Sweat Soldering...

[The Button Princess]

Saw a Soham Harrison video on YouTube where he sweat solders two pieces of silver...I've looked on Cooksons for the wire mesh that was used in the video, unless I'm looking in the wrong place what bit of kit can I buy to do the job???

In advance, many thanks.

[CJ57]

It's not something I've seen anywhere so may not be sourced in the UK. The same effect can be had by zigzagging some heavy binding wire . It's just done to raise your pieces off either the fire brick or the charcoal to allow the heat under it so this would work just as well and won't cost you anything. You would do this to solder any large area of flat sheet or a large item whether you are sweat soldering or soldering from the top with pallions
http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Iron-Binding-Wire-0.69mm-X-100g-prcode-998-094

[ps_bond]

Is this tripod mesh he uses? I've got some - can't remember where I got it though. I use V shaped strips of titanium to do the same thing, there's a few ways of doing it.

[Dennis]

Yes you're right Peter, Bellore have it: http://www.bellore.co.uk/shop/soldering_tools/gr14325.aspx, Also Cookson: http://www.cooksongold.com/category_select.jsp?query=999afn.

It can be rested on two bricks , or on a tripod, to get he flame underneath.

The real problem with mesh is that it soon buckles, so that if you are sweating two flat pieces together, they will end up not flat either.

A better method for flat pieces is to heat you block quite fiercely and then slide your piece onto the hot spot and continue heating from above. that way the block acts as a flat support. Dennis.

[CJ57]

Is this tripod mesh he uses? I've got some - can't remember where I got it though. I use V shaped strips of titanium to do the same thing, there's a few ways of doing it.
This is the video
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=v0u4vlefsyo. The mesh looks much heavier than those suggested by Dennis

[Aurarius]

Saw a Soham Harrison video on YouTube where he sweat solders two pieces of silver...I've looked on Cooksons for the wire mesh that was used in the video, unless I'm looking in the wrong place what bit of kit can I buy to do the job???

In advance, many thanks.

You could try mesh-company (http://stores.ebay.co.uk/MeshCompany?_trksid=p2047675.l2563)on Ebay.

[Jazzy]

Hi
Try "Cousins jewellery tools " they sell a tripod and mesh for £5 95 (Indian) or high quality for £38 exc vat of course

[caroleallen]

I use an enamelling mesh on top of an old stainless steel toast rack. http://www.cooksongold.com/Enamelling/Standard-Woven-Mesh-Rack----------Stainless-Steel-Pre-shaped-------75x75mm-prcode-860-092

[The Button Princess]

Wow! Lots of food for thought there...I Googled this after posting last night and someone suggested using a honeycomb board.

http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Honeycomb-Board---Small-135mm-X---95mm-X-12mm-prcode-999-972

[CJ57]

I have a honeycomb board on top of my firebrick in the hearth and I found it split really quickly when over heated. I still raise my pieces off on top of wire which is the method I was trained to use but as other people have said their are many other mesh products available now
The jeweller in the video may have had his extra sturdy mesh specially made or it has been cut from a product totally unrelated to jewellery. We often think out of the box using household items that would give the same effect without having to spend more money:)

[Dennis]

My hearth is littered with bits of honeycomb board, which as Caroline has said, becomes really fragile when heated to red. It also absorbs lots of heat when trying to heat a piece from underneath. So not much use for sweat soldering.

So what use is it? Well veneer pins fit it quite well, so the straight lines and right angles combined with the pins, allow you to align and hold metal for soldering.
I use the smooth side for this. It is also worth resting the honeycomb on another solid block though, in case the pins fall right through. Dennis.

[CJ57]

It's also a real devil for pallions of solder disappearing into as well. If my torch is a bit high and the solder hasn't tacked to the flux then they often just fly off and disappear down a hole, very frustrating!! In fact not sure what use it has other than as Dennis said pinning things in place :)

[Wallace]

that honeycomb stuff is so fragile. I have bits of it all over!

It is good for getting the heat underneath, but a wig can do just the same. (not the hairy kind) Although that has its pitfalls with solder going off and is not flat so you have to be really, really careful not to overheat and collapse your work (early lessons learned very well - I am sure I still find bits of silver in there still!)

the problem with wires, and all the other aids becomes apparent when the heat is being drawn away from what you actually need to heat of course. I have found using smaller bases like the clips James and many others (if you read the books) explore. I also use cotter pins as they come in many shapes and sizes. Not to everyone's taste. But they work for me.

[LydiaNiz]

I got my mesh from a silver clay shop I think. Prop it up on solder blocks and all is good. I never tried the honeycomb so it is interesting hearing about it

[Tabby66]

I haven't used my honeycomb board for ages, my first one slowly disintegrated after a lot of use, mainly used for wiring pieces together and holding them in place securely through the board. Hhhmmm, may well think of giving it an airing!!

[ShinyLauren]

I must be in the minority for liking my honeycombe boards! I have two, one is ancient and has lots of divots and lines carved in it for soldering particular things and one is only a year or so old and I like to keep it neat and clean for soldering flat things.

I guess I mainly solder smallish things though - maybe I'd like them less if I had to solder cuffs!

[silverlining]

Resurrecting an old thread but stumbled across it while searching 'Cousins' on here,as considering placing an order through them.

Anyway, when I first started sweat soldering I didn't have any mesh so had a quick think and went and took the mesh off the top of an instant bbq! Propped it up on two soldering blocks on their ends and still use disposable bbq mesh now :)

[Dennis]

I've used the pan and back of a barbecue as my soldering station for years. This is it all clean in the early years. Dennis