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Types of solder
There are four basic grades of silver solder and they are classified according to their melting points as ex-easy, easy, medium and hard. Ex-easy and easy silver solders melt at a lower temperature and are best used for repair work or when a lower temperature is required. If solder is required at two or three joints near each other, it is best to start with Hard moving down to Easy to prevent melting the previous soldered joint.
Preparation
Before silver soldering, ensure that the surface you’re working on is thoroughly cleaned. Any grease (even from a fingerprint) can affect how well the solder ‘takes’ to the metal, so clean the piece carefully before beginning. You can then soften the silver to be joined by a process know as annealing by applying the flame of a blowtorch to the area that needs to be soldered until the metal heats up to a dull pink colour. Check that there are no gaps between the two pieces of metal that you want to solder. Silver solder acts in a capillary motion when heated, meaning that it flows along the path of least resistance. Any gaps will allow the solder to run down on one side of the seam and the resulting finish will be poor.
Flux
Flux is a chemical cleaning agent that removes any remaining silver oxide from the surface of the finding and the solder itself and allows the silver solder to flow freely, preventing ‘blobbing’. The best flux is a borax paste, which is directly applied to the joint.. Silver soldering without the use of flux is not advised, as the resulting finish will be poor and the solder will have a tendency to pit, leaving an uneven and rather unsightly bond.
Applying the heat
Once the joint is coated on both surfaces with flux, you can then apply heat to the joint. Torch soldering is probably one of the most common methods, Choose a torch with an adjustable flame size. This ensures that you do not overheat and scorch the metal, dulling the surface and even potentially buckling the metal. The flame shouldn’t rest over one area for any length of time – rather the torch should be moved constantly to prevent the metal overheating. Once the correct temperature has been reached, the solder should change form from a solid square to a liquid and flow evenly into the joint. Alternatively, if the silver solder is in wire form, the tip is fed carefully onto the metal where it should melt on contact and once again, flow smoothly into the seam.
Finishing
Once the silver soldering has been completed and the piece has cooled, it can be cleaned to remove any residual flux by soaking it in hot water. If this proves difficult, a weak solution (5-10%) of sulphuric acid can be used followed by rinsing the piece in hot water. This process is known as “pickling” However, if you are incorporating gemstones into your work, be aware that even a weak acid solution can damage the surface of more porous stones.
Safety
Even small gas torches operate at extremely high temperatures, so ensure that your workbench is suitably protected and that you have the correct safety equipment such as goggles and thick gloves to work with. A small fire extinguisher is also a useful addition to any working environment where any naked flames may be used to prevent small fires from spreading. Your workroom should be well ventilated.
Article Source: http://www.articlemotron.com
Learning how to silver solder is an essential skill in making good quality jewellery. The application of silver soldering is one that should be approached with a little caution at first, as you are using high temperature blowtorches to melt the solder onto the metal. It can be very easy to make mistakes, so a simple guide to the basics should help you to minimise the mistakes and prevent you from wasting too many resources.
Adam Hunter – E-commerce Marketing Manager of cooksongold.com. Cookson Precious Metals offer a choice of jewellery making supplies from over 10,000 products including gold and silver solder, tools, precious metal clay and gold and silver sheet - gold, silver, platinum and palladium plus technical information for jewellers, jobbers, designer, craftsmen, artisans and students. Contacts Adam Hunter E-commerce Marketing Manager Tel(DDI): +44 (0) 121 212 6491 E-mail: adam.hunter@cooksongold.com
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