[Jewelry making - Article 00947] - Re: [Orchid] Retipping sterling prong

[coralnut]

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Janie,

    First, I'm assuming you want to actually add length to the prong,
    not just ad a new tip.  Correct? 

    Second, I hope you don't plan to do the soldering with the stone in
    the setting?  This may not be a good idea...depending on the kind of
    stone and its quality. 

    If my assumptions are correct, you will get a good exercise in free
    hand or off-hand soldering. 

    First, make the tip of the prong being repaired, perfectly flat. 
    Second, select a piece of round/ square/ half-round wire that will
    fit the shape of the prong being repaired.  It should be a couple of
    inches long. Third, do the Prip's flux thing, and then use Battern's
    or some other self-pickling flux on the tip of both pieces.  Now, you
    will 'presolder' the end of the piece of repair wire.  To do that,
    place a snippet of solder (I suggest hard if the piece will take
    it...if the prong is very thin, you might want to use medium or even
    easy but, hard will provide more strength) on your soldering block,
    hold the repair wire in tweezers and while heating the snippet with
    your torch, touch the tip of the wire to the solder.  It should
    stick to the wire.  Now continue to carefully raise the heat of the
    end of the wire until the solder first turns into a ball and then
    flows over the end.  Don't melt the end of the wire into a ball....or
    you will have to cut it off and start again. 

    Now, with the ring held in a third hand and the prong sticking up,
    begin playing your torch over the head.  As the prong being repaired
    begins to show dull red, bring the pre-soldered wire down and hold it
    against the prong being repaired.  Continue to heat both evenly until
    the solder flows...immediately remove the torch but continue to hold
    the piece in place for a couple of seconds till the solder sets. 
    Remove the tweezers and cut the prong to the proper length.  Proceed
    to shape and set your stone.\

    Cheers from Don at The Charles Belle Studio in SOFL where simple
    elegance IS fine jewelry! dcdietz AT comcast.net 


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