Silver Solder Question??
Q: I am brand new to silver work, and wondered if anyone could give me their
preferences about silver solder. I will be doing small work (like links and
chains,) and I have a tiny torch. I found a solder/flux paste in the Rio
Grande catalog--is that good for a beginner? Any comments or suggestions would
be very appreciated.
A:I teach all my students to never use any thing but hard solder for sterling
silver,
for every project, every solder joint. I do not recommend paste flux/solder
because
you will always have flux and solder every place you put it. I spray on Dixon's
flux to coat the whole piece and then put solder only on the solder joints. I
have
two reasons that I teach this method, one is that the most important function of
flux is too keep oxygen away from the surface to be soldered. There fore I want
it
covering the entire surface to protect in from oxidation. This promotes easier
soldering and less fire scale or fire coat. But just as nearly important is that
I
teach my students to watch the flux as a temperature indicator, as to when the
solder will flow. Dixon's flux will melt in to small brown "syrupy" puddles just
before the hard solder flows. It is an important indicator to begin to raise
your
torch farther away from the piece to control the surface temperature of the
piece.
Because I teach only to use hard solder, this is important for good torch
control,
with out melting the piece.
I would like to invite you to visit my web site at:
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris
Especially these two tips pages.
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/mar99tip.html
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/sept99tip.html
I teach all my students to never use any thing but hard solder for sterling
silver,
for every project, every solder joint. It makes better jewelry, becomes easier
to
use than easy and medium solders, and will be faster to use (more profitable)
than
those