Double sided bezel - tomorrows project

[Dennis]

Ha Ha a jewellers work is never done.

[Faith]

Well this is where I got to today...



And I cannot express how tricky that little critter was to set! I don't think it's perfect - it's a touch lumpy around the solder join... But I'll consider it for the evening before doing any more. Oh and obviously changed my mind since last time, took the hookwire off and went for a jump ring instead.

Feedback welcome as always while I go and sit down!

Faith

[Dennis]

No, It's very good Faith and we are seeing it four times is real size. At that magnification, we could comment on someone's ear wax too. Dennis.

[Faith]

Lol! What's displeasing me most is you can really see the solder join as a dark line. It was pickled and emeried and I thought the polish would get rid of the last of it - actually it shows more clearly after the polish don't know how to get rid of it now...

Thank you for the nice comment tho

Faith

[Dennis]

Lol! What's displeasing me most is you can really see the solder join as a dark line. Faith

Well here are some thoughts:

In colour hard solder should match pretty well, but easy solder would be a slight mismatch, depending on the closeness of the join.

Secondly, solder when it sets, has a concavity-the meniscus. If you polish it flat and then heat it again, to add another component, the meniscus will re-appear and show as a line. Dennis.

[Faith]

Thanks Dennis,

It was hard soldered and was sanded and polished after the last heating. It was heated a few times tho, to attach and detach the hookwire and then pop the jump ring on, could that be it? It's like a darker grey line?

I wonder almost was it not in the pickle for long enough - can I put it back in salt and vinegar (I haven't switched yet) with a smokey Quartz set?

Thanks as always,
Faith

[Dennis]

No, you've polished it, Faith, so pickling won't help. Not sure, why the joint shows, but would go for the multiple heating. Dennis.

[enigma]

I think you did great!
As Dennis says, magnification will show the tiniest imperfections not visible to the naked eye so unless you are working under a microscope pretty impossible not to have any when viewed at this scale.
I actually do work under a microscope for stone setting now but I find it really hard, would have been easier to get a crap camera instead I think lol.
As far as the line goes, did it show after handling? I find the oils in my skin will show any solder lines that weren't previously visible but they disappear again when polished.

[Faith]

Thanks Sarah

I don't have a microscope but could well believe they're tricky to work under - I do check with a loupe now tho which helps a bit.

Think ur right about the oils, I found some old threads saying similar and obviously it was handled a bunch yesterday to set it, so today I finely emeried the join and re polished and now the line is almost invisible

The handy craft knife also sorted the bezel bumps out, so I'm happy now

Now I just need to make him an identical friend!

Thanks again

Faith

[Dennis]

Now I just need to make him an identical friend! Faith

Ha ha, you might be sorry you didn't make them simultaneously stage by stage. Like all twins, the mother can tell them apart and despite herself, prefer one of them. Dennis..