[Jewelry making - Article 00782] - Re: [Orchid] Repair of pot metal jewelry

[Bill Churlik]

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Just to add my comments to the "pot". Couldn't resist.

    I have routinely repaired plated costume jewelry, made of pewter and
    plated with whatever. I found that Tix solder let me get a good
    joint that is strong. I have even been able to work very close to
    the Rhinestones and not damage them. That is more luck than skill.
    Tix melts around 280 degrees. I found the Micro tips on the Hoke
    torch is usually more effective than a soldering iron. 

    That material I am most familiar with that is called "Pot metal"
    seems to be a zinc based material. It is usually die cast. I had to
    deal with this nasty stuff when working on old phonograph and player
    piano parts. This material seems to corrode/break down on its own
    under the plating. The only way I found that really worked was to
    clean the fractures and copper plate each side. Then I could get a
    good solder with Tix or the other low temp solders. 

    The copper plating idea came from an old machinist shop hints book. 

Bill Churlik
www.earthspeakarts.com
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