Soldering Jump Rings - a great way to learn soldering!

There are two choices - soldering iron soldering and torch soldering.
I'd recommend torch soldering as the end result blends with the metal better
PLUS if you need to, you can still hallmark it.

You can join them using soft solder using a soldering iron but it isn't as durable
(because the metal of the jump rings can't get hot enough to melt and mix with the metal in the solder).
You would ideally use a torch to apply enough heat to get a good solid join.

For jump rings, it's probably easier to use paste solder, since it stays exactly where you put it.
Paste solder is a mixture of solder, flux, and a carrier (makes the mixture flow and stay where you put it).
You can buy paste solder in a syringe, which makes it easy to apply with precision.

Paste solders are sold with names such as hard, medium, easy, and extra easy.
They indicate the temperature at which the solder melts (not how easy they are to use ).
Hard solder melts at a high temperature and extra easy solder melts at a low temperature.
If the name of the solder is followed by a number, then that is the temperature at which the solder melts.
Personally, I would recommend medium solder for jump rings ~ but easy works too.

Hard, medium & easy are all suitable for pieces to be hallmarked (not sure about extra easy, don't think it is).

1) Close all of the jump rings to be soldered so that their edges are flush with each other.
Solder can't bridge gaps, but it will flow down the joint between jump ring edges (capillary action).

2) Apply the paste solder to your joint. Apply the solder to the inside of the ring,
so it contacts the joint on both sides of the ring.
The amount of solder you use should be about the thickness of the wire.

3) Hold the link you are working on over the edge of the solder block
(to help protect the rest of the chain from heat) and heat.
Apply the flame so that both the right and left sides of the joint are heated evenly until the solder flows,
focus the heat on the ring not the solder. You should be able to watch the solder flow through the joint
and come out on the front of the ring. When the solder flows remove the heat immediately.

4) After all of the jump rings have been soldered then pickle the cooled jump rings to
remove any oxidation or flux residue. If you want you can neutralise the pickle by rinsing
the jump rings in a water with a bit of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).

This movie might help if you want to pre-solder some of the rings (easier off the chain) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYVl35kvKHs

Nic x

P.S> These are guidelines not instructions and are followed at your own risk, don't burn yourself or
set fire to your hair yadda yadda yadda :D

One I learnt from a friend who does lots of jewellery repairs, and ever since I've never used another method, see what you think:

For small joints (jump rings, claw settings etc) instead of placing the solder on the joint, use an old pair of tweesers to 'catch' the molten solder from the bench and just touch it to the joint when it's at the right temperature. So, flux your joint, and the solder (I usually like to use hard for everything because I find it flows better for me) then put the pallion of solder on the heat resistant surface and heat it until it melts (into a little ball) and touch the tweesers to it - it will fuse to the end of the tweesers but stand proud because your tweesers will be grubby if they're anything like mine!! You can then fiddle about with repositioning your work/answer the phone/go to the loo/whatever, then when you're ready heat the metal to be soldered. Tiny pieces reach temperature really quickly, so as soon as it looks ready touch the tweesers directly to the join and it'll flow into the join. Much easier than watching the pallion of solder dance around the surface in the flux! (That is if you don't have paste!!) :-)

I watched my friend solder every jump ring on a handmade chain this way flawlessly and fluidly, it took her minutes to do what would have taken me hours! I haven't mastered it quite like that (yet!) :-)

Another great method & the one I use where both sides of the join are visible and I want the join to be ultra neat.
Paste tends to leave a bit more to clean up but it is OH so EASY for earring posts, jump rings and hidden stuff.
I do exactly the same but tend to pick up the ball while molten.

Nic x

That all sounds soooo advanced!! Picking up molten solder....!

I use a similar style of pick soldering for some pieces - especially filigree (which I'm really very, bad at!), but with a titanium pick and very tiny pallions rather than tweezers. Flux and heat both sides of where the join will be and then add the pallion once it's really hot - the solder just flows into place.

Its called pick soldering. I still think paste solder was the best thing I ever found for jump rings! (if you need less squeeze a tiny bit out and apply with toothpick)
Em

i do most if not all of my jump rings, but melting the solder on the pick. then placing on to the hot and ready jump ring.

