[Jewelry making - Article 00094] - Re: [Orchid] Paste solder tips

[Bethkatz]

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Stephen,

    Your idea of using the whole syringe of solder is a good one, if the
    binder  is the type that will dry out.  That type of drying formula
    has been around  for years and is what gives paste solder a bad
    "taste" for some people. There are organic binders that do not dry
    out even when left out on the  bench... no need to put it in a
    plastic bag or to use it all at the same time.  This is the same for
    silver or gold pastes.  I have been running several  experiments
    over the years with my organic binder paste solder. I have one 
    small jar of silver paste solder and a few syringes of silver paste
    and two of  gold sitting to the side of my bench for over 5 years. 
    They have  never dried out. There will be no need to scrape them out
    or to add other  materials to make them work.  I use these test
    items every so often to make  sure they are still viable. So far, so
    good.  I think that is a darn good  shelf life for silver and gold
    paste solder.  They are working as well as  they day they were first
    put into service.  I do nothing special to  these syringes (or jar)
    except to leave them out of direct heat. They are just  sitting on
    the side, no special treatment or special storage.  All the 
    syringes have either the needle attached or just with an open end
    and no needle.  The small jar is just closed and nothing special has
    been done to keep out the  air. I will truly be disappointed when 
    they finally run out.  I am  planning to use them just twice a year
    as a test so they will be on my  bench for years to come.  

    Alysia, As for why the paste will not work... there are several 
    theories.  One, heat got to the needle and the paste froze in the
    chamber  not allowing the paste to be extruded through the needle.
    You can ream out  with a thin wire and try again or just replace
    with a new needle. Another  is that the size of the needle is just
    too small a diameter (gauge) to have the  paste pushed through it if
    the mesh (size of the particles) is too large for the  opening
    provided. Just two ideas.  I am sure there are many more.   Send me
    email off list and I will send a sample (to Alysia) of the organic 
    binder silver solder paste. 

Beth Katz, Unique Solutions, Inc.
http://www.myuniquesolutios.com
Paste (non-drying) and Powder Solder for Jewelers and  Metalsmiths.

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