[Jewelry making - Article 00094] - Re: [Orchid] Bezel Melting Problems

[Peter W . Rowe]

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>      Anyone have any suggestions for tomorrow's attempts? 

    As you've probably already surmised, you're getting the bezels too
    hot, whilst the base doesn't get hot enough.  That's the big problem
    with heating from the top, since the bezel is a lot lighter than the
    base, AND the base is getting heat from just one side.  Plus, with a
    small flame like the little torch, heating both parts gets even
    trickier. 

    The mesh can work.  But a method I like a little better is to put a
    few nails or cotter pins (which are nicer since they don't roll once
    you've spread the legs apart a bit) on a charcoal block and put your
    base sheet on those.  That creates an air space between the block and
    the sheet, which does two things.  First, it reduces the heat sink
    effect of the block, so it's easier to get the base sheet hot.  And,
    in heating you direct the flame at the lower edge of the base sheet,
    towards that air space.  The flame gasses thus travel easily under
    the base sheet, heating from below.  In practice, you're flame is
    still coming from the top.  You're moving the torch fairly rapidly,
    perhaps in a circular motion, over most of the base sheet, around but
    not directly at the bezel itself, but also outside the edges of the
    base sheet at the block just next to it's edge. That's when the flame
    gets to spread under the sheet.  By balancing how much of the time is
    spent heating from below in this manner, with how much time is spent
    heating the top and bezel, you'll have better control with heating
    both parts evenly. 

    You might also try  reducing the ambient lighting, so the
    temperatures might be easier to judge.  Silver does glow before it
    melts.  Also, have enough flux on the base sheet,so that there are at
    least some areas where a bit of flux is heated just by the base, not
    the joint between the base and bezel.  the melting flux is also a
    temperature indicator, so if that area of flux isn't molten, but the
    flux next to the bezel is, then you know your heat isn't even. 

Hope that helps.
Peter


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