[Jewelry making - Article 00249] - Re: [Orchid] Soldering tube settings together

[Ian W. Wright]

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Hi Helen,

    The assay offices always take a sample of the solder used and for
    silver, whether of Sterling or Britannia standard, the solder must
    be at least 650 parts per thousand pure. Have you tried Manchester
    Minerals for your solder (and other things)? Their relevant web page
    is at http://tinyurl.com/3abp4e. 

    If you don't know much about hallmarking, perhaps this site will
    help http://tinyurl.com/34pu7u - it is the Birmingham Assay Office
    site which I guess is the nearest to you (we have our own in
    Sheffield). 

    I don't think there is really much difference between the UK and US
    solders, they are both basically silver/copper alloys with perhaps a
    few trace metals and the ratios will be similar to achieve the same
    melting temperatures for the various grades. The way you should
    silver solder is to flux your work well, raise its temperature as
    quickly as you can to a dull red so that it has little time to
    oxidise and then raise it a bit more slowly until the solder flashes
    through the joint. As soon as this happens you should remove the heat
    as further heating can burn the metal. One reason you may have
    trouble if you are building up a piece bit by bit is if solder from
    one joint remains on the surface at the point you are trying to
    attach another part. When solder melts onto silver it changes the
    surface chemistry and this may be having an adverse effect. The other
    thing that can cause a problem is if you heat the metal too hot
    before the solder flows - as in if you have two pieces of different
    size and you heat them both equally, by the time the larger part gets
    to temperature, the smaller one will be overheated and the flux will
    probably be burnt which effectively 'dirties' the surface so that the
    solder won't flow. You must organise your heating so that all the
    pieces come to soldering temperature at the same time. Where you have
    previously soldered joints, even if you have used the same solder as
    you intend to on the next joint, there is a little latitude because,
    as I mentioned before, the previously melted solder forms an alloy
    with the silver which has a slightly higher melting point than the
    new solder. It is, however, safer and better practice, to paint the
    previous joints with ochre, rouge or whatever, to protect them from
    the heat. I use white or yellow ochre artists water colour (the
    cheapest I can find) which is very convenient to apply direct from
    the tube. 

Best wishes,
Ian
Ian W. Wright
Sheffield UK
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