[Jewelry making - Article 00519] - Re: [Orchid] Any tricks to hiding platinum seams?

[daniel spirer]

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    Now this discussion has revealed a tremendous amount about the
    participants in Orchid. A number of the old timers have said the
    ONLY way to close a seam without it showing is to fuse it. Some of
    the people have responded by saying use a higher melting solder. Some
    have said you have to use a laser. And some of us have pointed out
    how there is now plumb platinum solders that do the job. While none
    of these answers are inacurate, all of them are partially right
    (including my own suggestion to use plumb solder). Sure enough if
    you fuse the seam with platinum you won't see a seam when you're
    done, but it's more difficult and definitely more risky when working
    on jewelry you didn't make (plus it's just plain harder to do). Using
    a higher melting solder (the 1000 solder guarantees you will see a
    seam so I don't understand why anyone would use it for somthing like
    this) will help, but won't necessarily entirely resolve the problem
    (I've used 15-1700 solders and still had seam issues). Using the
    plumb solders is definitely better than any of the other answers
    (it's easier and it doesn't leave a seam) but it's not the only
    possibility. Using a laser is also a possibility but only available
    to those who have the money to invest in the machine or who want to
    send their work out so while it's a good solution, it also isn't the
    only possibility. So, many of us have answered the question, but the
    questioner is still going to have to make a decision. Which option
    is best for him? There often is no simple answer. Fuse it, plumb
    solder it, laser it??? Ultimately it's all up to the individual and
    depends on the individual job. That's what I love about this trade.
    There is no ONE answer about how to do anything. So each individual
    has to make a judgement call and take a chance. What's life like
    without a little risk in it? 

Daniel R. Spirer, G.G.
Daniel R. Spirer Jewelers, LLC
1780 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambrige, MA 02140
617-234-4392
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