Making, Arranging, and Fusing Gold Granules

Join Jeannette Caines of Jewelry Arts Inc. as she explains the easiest and fastest methods to making, arranging and fusing gold granules. Learn to create uniform granules in a variety of sizes and how to keep them in place while fusing, as well as the proper tools and techniques to replicate this process.
Shop some of the suggested products based on those seen in this video:
Soft Charcoal Soldering Blocks ow.ly/h8jr50FXSVs
Skamolex Vermiculite Soldering Block, 11-1/2" x 8" ow.ly/Y24850FXVkH
Basic Wax-Carving Tool Set ow.ly/hetd50FXTim
22K Yellow Gold Round Wire, 26-Ga., Soft ow.ly/qzqh50FXUYa
Fumasi 60 Rockwell Shears ow.ly/wfIn50FXV7O
Long Tweezers ow.ly/x2Fo50FXVcf
Smith® Little Torch™ Propane and Oxygen System ow.ly/NMTU50FXVtT
Smith® Little Torch™ Holder ow.ly/2Qad50FXVvy
Automatic Torch Igniter ow.ly/X1Ya50FXVya
22K Yellow Gold Sheet, 30-Ga., Dead-Soft ow.ly/6Pao50FXVMN
1.5mm Round Hole-Punching Pliers ow.ly/YfgS50FXVSB
Rio PickleIt™ Starter Kit ow.ly/SoMt50FXW4d
Hand-Held Mesh Strainer ow.ly/6T0b50FXWko
Swanstrom Flat-Nose Pliers ow.ly/Fa9M50FXWpU
Rio PMC Kiln with Nine Program Controller ow.ly/GZL550FXWwe
Flux Brush ow.ly/DsLD50FXWSb
Durston Steel 24-Piece Dapping Set with Block ow.ly/Baqe50FXXWH
Rio Grande stands for makers who create with their hands and their hearts and who are courageous enough to make jewelry their livelihood.
Connect with Rio Online:
Visit Rio's Website:
Subscribe to Our Channel: ow.ly/dAbu309U7eg
Find Rio on Facebook: ow.ly/DpRd309U63Z
Follow Rio on Twitter: ow.ly/wdtU309U6oF
Follow Rio on Instagram: ow.ly/eu5A309U6vM

[@krautgirl65]

I am so glad to have found this tutorial video from you!...i watched it, (twice), and i was making granules like a pro!...thanks so much for sharing this information as it was completely clear and concise...and i absolutely adore Jeannette as an instructor!...she is top notch as far as i am concerned...thank you so much!

[@RioGrande1944]

Wonderful, glad it helped! We agree, Jeanette is great!

[@theresa42213]

''And then you will be sad'' xD First time l've ever watched a goldsmith video! Gold is lovely indeed!

[@dianaalexander3506]

Great video and Jeannette is an awesome instructor! I took a course many years ago with Jean Stark, and this gave me some new tips which I believe will make it all even easier! Thanks so much!!

[@heartsnroses78]

Wow, this is awesome! Thank you for having her show us how to easily do this without taking a $1,000 or more course with some teachers!!!! I love it!!!

[@RioGrande1944]

We are so happy to hear you found this video helpful ☺

[@123kkambiz]

That was fantastic tutorial. Thanks for your time and editing and uploading the video.

[@davidasselin3955]

Jeannette is the top granulation expert. Great video, thanks

[@jadenephrite]

Thank you for your video. Regarding 7:40, the granulation fusing liquid can be made by adding a copper salt such as copper sulfate or copper carbonate or copper acetate or copper chloride into a glue solution such as gum tragacanth or a commercially available product known as "Klyr-Fire". The fusing liquid is used to initially adhere granulation balls or small metal pieces to a metal backing substrate surface. Then from the applied heat of a torch flame, the metal pieces become fused to the substrate. No added solder is required.

