Jewelry making torches and sodering equipment

I would like to know what kind of torch and equipment I would need
to make and repair small jewelry, resize rings and work with silver
wire, and gold repair also, my clients mostly want rings resized,
and specialty pieces made out of broken parts of antique jewelry, I
want to offer more options to my customers, any help would be
appreciated, prices of equipment ect.

Note From Ganoksin Staff:
Looking for a jeweler’s torch for your jewelry projects? We recommend:

In my thoughts the mini touch is the best all around touch for
making jewelry. been using them for over 40 years now…

Panama Bay Jewelers

Your work pattern is very similar to mine - I use all the precious
metals for jewellery, but seldom do silver work (ie. jugs, bowels,
dishes, etc). I started off with a propane/air torch with different
sized tips - mine was made by Sievert. As I started to do more
repairs I found I needed a smaller, hotter, flame, so I purchased a
Micro-Flame (in USA I think its the Little Torch). This uses two
bottles: propane and oxygen, and can produce a tiny, intensely hot
flame. Despite it being difficult to light at times, it was perfect
for repairs (such as re-tipping claws) and manufacture, but it had a
serious disadvantage - getting the oxygen bottle refilled became a
nightmare.

Eventually I purchased a water torch. This enables me to do nearly
all of my work - I still use the Sievert, but it has become my second
torch of choice. The Micro-Flame still gets used for Platinum (the
water torch would do it by changing the booster fluid - which is
tedious), but I use the water torch for nearly everything else.

Prices. The Sievert, with different tips, about e200.

Micro-Flame, complete with bottles and tips, about e300
Water torch, complete, about e1000.

One other thing I use a lot, is a PUK welder, at around e2800.

IHTH
Gary

If you upgrade the mini torch with Paige tips, it is much much
better.

Steve Wandt

I have started using the Paige tips on my Meco Midget torch and I
love them. My flame remains stable and consequently I’m more
confident in my soldering/fusing abilities.

Vicki

Does someone have a link for the Paige tips?

Would someone be so kind as to answer a novice question: I’ve seen
the “EZ Torch” promoted, which is propane/air for refillable tanks,
with tips.

My question is, will this get hot enough, and with the right tip
allow me to get a small, hot flame suitable for “pinning”? I. e.,
create balls on both ends of silver wire but very close to the piece
and each other, even near gemstones in certain designs.

I know this can be done without using a pulse arc welder, though
that’s safer if you’re pinning near etc. But I’ve read
methods on protecting them from the heat of a torch just long enough
to get in, ball up, and get out quickly enough. I’ve seen videos and
read articles on how - but I am so used to using a smaller butane
torch that I don’t think will get hot enough to do what I’m
describing,

Personally, I don’t do enough soldering to really warrant the
investment in a big setup, I’m a small time, home based,
self-teaching amateur. It’s not so much the money (though who
doesn’t want to save as much as possible?), as it is the maintenance
and time - I’d rarely have the need to use a oxy/acetyl or
oxy/propance set up, since most of my work is at a low enough temp to
use the micro torch with great ease.

Also, since I am handicapped, the least maintenance possible and
most time-saving option would be best. Any ideas or suggestions?

Smith Little Torch Jeweler’s Torch Outfit 23-1014.

If you get this one you can use small propane and oxygen bottles
(camp stove size). And take it anywhere. You might want to get 2 grs
third hand stands and a soldering pad and pick.

One word of wisdom. A lot of antique jewelery is not g gold or able
to be soldered. Check stamps carefully.

SD

One of my teachers uses a propane plumbing torch that you can get
inexpensively at any hardware store. He is quite effective with it.

Paige ventilated tips are available at paigetools.com. The site has
good on how tips and fuels work. I like his tips and use
them exclusively with my Meco Midget.

