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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
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for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Colour change from sanding galvanised steel jewelry
September 28, 2011
Hi. I am a student working on a large scale Jewellery piece, I have been working with .8 mm galvanised steel sheet, coming towards the end of my work I have started working the surface in preparation to polish, I have now noticed a colour difference on the surface and it looks like I have rubbed back some of the top layer revealing a new surface.
Although as far as I am aware galvanised steel isn't coated at all?
Is this the case? Other than rubbing back the whole surface to this new one (which is near impossible as I have shaped the metal) is there anyway around this other than getting the surface plated again?
many thanks in advance.
Student/Artist - Sydney, NSW, Australia
September 28, 2011
Hi, Peter.
Galvanized metal is definitely coated. It is steel that has been hot dipped into zinc.
What does your instructor have to say about galvanized jewelry? I have no artistic design talent and no jewelry making experience, so I hesitate to offer advise, but . . . Galvanized metal is not a food-safe material and may have a small amount of hexavalent chromium on the surface on the one hand; and on the other it may have little corrosion resistance in a jewelry application. So I would expect it to be poorly suited for jewelry.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
HI, Thanks so much for your response, good to know it is plated, so it looks like I have sanded down too far... is it possible to electro plate the galvanised steel???
I am working on large format pieces that sit between jewellery and sculpture, while experimenting with form galvanised steel seems to be the best option budget wise, as I am hoping to achieve a high shine silver finish. I understand there is only a certain level of shine that can be achieved on the steel, how would you recommend obtaining the highest shine possible.
- Sydney, NSW, Australia
September 29, 2011
Hi, Peter.
The item can be replated, although stripping the galvanizing is probably the first step. Galvanizing or zinc plating is not as bright as nickel or chrome plating. Rhodium plating would be the ultimate in shine, but would be expensive
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
September 30, 2011
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