Some customers are surprised to learn that we sell casting grains here at MGS. Unfortunately, we don’t sell any master alloys at this time. So what’s the difference between the two?
Pure gold casting grain is purified samples of precious metal that come in small granules – so you can use as little or as much as you need, depending on what you’re making. We sell three kinds of casting grains: gold, silver, and platinum. Meanwhile, master alloys are made up of more common metals like copper, nickel, zinc, etc. You might recognize these types of metals as the impurities most commonly alloyed with precious metals.
By combining casting grains with a precise amount of certain master alloys, you can create precious metal alloys that have whatever characteristics you need – like scratch resistance, tarnish resistance, or color. It’s possible to buy casting grains that are already alloyed, which can be very convenient depending on your needs and smelting capabilities. However, some jewelers and machinists prefer to buy their casting grains and master alloys separately to maximize the flexibility of their inventory. For example, instead of being stuck with X ounces of premixed white-gold casting grains, you could buy pure gold casting grain and a white colored master alloy – then you’d have the flexibility to create either gold items or white-gold items.
The platinum casting grain we stock is premixed with ruthenium. This is ready to use and is the most common combination used for making 95% platinum.
For more information about our casting grains or other products, please visit our storefront or contact us.