Judy Hoch G. G.

http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/paigetools

Great tips. If I can offer a few observations though.Smallest tip
m-1 is a larger flame than some I’ve made both setting a watch jewel
in a standard tip or even welding a hypodermic needle to the end of
a standard tip. I no longer have need of these small sizes as I have
a laser but someone using the torch for very fine detail would find
the m-1 too large and hot.You don’t need all the tips. I purchased
all sizes (tool junkieitis) and found the m-1 and m-3 cover 99 % 0f
my torch work.The rosebud tips are BIG. Maybe for larger melts but
not general soldering.The tips heat up allot due to their larger
mass.Old torch could run a half hour easy with both gas and O2
flame. Try ten minutes with a Paige tip and even the torch handle
gets hot I have to leave gas only on and even then the torch tip
will heat up. Otherwise as others have stated, great tips very clean
and even flame Gary

My question is, will this get hot enough, and with the right tip
allow me to get a small, hot flame suitable for "pinning"? I. e.,
create balls on both ends of silver wire but very close to the
piece and each other, even near gemstones in certain designs. 

I’m not bad at soldering, but I don’t think it is possible to ball
up wire next to any but a very few stones without damage, at least if
you are not using gold.

If I were going to try it, I would want to be using a good torch
such as a Meco Midget, Hoke, or Little Torch, with oxy and propane or
acetylene, because you have to have a tiny, very hot flame to stand
any chance at all.

I am pretty sure many/most of the things one sees that look as
though they were done that way have the bead glued on a wire, with
another balled wire glued in from the other side. The giveaway would
be to check whether the bead can rotate on its wire.

I’ve read tricks for doing this, and burnt a lot of perfectly nice
pearls trying-- although that was a number of years ago.

Seriously, anyone, can you really do this in silver or base metal?

Noel

In addition, another one uses a creme Brule torch.

Chris Anderson
KC9UVB

Good points, Noel. I’d thought the same, but saw some work and had
to ask the artist how she’d done it, and emailed her. I was told that
I needed to get a hot, tight flame, then get in and out quick. She’d
also made a super quick video as I was only one among many,
apparently. Here’s the link: Redirecting...

Cheers,
Becky

I’ve done it only in gold. I’ve had great success with a water torch.
Even done it next to pearls. I’m betting a laser would be the best
though.

Have fun and make lots of jewelry.

Have a great and thankful Thanksgiving and please pass the gravy.

Jo Haemer
timothywgreen.com

Becky, Thanks for sending the video on making “pins.” Good technique
to know, and I am eager to try it. I usually ball the ends using
fine silver, but have never worked as close to my stones as the
artist inthe video.

I notice that she uses an Acetylene torch which is what I prefer. My
favorite torch is the Prestolite, no need for oxygen, as it isair
intake. It comes with 5 tips, and I use the huge one for melting
metal whenI am casting, and one of the two little ones for delicate
work. Another good torch is the Smith silversmith, which has the
advantage of pop in, pop out torch tips, but I found it hard to hold
and when I was doing extended work and went back to my faithful old
Prestolite which is easier to work with.

One of the advantages of Acetylene over Propane is that it safer to
have anacetylene tank in the house than to have propane. I have the
acetylene B tank. and anchor it safely so that it does not tip over.
Alma

Thanks for the video link, Becky! I guess I’ll have to back off. By
the way, that is a Little torch, for anyone who isn’t familiar with
it-- the angle makes it look big but it’s tiny, and uses
oxy-acetylene, very VERY hot in a teensy flame.

Noel

Noel, thanks for pointing out that the torch being used in the video
is theLittle Torch. I have the Smith Little Torch, but haven’t been
using it. I have been using my Prestolite almost exclusively. You
are right that the combination of Propane and Oxy. makes a real
difference. Mine uses the small disposable canisters of Propane, and
a larger, one for the Oxy. I will give it a try.

Alma

Generally, I notice the main discussion is about acetylene and
propane as the fuel, but wouldn’t MAPP gas get hot enough? Is it not
for jewelry making as such, or is it a price issue instead?

I’m just curious as to why it’s not really mentioned. :slight_smile:

Cheers,
Becky

Back again Noel. I just looked at the video again, and in the
commentary at the bottom of it, Maggie says she uses Acetylene. I
agree with you, it sure looks like the Little torch. I thought they
all used propane and oxy. Can it be another brand of torch? Alma