Pod
01-04-2010, 07:36 AM
Hi Everyone,
Just registered for the forum and will upload some pictures of my stuff soon just so you know how not to do it!
I wonder if anyone can help wth some hints and tips please? I've mainly been working in silver but thought I'd have a go at making a gold ring. I made one in 18ct gold - no probs - went like a dream. So I thought I'd make one in 9ct gold (much cheaper!) but for some reason I seem to have lost all my soldering skills. I have had this problem before, some time ago, having been soldering silver for ages with no problem, all of a sudden nothing ever seemed to go right. In the end I think I was backing off with the heat too soon and I seem to be ok with silver now. But for some reason I'm having problems with gold now and I'm not sure why.
I thought maybe the join was not close enough, but I have sawed through the damn thing so many times it's now a whole size smaller (any hints and tips on how to get a ring join really really tight would be appreciated!). I'm definitely heating it up enough 'cos it's started to buckle and was a split second away from melting. The solder seems to melt and it looks like it's joined up ok but once it comes out of the pickle, as soon as I try rounding it up the join blows apart. I clean the join with sandpaper before soldering so I don't think it's dirty.
Can anyone offer any advice - I'd really appreciate it as I'd like to make a wedding ring for my best friend soon as it's got to be good.
I know this is a bit "Billy Elliot" but I'm only happy when I'm doing this. I get totally absorbed and it's the first time I actually love what I'm doing. I had to give up my job a couple of years ago as I have MS and my job was too tiring so I decided to try my hand at silversmithing - something I'd wanted to do for years. I've sold quite a few pieces of work and am building a website and I sooo want to be good at this. When things are going well I'm on cloud nine, but when things like this gold soldering problem crop up my whole world falls in. It's a bit like an addiction isn't it?!!!
Well, since this is a jewellery making forum and not a counselling session I'll leave it there(!!!) but if anyone can help I'd really appreciate it. Thanks in advance, Pod.
Just registered for the forum and will upload some pictures of my stuff soon just so you know how not to do it!
I wonder if anyone can help wth some hints and tips please? I've mainly been working in silver but thought I'd have a go at making a gold ring. I made one in 18ct gold - no probs - went like a dream. So I thought I'd make one in 9ct gold (much cheaper!) but for some reason I seem to have lost all my soldering skills. I have had this problem before, some time ago, having been soldering silver for ages with no problem, all of a sudden nothing ever seemed to go right. In the end I think I was backing off with the heat too soon and I seem to be ok with silver now. But for some reason I'm having problems with gold now and I'm not sure why.
I thought maybe the join was not close enough, but I have sawed through the damn thing so many times it's now a whole size smaller (any hints and tips on how to get a ring join really really tight would be appreciated!). I'm definitely heating it up enough 'cos it's started to buckle and was a split second away from melting. The solder seems to melt and it looks like it's joined up ok but once it comes out of the pickle, as soon as I try rounding it up the join blows apart. I clean the join with sandpaper before soldering so I don't think it's dirty.
Can anyone offer any advice - I'd really appreciate it as I'd like to make a wedding ring for my best friend soon as it's got to be good.
I know this is a bit "Billy Elliot" but I'm only happy when I'm doing this. I get totally absorbed and it's the first time I actually love what I'm doing. I had to give up my job a couple of years ago as I have MS and my job was too tiring so I decided to try my hand at silversmithing - something I'd wanted to do for years. I've sold quite a few pieces of work and am building a website and I sooo want to be good at this. When things are going well I'm on cloud nine, but when things like this gold soldering problem crop up my whole world falls in. It's a bit like an addiction isn't it?!!!
Well, since this is a jewellery making forum and not a counselling session I'll leave it there(!!!) but if anyone can help I'd really appreciate it. Thanks in advance, Pod.