[@warmwomyn]

Thank you SO MUCH! Informative, exactly what i wanted to learn, easy to understand and oh so satisfying! Very grateful and appreciative! 💕💖💕

[@carianin5293]

Yes, this is a great video. Very useful info.

[@ehsankhalili6761]

thank you from Iran, useful video and I enjoyed watching it.

[@RioGrande1944]

Thank you for watching! We appreciate the support!

[@101mosioatunya]

A top video! Thanks very much. I shall watch it again and have saved it.

[@grottoserpentina9342]

Wonderful demonstration. You have a very lovely voice.

[@karie9890]

There isn't much o this subject on YT. So very glad you shared how this is done!! Thank you! ❤❤🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@RioGrande1944]

You are welcome! Thank you for the comment!

[@karie9890]

@@RioGrande1944 Hi again! Where did Jeanette get her plastic tea strainer? 🤔😊

[@user-tx3op9qv1r]

The best! Thank you!

[@BornAgainFarmGirl]

Thank you , so helpful !

[@Missgpie]

This was very good. I would like to see this using a back plate of silver and fusing the gold granules onto it.

[@rosarioelenna]

Omgg it help me a lot!!!! Thank you so much for sharing and for youre nice explanation ❣❣❣

[@RioGrande1944]

Rosario Palma Donoso, thank you so much for watching!

[@goldsmith_richardwu9891]

Nice! Thank you

[@indira3]

Absolutely brilliant (if I can say 😁) 💜🙏💜

[@dsuleyma]

Nice video. thanks

[@melanatedmoms5161]

So satisfying and I don't even make jewelry, but this makes me want to.

[@rolandryder5811]

i know Im asking randomly but does anyone know of a tool to get back into an Instagram account?? I was stupid forgot my login password. I would appreciate any help you can give me.

[@remybrandon6522]

@Roland Ryder Instablaster ;)

[@rolandryder5811]

@Remy Brandon Thanks for your reply. I got to the site on google and im waiting for the hacking stuff atm. Takes a while so I will reply here later with my results.

[@rolandryder5811]

@Remy Brandon it worked and I actually got access to my account again. I am so happy:D Thanks so much you saved my ass!

[@remybrandon6522]

@Roland Ryder Glad I could help =)

[@MeeMaw1971]

This is magical. ❤

[@goose6917]

Thank you.

[@DavidFriedman1]

Cellini says that you stop heating it when the skin of the gold moves. I'm working with fine silver and not nearly as accomplished as the lady here, using Cellini's formula, which includes verdigris, copper oxide, along with borax as a flux, rather than the modern technique of copper plating. The video was still very informative.

[@KayGasnerKGDESIGNS]

Brilliant!! Thank you for sharing ;-)

[@RioGrande1944]

You are most welcome! We are glad you liked it.

[@ceeceeceecee7753]

Thanks 😂😅😆for sharing. Oh God, what would I do without you?😌🥰😁😚😅😅😅😂🤣🤣😆😆👏👏👏🤗🤗🤗⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💎💎💎💎💎 I love your videos . Detailed and to the point.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💎💎💎💎💎😌🥰👏👏👏🤗🤗🤗

[@sillystephys7123]

I didn’t know I needed to watch this

[@jahoeffner]

Thank you for the wonderful tutorial. I'm afraid to experiment with gold yet, but I am working on fusing fine silver granules to sterling, using saliva as the holding agent. So far so good, except it is do easy to overheat. I have not been copper plating the granules, if I did would that give a tiny bit more time before everything melted.

[@RioGrande1944]

You're very welcome-we're glad it was helpful. Keep on practicing!

[@goolyweis]

Thank you for the video- very informative!! I would like to know if it's going to work also with acid citrique. This is what I use to pickle my work.

[@dominikraphaelpascallinden4905]

Never better said: it will make u very sad. True, i can sing a song of that. Thanks for sharing.

[@g.m.5412]

I am loving all these videos with Jeanette! My balls stick to my soldering surface (with and without flux) ....what's Jeanette's trick to not having this happen? Im using brass and copper currently...

