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Hi All,
I am having some real trouble with earring posts. I must have soldered about 10 posts, for them all to fall off.
This is what is happening....
I pull on the posts with flat nose pliers, whack them round a mandrel because I have been making hoops and they are fine, they don't fall off, just bend a little.
A day later, I bend the post down and it snaps off. I have attached a photo.
please help
It looks as if the solder hasn’t come completely to melting point but has just tacked them on. I would bring the main body up to heat and just as the solder starts to flow pop the wire on holding them in tweezers or pliers. Or shaper first and go through the same process
I don't really understand the sequence you describe, but the hoops are very much heavier than the posts, and as Caroline says, must reach soldering temperature for the solder to flow properly.
So work in a darkened area and heat the hoops until they just begin to glow before homing in on the join.
To avoid damage to the thin posts, reduce the airhole of your torch a little and move it about.
When I started, I was taught to make a pit with a round burr for the post to fit into. This gives a greater area of contact. Finally twist the post with flat pliers for a quarter turn in several places. This tests the joint and re-hardens the post for use. Dennis.
You could also drill into the body of the earring to countersink the post to give a bigger surface area for the solder and it would be clearer also if the solder had run. The very tiny drill bits are available (warning - break very easily)
Instead of twisting the post, I have laid the post down on top of my polished anvil with a polished steel block on top. Then tapped the block repeatedly with light hammer, not hard enough to “deform” it whilst rotating it. I think this has the same effect as twisting it? It certainly appears to make it more resistant to bending....or am I deluding myself?Quote:
Originally Posted by Dennis
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