[Jewelry making - Article 00065] - [Orchid] Hard soldering sterling silver

[Wldlzrd]

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Hello Everyone,

    Thank you very much for all your advise re: my soldering question! 

    I just have one question which might make me a bit clearer on the 
    subject. 

    Initially, I was using a 1.5" to 2" inch flame (little torch 
    propane/oxy) to try to solder 2 small pieces together, with no
    success. (5mm by 20mm, and a strip of 2x1mm rect wire on top) 

    One of the suggestions was that I was not getting my piece hot
    enough, and  that I needed a bigger flame.)  I adjusted my flame to
    be 4"-5" inches long  (trying to get a bigger, softer flame), and
    this seems to be working  better.... 

    Also, to use a solderite board, instead of a charcoal block. 

    Also, to use firecoat in addition to paste flux, which seems to be 
    helping 

    So, my question is: 

    When I was using the smaller flame, my piece would get glowing red,
    and the  surface would sometimes shimmer like liquid.......so, if my
    smaller flame was  getting the metal hot enough to melt (the
    surface, at least), why was it not hot  enough to flow the solder
    thru the join?  The solder did flow, but only  around the join, not
    thru it (between the 2 pieces)..... 

    I was wondering if it was because the smaller flame put the hot blue
     cone nearer to the metal, so that the surface got intensely hot,
    but the  whole metal mass did not?......I was just trying to think
    it thru to understand  what was happening......I am trying to
    improve my skill at thinking things thru  to figure out
    situations....it is a constant challenge!  

    I was also wondering if maybe the firecoat helped to keep  oxidation
    away from between the 2 pieces.......but why did'nt the flux do 
    that?.....(I am still trying to figure out why it appears that there
    is flux  residue between the 2 pieces..... 

    Just wondering about it all...... 

Thank you, 
Julie

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