[@MONAHOLABOLA]

Thanks Rio Grande for having Jeanette . I dream on taking a course in her studio!! Question: if it´s silver, should I also do copper plating on the granules?

[@JewelryArts]

Can't wait to meet you, then! No. With silver the copper plating is unnecessary.

[@josefeidler]

Hi Jeanette. Can I use Clear Fire (used in enameling) as a glue? Nice video, Thanks.

[@victortsykunov]

Bur helps! For any granules on any surface. Flux hold as well no dirty glue please

[@sandygavard1525]

Could you please tell me where you got the plastic strainer? I've been looking online but haven't seen that one. Thank you for the wonderful video.

[@paris635]

hello!What's the liquid for cooper plate ?and what is the glue you use?

[@rogerdesousa1451]

Recently subscribed, amazing informative videos. Question, what are the gasses used, oxy/propane? Also, do you have a video on different torches and gas combinations? Thank you

[@RioGrande1944]

Hi Roger, Welcome to the channel! So glad that you're finding the videos helpful. We have a play list on torches and soldering. She is using oxgen and propane.

[@cristinaradu5480]

Hello - I am seeking info on the brand/source of the plastic strainer you are using. I am unable to find one that is entirely plastic, so I end up chasing little balls in my pickle pot...not very efficient! And the fact that yours snaps close - that's quite amazing! Thanks!

[@RioGrande1944]

Hi Cristina, We recommend taking a look at the "Tops Perma Brew Tea Bag Infuser" - it appears to be the same as the one Jeanette is using in this video. Hope this helps!

[@barbaradeneke2909]

This is really great, full of detailed on point information. I have a question based on the comments below. If you make fine silver granules and want to fuze them onto a silver sheet, would it be good to use argentium as the back plate and fine silver for the granules or do you really need to avoid mixing the alloys?? TIA

[@RioGrande1944]

Hi Barbara - Mixing alloys isn’t a problem but it does depend on which alloys you’re using. Fusing fine silver to argentium or fine silver to fine silver is perfectly fine; however, if you’re going to fuse fine silver or argentium to sterling, the sterling would need to be depleted first before fusing. We hope this is helpful!

[@huskyfluffy]

Oh I wish we could have seen the finished piece.

[@RioGrande1944]

Hi there! In this instance, the result of the tutorial wasn't a finished piece. However, Jeanette's work is beautiful, and she shares her talents with students. You can learn more and see some of the work here: jewelryarts.com/ - We hope you enjoy it; thanks for watching.

[@chrisweston3072]

I was wondering who makes the shear she used to cut gold sheet. It looks like a really good one....

[@eviecld]

Fumasi shears. Rio Grande sells them.

[@goolyweis]

The water that you add to the granules once you placed them on the base metal, is distilled water? I read on Oppi Untracts book that it has to be distilled water. Thank you.

[@hemidart7]

what is the black block that you are working on ? is it graphite ? looks coarse

[@sharonroncone5237]

Fantastic video, covers so many questions no one else addresses and adds lots of helpful hints. Questions: 1) Do I understand correctly from comments below that sterling does not work for making smooth granules? (good to know) 2) if you can do smooth sterling granules and you are doing sterling granules on a sterling back plate, do you depletion guild the backplate? 3) What temp would you have your kiln at for all sterling granulation? What temp for all fine silver? 4) If you did fine silver granules on sterling, (or vice versa) I assume you don't need to copper plate????