I run the solder through the mill to allow me to cut very small amounts which i pick up on a flux covered pick.


I also use the pick to place solder paste in small amounts if required.

WitchfordSilver - never thought of putting the solder through the rolling mill before, thanks!

wow such brilliant ideas. I am still a novice at soldering and use the normal solder, but because i tend to make such small rings the paste sounds a good idea as i often think the flux is a pain and i get really peeved with the bits of solder sometimes. i shall have to read, and re-read this several times me thinks, and then get some paste and have a play. i guess we all have to find what works best for us :)

Great advice, and I intend to try this, as soldering has always been a bit problematic.

I have some further questions on this topic. Firstly, does this method work for larger areas of soldering, or is it just good for fiddly ones? And secondly, why is it necessary to pick up molten solder with the pick or tweezers, instead of just fresh solder? Is it just a way of keeping it from falling off the pick or tweezers while you get it to your work?:confused:

Yes, it sticks to the tweesers/pick without you needing to 'grasp' it between tweesers (and risk it pinging off into the ether). It makes it much easier to hit the exact spot that you want the solder to flow into.

Thanks, I'll try that now. But is it good for large joins too? That is, can you place one bit of solder on, then come back in with another one once you've reheated your piece?

The reason I ask, is that I'm thinking of doing a large join between two adjacent pieces (butting up side by side) - one silver, one copper. And I really don't want any solder to run over the surface to ruin the join. So any advice would be appreciated.:X

I bought some syringe solder a year or so back (medium and easy I think) and it was like concrete...I got the shakes just trying to squeeze some out!! I can't remember who I got it from but I did ask if that was how it was supposed to be and they said yes! Needless to say...I never used it again...and went on to fusing fine silver instead!! Now people on this forum keep talking about it being the best thing since sliced bread....are you telling me that I was sold a duff lot?:mad:

I guess it was winter time when I tried it out...and my 'studio' (aka garden shed) did almost get to zero at one point!! I didn't think it might be heat sensitive. #-o ...I'll give it a go today!! Thanks for the tip Jason! []

I've found the paste solders are a lot easier for jump ring soldering - but most of the time I just use paillons and borax anyway. They've got a far longer shelf life than the paste solder, don't need to be kept in the fridge and don't separate.

I've seen syringe guns around for surface mount soldering - you insert the syringe full of solder paste into them, then pull the trigger to dispense a small amount. Gives a bit more control and I can't see why it might not be applicable to using this solder too.

Fantastic advice everyone, I look forward to trying these ideas. :~:

thanks for everyones advice. I'm a bit of a newbie at soldering (haven't done it for a few years), and just bought a book on chainmaking. There was no mention of solder paste in the book, only solder wire, but i went out and got the solder paste after reading this thread! Hopefully it turns out ok :)

This is a total newbie question... please bear with me... but I've never done any soldering at all.... once I've soldered the jump ring can I bash it flatter?
or do I have to bash it (Im sure there's a better word than that) and then solder it?
This forum is SO bad (in a good way) for me, Im just supposed to be a lampworker :juggle:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fiona

This is a total newbie question... please bear with me... but I've never done any soldering at all.... once I've soldered the jump ring can I bash it flatter?
or do I have to bash it (Im sure there's a better word than that) and then solder it?
This forum is SO bad (in a good way) for me, Im just supposed to be a lampworker :juggle:

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Hi Fiona best to bash after you solder as if you do it before you no longer have a circle and its a bugger to return it to the original form i sometimes even solder first then bash and then cut them back open if i want open bashed open jump rings lol x

Thanks Jo.... see.. I warned you it was a totally newbie question :)

This is great, MuranoSilver! Thanks! I'm in the middle of my first silversmithing course and my teacher seems to be a puritan when it comes to soldering, he doesn't use paste at all. I've been wanting to try it out and I'll definitely try it out at home (no need to tell him, hee!)

Same here. Hard solder strips for everything. She doesn't even sell medium solder :lol:

I've put solder paste on my Christmas list :D