I was very intimidated by the scope of the task and the flame. Here are some tips for complete beginners. Therefore, I started small and had low expectations for the outcome. My greatest tip for the beginner is to not anticipate that it should go the manner in which you figure it ought to. Learn exactly what it will do and not do by taking your time. Things might melt to the point of no return. Your worst mistakes teach you the most valuable lessons.jewellery making courses
I purchased: for my first modest attempt at silver soldering: a small torch powered by butane; a block of magnesium solder; easy to use wire solder; a few open jump rings of 18 gauge (either 8mm or 9mm are easiest to handle at first); pickle; flux and copper tongs Additionally, you will require safety goggles, a set of heatless tweezers, a pair of wire cutters, and a jar of water for quenching. Wear safety goggles at all times.
To begin, place your magnesia block—I prefer these to charcoal because they are less expensive, heat up faster, and cool down faster—in an open area with nothing nearby that could catch fire. If your sleeves are long, pull them back, and if your hair is long, tie it back as well. Before you start soldering your first jump ring, it's a good idea to practice using the torch. Until you can do it easily, turn it on and off several times.
Take a clean jump ring and check to see that the ends are touching and exactly aligned. While solder can solidify a joint, it cannot fill in gaps. Put flux to work in the group you want to join. When the solder melts, it will flow where the flux is and follow the flame. Avoid putting flux in areas where you don't want solder to go.
Here are a few words about fluxes. There are numerous options. Depending on what I want to do, I use a liquid flux or a paste flux. Flux serves two functions: to facilitate the flow of solder and shield your silver from firescale. At the point when you heat your real to welding temperatures, you get a portion of the copper the composite (92.5% silver, 7.5% copper) to the surface. The firescale and the rapid tarnishing of sterling silver are essentially caused by the copper. Firescale appears as a black coating on your sterling silver. To reduce the firescale, a number of silver soldering "how-tos" recommend fluxing the entire object. But this sometimes causes the solder to go where you don't want it to, and trying to remove it later is never fun. Fluid doesn't always stay where you put it, but paste flux does. However, after heating, paste flux can become extremely hard and glassy, necessitating additional time in the pickle to eliminate. You really won't have any problems with your first project with jump ring soldering, and you can use any flux you want; however, there are a few things to keep in mind for later: on the off chance that there is a later. I didn't miss the "bug" and haven't regretted it.
Now, use your wire cutters to remove a little bit of simple solder. It ought to be sufficient in excess of an eighth of an inch. On the magnesium block, apply the solder. Make a cross by placing the jump ring join on top of the solder. Use only room lighting and turn off any direct lighting from your work area. Light your light. To avoid blowing the jump ring off the solder, slowly bring the torch closer to it.
You can let the solder dry a bit and the jump ring and solder will stick together if you use paste flux and set it quickly on top of it. Follow my advice in the preceding paragraph if you're using a liquid flux.
You will be able to see the changes in color of the flux and the metal as it heats better if you do not brightly illuminate your work. Finding out about these variety changes currently will help you some other time when you make bigger activities.
The solder will flow when the area of the magnesia block where the jump ring is resting and the solder reach the solder's melting point. Move the flame around the jump ring's circumference. Concentrate the flame primarily on the join whenever you notice it beginning to turn pinkish. The solder will become very shiny and flow up the join as the jump ring falls level onto the block's surface. That final part will require a quick search. As soon as you observe those two things, put the flame out. If you leave your jump ring in the flame for too long, it will turn into a nice ball. After I made this mistake for the first time, I had a lot of fun making balls out of scrap silver. In some designs, they may be useful. Additionally, keep in mind that the solder will follow the flame, so direct the flame upward; not sideways. If you don't, the solder will coat a portion of your ring and follow the flame over the jump ring.