[@RioGrande1944]

Hi Sharon, Thanks for your questions. We talked to our Jewelry Tech Team; here's what they said: 1) Sterling is not ideal and will not work for granulation. The results are generally very poor. 2) Making smooth granules out of sterling is very hard to do. It can be done, but isn't recommended. We suggest fine silver granules. When using a sterling back plate, yes, it is necessary to deplete the copper out of the surface of the sheet. 3) Bring the temp of the material to the minimum liquidous point of the metal being granulated. Since most granulation is done with a torch and watched very carefully throughout the process, we cannot recommend a kiln temp. 4) To help form a eutectic alloy some form of copper on the granules is necessary. There are many ways to do this. Here is more info on granulation you might enjoy www.ganoksin.com/article/goldsmithing-granulation-technique/ There is a reason sterling silver granulation pieces very often. Most we do see have been cast or in some cases coined, or are actually Argentium which is much easier to granulate. Granulation is a fickle process in sterling. We hope this information is helpful!

[@JacquelineA-tt9rw]

What are your thoughts on Blue Fuse?

[@loralora7597]

I did not understand what gold wire you used for this? What gauge? Thanks

[@tengribows5533]

Hi, best video about granulation on YT. My question is about copper plating. What kind of pickle do you use for copper plating? I clean metal with Sulfuric acid or citric acid, is it possible to use it also? Is also possible use blue vitriol?

[@RioGrande1944]

Yes, used pickle will look greenish because it has copper dissolved in it. That should work fine.

[@questionanswer4]

Is Titebond or Old Brown Glue the right kind of hide glue to use? I see those on Amazon but haven’t looked at a hardware store yet.

[@JewelryArts]

It doesn't matter, just that it is hide glue. :)

[@janicechevaillier3744]

Is there an alternative method if you don't have a kiln to fuse the granules?

[@aleksdetochin4045]

hello! and how to buy such an oven?

[@dulcesouza5837]

O dinheiro vai para o bolso de quem !

[@fatimaferreira8251]

I thank you very much for such helpful and clear instructional video. I love it and I have seen it three times now. I think I will experiment to use gold with this beautiful technique. My question is... if will it be possible to avoid the kiln use to heat and burn the glue. Is it possible to do the same just using only the torch ? can you give me any advice or tip for that ? I have a different enameling kiln, but I can't imagine using my torch inside it... I really would appreciate your advice. And a big thank you from Portugal.

[@RioGrande1944]

You can do granulation only with a torch and not use one of the small kilns. The kiln helps to heat a little more evenly but you should be able to heat evenly with just a torch. This is done all the time and should not be an issue.

[@fatimaferreira8251]

@@RioGrande1944 Thank you so much !

[@RioGrande1944]

@@fatimaferreira8251 You are welcome!

[@TonyaDavidson]

If you are copper plating your granules anyway why are you pickling them before plating them (with the gold)? I understand doing this process with sterling balls. What is your preferred liquid flux that you are adding to the glue/water mixture for curved surfaces?

[@JewelryArts]

Copper is bit different than copper oxide, which is what is getting pickled off. I haven't noticed any difference in using any of the common liquid fluxes.

[@BlueLineofthesky]

Love this video. I do have a question. When I make sterling silver granules I do it in the same way but those little balls start to wrinkle and get very ugly with dimples and holes after they start to cool. Why is that? Why the surface of the metal is not nice as yours? I am using a propane torch (EZ Torch) and a charcoal block like yours. Thank you.

[@BlueLineofthesky]

Eunice Rappaport thank you. I have fine silver. I will try .

[@RioGrande1944]

Hello There! Thanks for your question. We asked our Jewelry Tech Team about this, and they had some great insight to share. "Timing is crucial when heating granules. If heated too long they will have a pitted or wrinkled effect. Because the metal is so small it heats up very fast making it easy to overheat. We recommend bringing the torch back a bit in order to heat them more slowly. The second they ball up, remove the torch. We hope this is helpful!"

[@BlueLineofthesky]

I love you people. :) Thank you so much Jeanette for your effort to help me out. From Rio I bought my first tools and materials. Your videos and Mark Nelson...my first teachers :)

[@JewelryArts]

I know you have received a few answers but here goes: Sterling granules can't be fused and they will never look as smooth as 22k or fine silver. A quick heating helps but it is the nature of the copper in the alloy that makes it react that way. Fine silver, Argentium or 22k is the metal to choose for granules.

