Copper soldering

[china]

I have been asked to make a heavy chain from copper can someone suggest what solder to use to mach the colour of copper will
need to be hard solder and maybe medium

[Stacey]

I have been asked to make a heavy chain from copper can someone suggest what solder to use to mach the colour of copper will
need to be hard solder and maybe medium

You can try http://www.alchemyandice.com/tools-and-supplies/soldering-supplies/solder/ for copper solder, although it is solder for specifically for copper it is not copper in colour, just less noticeable.

Most people use silver solder for copper, if your seams are noticeable you can contaminate your pickle (with iron binding wire, for example) so they are copper coated.

For a chain you really shouldn't need more than one solder, so if you want to try the copper solder anyway it should do (it appears to be available only in soft/easy).

[mizgeorge]

If the links are heavy enough, they shouldn't need soldering at all - just aim for really neat closures and they should be very unnoticeable - certainly less so than solder joins on copper!

[ajda]

I agree with George - if you can avoid soldering altogether that would be good. No copper solder will match the colour of pure copper, because it is alloyed with other metals all of which are paler in colour than the copper. But if you are happy with a reasonably close match you could try this - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shah-Copper-Solder-Jewellery-Silversmithing-Jewellers-Hallmarking-copper-colour-/321151847216?var=510127731648
Alan

[china]

Thanks for the replies gives me some options may give the no solder option a go

[MMM Jewellery]

I've never tried this myself but I would have thought you could make your own by just mixing 90% Cu with 10% silver which will give a 50C reduction in mp. 80/20 will give 100C reduction. I'm not sure how much lighter the colour will be relative to 100% copper.

[Dennis]

Making one-offs, I frequently try them out in copper first and find that copper becomes incredibly soft after heating for soldering. In the case of jump rings, they would the tend to distort with use, unless re-hardened by hammering, for instance. And no, tumbling is not sufficient. Dennis.