[Jewelry making - Article 00117] - Re: [Orchid] Cutting bezels easy way

[James Binnion]

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>     Now I'm making the bracelet I mentioned in the "reversible clasp"
>     thread, constructing a series of 1" x 1" links-- 22g sterling
>     backing with 3mm x.75mm bezel. I soldered the first two or three
>     just fine with the butane torch. Then, on the next one, the solder
>     began to flow, then just stopped. More flux didn't help. Nothing I
>     could think of to do with that butane torch would budge the solder
>     any further. I turned on my Meco Midget, and, boy, what a relief!
>     Even the smallest tip puts out more heat than the butane. 

    When soldering you need to remember that there is a melting range
    (solidus to liquidus) for the solder. If you cannot quickly raise
    the heat of the area where the solder is sitting to above the flow
    point (liquidus) for the solder you will experience a phenomena
    called liquation. When this occurs the lower melting phases of the
    solder flow away from the bulk of the solder and leave behind a
    "skull". The skull is composed of the higher melting phases of the
    solder and will require greater temperature to melt and flow than the
    stated flow temperature of the solder. This can cause great grief in
    multiple temperature grade soldering jobs. Your butane torch does not
    have enough heat output (BTU's) to raise the area to be soldered to
    above the flow point in a rapid enough manner and the result is
    liquation and skull formation. This is one reason why it is better to
    apply the solder to a pre heated joint with a pick as it will flow
    instantly if the joint is at the correct temperature and it doesn't
    need to sit on the joint as the piece is raised to soldering
    temperature. 

    BTW Liquation is also one aspect of solder behavior that leads to
    the myth of "solder alloy content being burned out by the soldering
    process and there by raising the apparent hardness of the solder" 

Regards,

Jim

James Binnion
jbin AT mokume-gane.com
James Binnion Metal Arts
http://www.mokume-gane.com
360-756-6550
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