[@BlueLineofthesky]

Thank you very much for your reply. I really appreciate this. I will try Argentium and fine silver. I was always interested on how Balinese manage to work with so many granules but because of the classic sterling silver I have I never managed to make nice balls. Each time I heat the ball looks nice but when I let it cool is like it starts to collapse in itself. Looks very ugly, like Moon surface. I will change the material to Argentium. Thank you!

[@PAPATONMOY]

What glue did you use? Name please. I have a factory to make 21 karat jewellery.

[@robhowe8353]

What about the ionized iron and salt glue some guys make and use? Does anyone use it, or make it here?

[@RioGrande1944]

Hi Rob, Thanks for asking. There are many ways to do granulation. While Rio doesn't currently carry the glue mixture you mention, we do recommend the method Jeanette shares in this video. Our Jewelry Tech Team has offered that in their experience, the glue mixes can dry out and are a little more difficult to use than the technique shared here. Thanks again for watching!

[@karlopopovic810]

Very helpful tutorial! I just have one kinda off topic question. What would it take (or would it actually be possible) to fuze bronze granules on a bronze plate? Or even pure copper just for a challenge? How difficult would it be to avoid all of the oxydation issues?

[@danilonunez8837]

Quiero a prender

[@arelgr9407]

at 4:10 and 6:45 minutes, before spheronization why not use borax flux overlay ?

[@luthertju]

hello, i have hide glue with me but the glue wont dissolve with the water, any tips?

[@RioGrande1944]

Hi Luther - It’s not going to be completely dissolve in the water - it will only be suspended in the water. The water acts as a carrier for the glue. Hope this answers your question!

[@TheSadieray]

What gauge is the wire you are using?

[@RioGrande1944]

Thanks for the question, Sadie! There is not a set size to use-if you are using thicker wire, it makes larger granules, whereas thinner wire makes smaller granules. For these, she is most likely using around a 26 gauge. It might be useful to experiment with different gauges to get just the right size for your project though. Hope this helps!

[@juliepallone9976]

I’m using butane gas and 9ct rolled gold but it won’t roll up into balls, just stays flat .. what am I doing wrong ?

[@RioGrande1944]

Hi Julie, for granulation you'll need to use a higher karat of gold. Jeanette is using 22 karat.

[@michelemichaelsen2643]

I noticed this was 22k in the video. Will 14k or 18k still make nice round balls?

[@LeslieKailVillarreal]

18k will i know a master who does all his granulation in 18k

[@michelemichaelsen2643]

@@LeslieKailVillarreal thanks!

[@RioGrande1944]

Great question, Michele. If done properly, you can get balls close to these. Due to the increased amount of copper in 14k and 18k alloys, the metal tends to oxidize during the melt and this will hinder the formation of nice clean balls like you get with 22k gold; however, this is not to say that it cannot be done. We recommend using a charcoal block and a reducing flame and dip the rings in flux before melting.

[@njdougie]

what brand are your shears? I'm not sure what I should buy

[@RioGrande1944]

Hi Nisha, The shears used in this video are the Fumasi shears, you can see them here: ow.ly/E3x730ky7Pt Hope this helps.

[@njdougie]

Rio Grande thank you

[@user-tp7qe4sp8m]

لطفا مواد واسیدها توی این کارو بمن بگین❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@Streamcatcher]

Nice, but why not add glue to your water from the very beginning? Hint: you can also drink less coffee 😊

[@Larry21924]

Absolutely phenomenal! This content is amazing. I encountered something similar, and it was mind-boggling. "The Art of Meaningful Relationships in the 21st Century" by Leo Flint

[@armanth7865]

Very good but you talk too much

[@rockingship1238]

There are public facilities that produce these things so you don’t actually need these things they offer

[@kristiecsu]

What materials is she using for the balls and the backplate?