To all you laser welders,
I am having some eyeglass repairs come back for redo’s. The weld
seems to be coming apart and in many cases dosen’t seem to even be
as strong as soldering. I am building up the broken area with the
metal in question, but still seem to have returns. Can anyone out
there with some laser experience point me in the right direction.
Scott Isaacs
Berry’s Jewelry-Nashville
I don’t do laser work but I’m told argon gas is the secret. And also
I’d sue silver wire, 30 ga, as it will bend and twist with the person
always fidgeting with their glasses.
David Geller
laser welds intrinsically tend to be work hardened, and sometimes a
bit brittle, and this seems especially so with the non-precious
metals, or various white metals other than platinum. Also, watch
out, while welding for those thin spiderweb like lines appearing on
the surfaces of the weld spots. Those are cracks, which can easily
extend deeper, or may already extend through the weld, meaning the
weld will fail if they’re not corrected.
A couple steps you can take to help.
Use argon sheild gas
Use lower power, but longer millisecond weld pulses. they tend to
be slightly more self annealing in my experience with some metals.
If your laser offers pulse shaping, play with those settings to
eliminate weld cracks.
Build up the weld to a thicker cross section than the metal you
repair. Don’t trim it totally flush afterwards. leave the weld a
bit of a lump.
Consider using a filler metal that’s as ductile as you can for the
welds, rather than necessarily an exact match. I usually use 18K
yellow gold for welding any yellow metal frame, even when the frame
is base metal. The welds crack less than with lower karats, or base
metals. And I’ve now and then used platinum filler wire to weld
plain white metals, or for a lower welding temp, palladium white gold
(not nickel white gold, which is quite prone to weld cracking)
Test your weld when done. Flex the thing a little and see if it
holds for you. If it’s gonna break, better it does it while you’re
still sitting there at the laser than later with the customer holding
their glasses…
Understand that some of the metals they make glasses frames from
simply aren’t good candidates for laser welding, and you may not be
able to tell before hand. Consider doing this work with a disclaimer
stating that some types of frames simply don’t weld very well, and
such repair work can be unpredictable…
Peter
This may sound crazy but I have the best success when welding
eyeglass frames when I use silver wire. This is especially true on
titanium. Heard of a few guys using silver solder also. On the base
metal ones, palladium white gold wire works pretty well also.
Give it a try!
Ken Sanders
Scott,
Although I have never laser welded glasses, I have found that
welding a flat area to a flat area and building it up is not a strong
bond. What I have found that works is for example is if you are
soldering a post be it sterling, gold or what ever metal, you round
the post and then take a round bur and make slight indentation in
the receiving end so it fits down into it a bit snugly ,you will have
a better, deeper bond. Same with a ring, do not do flat to flat but
angle to angle and build up upon that.
Hard to explain in words without a demonstration but I hope it
helps.
Laurie
Scott
Try the 14k white gold /palladium , this works well with Titanium,
its seem to be a little more for giving than using just white
w/nickel or silver solder. The new Titanium is very challenging
especially the round wire frames. I had repaired a pair that broke
at the bridge , I nail it the first attempt so I torqued the frames
just to make sure it was going to hold and what happens, the other
side breaks . Luckily I was able to repair it easily. With all frames
I use ARGON !!!
Good Luck
Tony @ Cecenas Jewelry
any Q’s email me off line
I agree argon is a must when working with ti metals. As well you
might check to see the location of the two hoses. One on top the pc
as well the other directly under the pc where you are going to laser.
Another thing before you do the job… Hit the pedal and fill the
chamber with argon.
Andy “The Tool Guy” Kroungold
Sales/ Tools and Technical
Stuller Inc.
337-262-7700 ext. 4194
337-262-7791 fax
Andy_Kroungold@Stuller.Com
I agree with Peter. You MUST use argon shield gas. If oxygen is
introduced in the weld the area cannot be repaired. Simple as that.
Ig the weld turns blue, it is too hot. Turn your settings down. I
use silver hard solder for tit. glasses and have had a wonderful time
with it. I used to use gold or titanium for a filler and would
usually get cracking. Using 250v. 3.5 ms, focus 8 with a ramp up,
ramp down pulse shape works great for me. You may have to adjust up
or down from here, but it is a good starting point. I grind the two
ends back about 1/4 mm and weld in some silver solder. I then grind
these to a slight “V” and fill with more silver solder. Now, I
know, I was hesitant to use silver in this situation at first myself.
I thought it would be crap. Boy, was I wrong! You can flex and
bend it until the cows come home if you do it right. I have not had
ONE tit weld come back to me since using this technique. Oh, by the
way, if you ordinarily use cooling air, don’t. It will blow the
argon away. Also, if your vent fan is on high, turn it down.
JB the Bug Zapper
Scott,
This is a very “low tech” alternative to laser welding of eyeglass
frames, but it works for me. I use an electric soldering machine
(about $300 from most jewelry suppliers). I simply flux well with
Optiflux, place a snippet of easy silver solder between the broken
parts, and zap it until it is a nice cherry red. It isn’t as neat
and clean as a laser, but it works–even with titanium. I haven’t
tried paste solder, but that might work even better, especially if it
is difficult to keep the solder chip in place.
Del Pearson
Designs of Eagle Creek in beautiful South Texas, where the rain has
finally stopped.
Good morning after the 4th of July. Hope it was good and safe for
all. As we talk about the eyeglasses. Is there anyone who has
received a laser from Stuller as well been trained by Stuller? If so
has all been happy with the training and the laser. If not I would
like to hear about it so we can either redo it or help in any way.
Andy “The Tool Guy” Kroungold
Sales/ Tools and Technical
Stuller Inc.
337-262-7700 ext. 4194
337-262-7791 fax
Andy_Kroungold@Stuller.Com
Thanks to all for the advice on mystery metal repair of eyeglass
frames. Since all the suggestions were so relevant I decided to
post another question. Does it hurt the life of the flash bulb to
kick up the hertz at the end of a project to clean up the metal? I
don’t want to wear out my lamp for a process that could be
unneccessary. Also is there some trick out there on how to hold a
thin chain while welding?
p.s. Roffin is holding another advanced laser seminar in September
near Boston. I didn’t go to the last one, was it informative?
Thanks,
Scott Isaacs
Berry’s Jewelry Co.
Nashville, TN
Scott:
Every pusle you do uses up bulb life, but figure the percentages of
your weld to the few clean up pulses and you should realize that it
is insignificant. Use the clean up if it is an area that will be
seen and it improves the appearance. I usually just open up the beam
to soften the weld and keep the power and hz the same. On the chain,
try tweezers. No trick I have found is perfect. Just keep
experimenting.
The first Rofin seminar in Detroit was GREAT! I am thinking of
sending my daughter to the next one. I learned a lot and met some
friends that I didn’t even know I had… 
Go if you can.
JB
Continue from:
That trick about using the silver as the base in titanium weld
really solved the problem. I ordered some thicker gauge silver and
silver solder wire from Stuller today. I am going to experiment
with different guages on titanium welding. Do you have any tricks
to measuring out the back of a ring for filling in the back?
Thanks again for the knowledge
Scott Isaacs
Berry’s Jewelry Nashville