[Jewelry making - Article 00179] - Re: [Orchid] Tips on soldering gold

[David Keeling]

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    Hi Dale, You didn't say how large the pieces are, so I must assume
    that they are relatively small. 

    There are a lot of variables, but you are right about
    contaminants....the joints must be clean, free of filings and any
    sort of dust. A boric acid/alcohol dip is necessary to prevent
    oxidation from forming.The joints must be gap-free. You need to use
    flux, but not gobs of it, just enough to keep the joint clean while
    heating. You might practice on something which belongs to you, not
    some expensive ring. 

    Bring the whole piece up to flow temperature but don't heat the
    solder. It should flow when the piece is hot enough. It might be
    helpful to attempt to join some small pieces together,
    sweat-soldering the joints and observing the changes as the metal
    heats, and the appearance of the surfaces and flux becomes sort of
    glassy looking. You may be using a torch tip which is too small for
    the work that you are attempting. My apprentices have been taught to
    think of the torch as a spray paint unit, and to paint the whole
    piece with heat until it reaches soldering temperature. The fastest
    results are achieved this way, and the longer the piece is hot, the
    more difficult it is to get the solder to flow, as oxides form
    relatively quickly in spite of your preventative efforts. A larger
    tip, spraying heat over a larger area, will help you to get to the
    proper temperature more quickly. Hope this helps. 

David Keeling
www.davidkeelingjewellery.com



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