[Jewelry making - Article 00135] - Re: [Orchid] Superglue and soldering

[Kate Wolf]

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>     I had read somewhere that you can use superglue to hold pieces
>     together prior to soldering and that the glue burns off to allow
>     the solder to flow... Anyone tried this? 

    Hi Todd, this is pulled from my post on the Orchid Archives May 18,
    200. I rewrote it a bit for clarity. 

    After the ring and head are cast, clean up the castings and make
    sure the setting fits well to the ring (with the heated head
    technique it should fit perfectly). Then crazy glue the setting to
    the ring. Use GOOD VENTILATION when using cyanoacrylate glues! I
    talked with a technical expert at Loctite99 a manufacturer of
    cyanoacrylate glues- he says that these glues are by far the most
    toxic when wet! 

    Pack a small amount of Heat Shield Compound (I use Heat Shielding
    Compound R-SO-FH6 from Small Parts Inc. 1(800)220-4242- Do not use
    this on platinum, the minerals in it will contaminate platinum! )
    around the top of the head and ring (not a lot, just enough to
    support the ring and the head). Then flux up the inside of the
    ring/head. With GOOD VENTILATION and a mini torch heat up the seam,
    when the flux flows, put a chip of fluxed solder on the seam and it
    flows beautifully. Crazy glue acts as a flux- works like a dream.
    When the ring cools, dip in water, the heat shield compound washes
    right off, now you can pickle and polish. 

    You may notice I said to use GOOD VENTILATION. Good ventilation does
    NOT mean soldering with the window open somewhere in the studio. I use
    a very good exhaust system and am known to be fanatical about safety
    issues. 

    Yes, the crazy glue keeps the solder seam clean. I also use a bit of
    flux on the piece as well. The crazy glue burns out very cleanly (it
    fills in the slight gap between the pieces to be soldered and helps
    keep oxides from forming in this gap). When the flux flows it sucks
    into the seam where the crazy glue was. Keep in mind, you start out
    with clean metal, the crazy glue holds the pieces together so you can
    pack Heat Shield Compound or Place-it around the setting or prongs. 

    From Jewelry Concepts and Technology by Oppi Untracht Page 403 

          The word flux comes from the Latin fluxus, "flow", and the
          function of flux is to aid solder to flow. Flux is any
          substance, or combination of substances capable of promoting the
          fusion of metals joined by the use of heat and a solder or metal
          filler. "Flux is used in soldering mainly because the
          temperature necessary for solder to melt and flow causes
          unprotected metal surfaces to oxidize readily. If such oxides
          are allowed to be present during soldering, they will inhibit
          the flow of solder. By its presence, flux prevents the
          formation of oxides and dissolves or "fluxes" any oxides that
          may form.

    I was taught to fabricate cluster settings using clay or utility wax
    to temporarily hold the settings or prongs together and pour
    soldering investment on top, then clean out the clay or wax. before
    soldering. I found this to be less than accurate (you can't see the
    base of the settings to see if they are all level), dirty (you have
    to clean out the wax or clay), messy and time consuming. I no longer
    have to make a frame around the piece to pour the investment into,
    and I don't have to wait for the investment to set. 

    Here are some things I use crazy glue on. I had to solder 30
    jumprings at a 90 degree angle around a larger ring. I made a grooves
    with a burr where the jumprings are attached, glued them on at
    exactly 90 degrees all around, packed a small amount of heat shield
    compound supporting the big ring and smaller rings from the back, and
    fluxed and soldered. Perfect soldering job, quick and accurate. 

    To make an eternity ring: Put some parchment or tracing paper on a
    mandrel a tiny bit smaller than the finished size. Crazy glue the
    settings and cast leaves all around the mandrel. Slide the ring off.
    Pack Heat Shield Compound around the ring (also slide bits of old
    broken saw blades to act as re-bar into the heat shield compound
    around the ring). Burn or peel off the paper, flux and solder from
    the inside. 

    I use crazy glue (without the Heat Shield Compound) to sweat solder
    geometric pieces, (a square within a circle with an equilateral
    triangle when everything has to be lined up perfectly or it looks
    awful). I flow solder on the back of the square and triangle. Sand
    them flat, position them exactly where i want them to be, and put a
    drop of crazy glue on so it wicks in between the pieces. Flux and heat
    the piece until the solder flows. This works well for me. The crazy
    glue keeps the pieces from dancing around when moisture in the flux is
    heated up. 

I hope this helps!
Kate Wolf in Portland, Maine hosting wicked good workshops by the bay.
http://www.katewolfdesigns.com http://www.wolftools.biz

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