Oh flux!

[squeekysqueeks]

Hello everyone

Sorry about the title :)

I've been making silver jewellery for a few years but only on and off so I still feel like a beginner. Till now I have been using the borax cone and dish for my flux, but this is getting on my nerves. Can anyone recommend an easier and/or quicker way of fluxing? Which do people prefer?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

many thanks

Jill

[enigma]

I prefer Auflux, seems to work just as well but without the faff.

[squeekysqueeks]

Thanks Enigma, I shall look into it.

[pearlescence]

Yes Auflux. Been using it for more than 20 years (yikes)
Recommend that you decant a small amount into a small pill box sized sort of airtight container as and when you need it because it does evaporate and putting the brush into the big bottle is also a faff (esp when you drop the brush into the bottle) I use one of the tiny plastic pill boxes I supply French wire in, then I can dip some items in directly or use tweezers for the pallions instead of a brush, and that is easier too

[squeekysqueeks]

Excellent advice, many thanks Pearlescence. Looking forward to having 20 years of experience myself! :)

[Goldsmith]

I have used a borax cone and dish for over 50 years now and see no reason to change. It's simple, cheap and relatively safe. May I ask why you don't like using it Jill?

James
James Miller FIPG.

[squeekysqueeks]

I'm afraid I must be a little lazy and was looking for something less 'faffy' :(

[ps_bond]

I had been using Auflux, but I ended up going back to the borax cone as it stays on the metal better.

[enigma]

Yes its lazy, very definitely, I can't think of any other reason for using it as it certainly doesn't perform better.
But anything that speeds up things is good for me :)

[TeeDee]

Borax cone for me too Jill,
I did get some Auflux but found borax wets the metal better as long as it is clean which is what I think Peter is saying.
Decanting Auflux as mentioned is a good idea though as I knocked my bottle over and lost half it.
When I started learning jewellery, I used to spend a long time trying to get a thick paste worked up but have since found that a few drops of water and a quick rub around the bowl with the cone gives me enough flux to last quite a while with the occasional top up of water and a swirl. I think it also makes a difference that the bowl has been 'well seasoned' with use. I also wash the bowl periodically to flush away any contaminants that may build up although I'm not sure if this is necessary

A question for the others though - Is Auflux better for gold? I was led to understand it was by a previous tutor.
Tim

[Dennis]

I've mentioned this before, but if you use Auflux/Auroflux, then almost any pump from an empty liquid soap container, with the tube snipped , will fit and dispense it. Dennis.

[pearlescence]

Well, I've just signed up for a term of classes to spruce up my knowledge and motivate me again. It's working already, I spent today slapping silver around. Pearls will, of course, be involved though.

[metalsmith]

It is perfectly possible to be lazy with Borax too. Simply leave the cone to soak for a little while in a small depth of water in the dish. Once it has softened then grind it and pour off the liquid into a sample or test tube / small bottle. Use it straight from the jar with a paint brush; it will last (me) for weeks.

[allyclaret]

Have you ever tried solder paste? Far simpler to use than having to cut up the solder and use flux. It's solder and flux in one and it's very easy to control where it goes.

[ps_bond]

It is perfectly possible to be lazy with Borax too. Simply leave the cone to soak for a little while in a small depth of water in the dish. Once it has softened then grind it and pour off the liquid into a sample or test tube / small bottle. Use it straight from the jar with a paint brush; it will last (me) for weeks.

My borax dish is so coated with borax these days there's little grinding actually needed - a small amount of water, a quick rub & there's plenty of flux.


Have you ever tried solder paste? Far simpler to use than having to cut up the solder and use flux. It's solder and flux in one and it's very easy to control where it goes.

Yes, but... It's not an ideal solution in all cases. The flux burns off quickly and there's not much of it, so for larger pieces (in silver) by the time you've got the thing up to heat the flux is no longer active (especially with fuel/air torches). Great for jump rings, not that good for much else. If the flux doesn't survive you end up with a porous joint that has all the strength of a sugar cube.

[Dennis]

Have you ever tried solder paste? Far simpler to use than having to cut up the solder and use flux. It's solder and flux in one and it's very easy to control where it goes.

The problem with solder paste, is that you can't be sure that the joint is not just temporarily held together with burnt residues, particularly between flat surfaces.

[squeekysqueeks]

What a great idea, metalsmith! Wish I'd thought of that :)

[squeekysqueeks]

Thank you to everyone for your contributions. Lots of food for thought and experimentation. Lovely to have experts at hand.x

[ShinyLauren]

My borax dish is so coated with borax these days there's little grinding actually needed - a small amount of water, a quick rub & there's plenty of flux.



Yes, but... It's not an ideal solution in all cases. The flux burns off quickly and there's not much of it, so for larger pieces (in silver) by the time you've got the thing up to heat the flux is no longer active (especially with fuel/air torches). Great for jump rings, not that good for much else. If the flux doesn't survive you end up with a porous joint that has all the strength of a sugar cube.

Yes, this.

I have abandoned solder paste for everything except jump rings after having several settings just snap off after the solder appeared to flow successfully.

I've also gone old school and returned to borax after flirtations with Auflux and Magic Boric. I still have a tub of Argotect somewhere, which I did quite like, but mainly because it burns pretty colours when you mix it with meths!

[ajda]

It's Auflux for me for fusing Argentium silver, or the yellow flux sold by Cooksons which looks like the same stuff - http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Argentium-Soldering-Flux-150ml-prcode-997-6425 . I occasionally use solder paste for tiny joins such as very small jump rings when fusing would risk melting more than the joint, otherwise all joints are fused - the yellow flux seems to help the metal to flow, presumably by slowing down the formation of germanium oxide on the surface, but with Argentium it isn't necessary to protect the surrounding area from firestain.

I decant mine into small squeezy dropper bottles - if you know anyone who uses a refillable e-cigarette, the liquid for those is normally supplied in neat little bottles that allow you to squeeze out a drop at a time onto a brush or directly onto the metal. I avoid the type of bottle that has a metal tip like a hypodermic syringe, as I don't know whether that metal (presumably a stainless steel) might react in some way with the flux.

Alan (from a hotel room in Colombo)