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 Post subject: how do you heat treat tiger eye to make it red?
PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 3:12 pm 
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Location: Wylie Texas but in Alaska for a while
In another thread someone mentioned that you can take gold tiger eye and make it red with a heat treatment. I have some gold that I would like to try it on. I have a computer controlled burn out furnace. Can anyone give me some guidelines on the ramps, temps and other parameters. (do I need a reducing or reactive atmosphere?)

Thanks.


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 Post subject: Re: how do you heat treat tiger eye to make it red?
PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 3:45 pm 
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 Post subject: Re: how do you heat treat tiger eye to make it red?
PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 4:09 pm 
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Location: Wylie Texas but in Alaska for a while
I will give that a try tonight..... :lol:

Can I expect the affect in the morning?


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 Post subject: Re: how do you heat treat tiger eye to make it red?
PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 7:18 pm 
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I believe it's similar to heating agates to turn yellow to red, and works by essentially the same mechanism. So probably around 200c in oxidizing conditions if I recall correctly. I've never tried it myself.

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 Post subject: Re: how do you heat treat tiger eye to make it red?
PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 9:44 pm 
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About 40 years ago I heated a golden tiger eye to red. I put it on my mom's range (the old coil type) and slowly raised the temperature until the stone turned red. As I recall I had roughed out the cab and then heated it. I’m not sure how deep the color runs.

Good luck,
Dan


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 Post subject: Re: how do you heat treat tiger eye to make it red?
PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 10:51 pm 
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I have not tried it, but was told (years ago) to bury it in sand and put it in the oven at around 400 degrees for a few hours. The sand was to help it warm up slowly.


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 Post subject: Re: how do you heat treat tiger eye to make it red?
PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 11:47 pm 
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Location: Wylie Texas but in Alaska for a while
It will be a few more months before I get back to dallas.

I will try some at 200 and if that is not enough, I will bump it up by 50 degrees.

I will cut a piece off of one I have and test it before I try a larger section.

I will try to remember to come back and update the thread.


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