Single hole silver bead

[Edelle]

Hi can anyone tell me if I can solder a pin bail into a 16mm silver single hole bead without it exploding?
I know if you are soldering 2 halves together u need to leave a hole but wondered if it was the same to solder a bail into a ready made single hole bead.?

[Dennis]

The problem is with trapped water, which will turn into high pressure steam when heated.

The first time of heating, any steam from the flux will be driven off before the solder flows. Now you can even heat it again, but if you pickle it or quench it, any pickle solution or water which enters due to microscopic gaps, or porosity, will be dangerous to reheat.

So, yes, You can do it once, but not the second time if it has been in pickle, or water.

However, there is a second consideration. If there is a microscopic porosity, or a tiny gap, any pickle which remains inside can slowly leak out, causing a mysterious greenish stain. Some people are even sensitive to it. So many of us make a generous hole somewhere out of sight and boil hollow objects in soda solution and then plain water, to neutralise it Dennis.

[Edelle]

Thankyou Dennis that is really helpful. Cheers Eleanor