does make it springy. However, if the material is going to be annealed or soldered, the metal will become soft. The advantage of spring gold is that it can be heat treated to make it hard again.

SHIPPING

What are Hoover & Strong's shipping requirements when shipping to other countries?

• Hoover will ship up to $25,000 per package per day. When H&S ships to a country not shipped to previously, Hoover will check to be sure that they can ship precious metals to that country. There are some countries that Hoover can ship to Federal Express, but not registered mail. The cost of a 1 lb package to most countries priority 1 Federal Express is usually $26-$30. Federal economy is available in some countries which are usually around $21-$26.

SILVER METALS

Can we make our fine silver more pure than .999?

• Technically yes, but for jewelry purposes it is not economically practical. Hoover & Strong will not guarantee better than.999 pure silver.

How do you heat sterling silver?

• Sterling silver can be hardened by first annealing and then heat treating the metal. Anneal at 1200°F and quench. Place in furnace preheated to 600°F and heat soak the silver for one hour.

How does our temper of sterling silver round wire compare with Rio Grande's silver?

• Our standard temper, 1 die hard, is an industry standard and should be the same as Rio's.

What is Argentium Silver?

• Argentium Sterling silver is a tarnish resistant sterling silver. Many jewelers feel that dealing with fire scale is the most difficult part of working with sterling silver. Argentium is tarnish resistant and heat treatable. See page 153 in 2006/8 Hoover product catalog or click here to learn more.

What percentage of copper is in sterling silver?

• Sterling silver is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. Argentium Sterling has less copper and other metals in the alloy to resist oxidation.

Will we certify sterling silver sheet?

• No. We will certify fine silver only.

SIZING WIRE

Do we make sizing wire in 14k royal?

• Yes - we can make it for a special mfg charge of $19.50 per size. Because 14K royal sizing wire is special order there is an additional delivery time of approximately 5 days, depending on the time of year. 18K royal sizing wire is a stock item.

What type of sizing wire would you use for coin mountings?

• Channel wire is commonly used for coin mountings. Hoover & Strong offers 5 different sizes on page 170 in the 2006/8 product catalog or click here to learn more.

Will we make triangle wire coiled? And if so, what are the requirements?

• Yes, Hoover offers 5 sizes of triangle wire sold straight, in up to 1 foot pieces. Hoover will manufacture coiled shaped wire over 2 feet. There is a 5 oz minimum for silver. There is a $19.50 charge for all metals and karats.

SOLDER

Are the melting and flow temperatures of solders the same as casting grain, sheet or wire?

• No. Solders are designed to melt at a lower temperature than alloyed metals, so that the metal does not melt. Solder allows the jewelers to assemble jewelry without melting the pieces together. Our charts on page 175-178 of our catalog show the temperatures for solders. The casting temperatures are shown on page 148-149.

Do any of our solders contain lead?

• No, non of our solders or alloys contain lead.

If someone wants to solder green gold to a 14k yellow band, should they use 14k green or 14k yellow?

• Always use the solder to match the karat and color with the lowest melt point. In this case, 14k yellow (1500°F) has the lower melting point than 14K green (1595°F), so use 14k yellow solder.

What is "IT" solder?

• It is a brand name of a solder made by another company.

What is brazing?

• Brazing is actually fusing a joint together by heating up the metal so that they melt together. Soldering happens when only the solder is turned molten to attach the joint together. Technically jewelry solders are really brazing alloys, because the solder is used to braze or fuse the joint together.

What solder do you use to attach a platinum/iridium head to a 18k yellow shank?

• You use the solder that will melt before the metal of the lowest melting temperature. In this case, 18k yellow gold melts at 1580°F and platinum at 3270°F, use 18k plumb gold solder at 1525°F.

What solder do you use to laser weld platinum?

• Hoover offers a full range of laser wire in platinum, gold and palladium. The small diameter wire (.006”) is provided on tangle free spoils. See page Hoover 2006/8 product catalog page 160 for information or click here.

What solder do your use to solder Plat S+ and plat/ruth?

• Hoover offers 900, 925, 950 platinum plumb solders, 1000 – 1700 repair solders. See page Hoover 2006/8 product catalog page 177 for information or Click here.

What solder is used to solder an item made with our 18k peach gold alloy?

• 14k or 18k red hard solder provides a good color matches to peach gold.

When soldering 14 yellow bands together using Stuller's ultra easy 14 yellow solder, there is an orange reflection in between the bands. Bands are not matching with solder. Why?

• The ultra easy is probably a repair solder and not 14K. If you order Hoover bands and Hoover solder, the alloys will match. Companies have different formulas for making their metal. A 14k from one company will not match another's perfectly.

When soldering with 1500 platinum solder, what can be done if solder does not flow and platinum glows red?

• You must make sure that you use a hot flame directly on the solder and joint. Platinum is a poor heat conductor so the joint and solder must be directly heated. Its OK if the platinum turns red, it should to have the joint fuse properly. Remember, to melt platinum to molten you must get to white hot.

When using 1600 platinum solder to repair rings and other jewelry, solder joints keep cracking and splitting. What can be done?

• Platinum has a high melting temperature (3265°F) and is a poor heat conductor (gold is a great heat conductor). These two factors cause jewelers to have cold solder joints. Cold solder joints happen when the solder flows, but the joint was not heated enough to cause to joint to fuse together. When soldering platinum, heat the joint quickly using a hot flame directly on the joint and solder.

SOLITAIRES

How do you clean black from under the stone of an engagement ring?

• A simple way to clean dirt from under a stone is to use a toothbrush with soap and water. Do not be too aggressive with the toothbrush as you don’t want to loosen the prongs of the ring. An ultrasonic cleaner is less aggressive and easy to use. The ultrasonic uses vibration and a cleaning solution to clean behind the stone.

What percentage of metal is lost on a finished solitaire?

• Hoover’s finished solitaires have a 4-5% metal loss. Solitaires sent to jewelry contractors for finishing can have up to 10% loss if split lapping is used finish their solitaires, which takes off more gold.

TUBING

Can we still supply 14k yellow square tubing in 1.5mm? Is there a $9.50 charge?

• Tubing can be special ordered. There is a 100 dwt minimum. Tubing can be made in lengths up to 4 feet. Special order tubing will cost approximately 25% more than standard tubing.

What tubing will fit inside of each other?

• Hoover and Strong provides inside and outside diameters of the tubing in the catalog on page 172 & 173. Compare the outside diameter of the tubing with the inside diameter of the closest size to see which size will be the closest.