mica

[joella]

Hi, I know I'm a bit thick, but I was wondering, if I wanted to use mica sheet to shield chain while soldering, whether it would be microwave mica sheet or stove mica (which looks like the glass window from a stove), or whether you have to get some other kind of mica sheet, and where you would get that from. I know I can get microwave mica from amazon, but don't know if it's the right kind or thick enough. If anyone can un-confuse me, I'd be very grateful. I have just used technoflux for the first time, while soldering a bail to some silver blobs that I had soldered together with solder paste (also used for the first time), and it worked really well, but I started to think about thin chain and the problem of soldering a link in a chain, and thought mica may be better for something as delicate as that (and I think I read somewhere that Jinks McGrath recommends using it). I feel like a toddler learning to walk! So many new things to try out and learn how to do, and then try to do better the next time.

[Goldsmith]

Hi Joella, not sure what you are trying to do, but I think the stuff you are looking for is phlogopite mica sheets, as these are sometimes used when enamelling. If you are just wanting to shield the chain from a gas flame then there are many ways of doing that like the placement of charcoal blocks. Have you tried using soldering clamps to hold the chain ends when soldering. I use a T shaped clamp to hold items in place when soldering and they can hold a chain link clear of the rest of the chain when soldering.

Here is some info on the clamps which are made from a titanium strips,

73187319

James

[Wallace]

Hi Joella,

You can, as James points out, use your standard soldering tweezers. After 11 years, I can say that I only use mica ( available from any enamelling suppliers) for snake chains only.

7320. These soldering tweezers are readily available at Cookson gold.

Keep the heat moving and use old pieces of broken soldering board, if you have very delicate chain. But, just practice, get the feel of the flame nd the heat. Learning comes from, books, forums videos, but your own actual experiences will also help too. Good luck, and I promise you, you are not being thick.

[Dennis]

Hi Joella, you have really had your answer, but to re-iterate:

Mica sheet is sometimes useful for separating two items so as to prevent them from joining while soldering elsewhere, but the occasions are rare. It can be found in discarded heating appliances, for instance an iron, so often there is no need to buy it. The material can be cut with scissors, or more neatly with a saw.

The thickness is irrelevant because it can be made thinner if required, by splitting into layers with a craft knife. It can also be thinned accurately by rubbing a piece on sand paper.

Heat pastes are mucky especially around chains and are best not used except when absolutely necessary, as when trying to protect a set gemstone.
One of their effects used with silver is to prevent the main piece from ever getting hot enough for solder to flow. So they work better with poorer conductors such as gold.

The upshot is to learn to control your flame and hold your chain in a way that allows you to heat only the link to be closed. A chain link can be held up with clamps or tweezers, as already described. Alternatively it can hang over the edge of a raised block, so that the rest of the chain is shielded from accidental heating.

The best way to control your flame, is to reduce the air slightly so that it is less hot and to work in semi darkness the better to see where it is. Then remove it immediately the solder has flowed. Dennis.

[joella]

Thanks for your answers, James those titanium clips look really useful. I do have those bent tweezers Wallace, I think it's good advice to practice - I'll use a bit of chain to practice on before I embark on the project I have in mind. Thanks for the advice re reducing the air Dennis, I didn't think of that. I have in mind a project that I'm not really ready to take on yet, but it's in the back of my mind. I saw a really lovely antique bracelet (that was incredibly expensive) and have been thinking that when I feel ready, I will have a go. It consisted of several panels of sheet and about 6/8 strands of very fine chain with the tiniest of links, attached to the panels, which had stones set on them.....beautiful, and the strands of chain had tiny pearls on them too. It was in gold with emeralds set, but I thought I might have a go one day with silver and peridots. At the moment I'm trying to make a silver hare pendant with tiny gold rivets, but its not going that well as I have tried to do the first rivet and it just wont flatten - and somehow it seems to have 'eroded' the hole I drilled in the silver and made it a bit bigger. Fortunately I go to a class for a couple of hours once a week - so I can get the tutor to help me out, hopefully. I'm also making a necklace with a wire for the necklace part and those silver blobs on a bail for the pendant - which, if she likes it, is for my daughter. Thanks for all the help and advice, all the experience and expertise of people on the forum is so invaluable. Sue.