[Jewelry making - Article 00967] - [Orchid] I must be getting too old for this

[Bruce Holmgrain]

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    Recently, I have noticed a lot of difficulty in sizing commercially
    made rings. These rings are not "cheap". They are of a relatively
    heavy nature, set with a healthy weight and quality of diamonds. 

    The difficulty comes when trying to solder them. They seem to form
    an invisible coating of oxides much as do stainless steel or
    aluminum. Solder flow is difficult. The metal has a large grain and
    the boundaries tend to separate thus requiring more solder which
    doesn't seem to flow. Lastly, these items appear to have been cast.
    More or cleaner flux has no effect. 

    I suspect that these rings were cast in some of the new "deox"
    alloys. 

    I don't have these problems with my own alloys. I have only noticed
    these problems in new commercially made goods only and I am rapidly
    becoming disgusted with the idea of continuing commerce as a trade
    shop. 

    Have any of you all had experience with this? 

Bruce D. Holmgrain
JA Certified Master Bench Jeweler
http://www.goldwerx.com



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