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Hello!
I'm a relative newbie and have been practising tube-setting faceted stones onto rings and earrings. I've got that nailed now (phew!) but am keen to move on to making pieces with more than one stone set in this way.
My question: how would I solder more than one tube setting onto a piece? Would I do them one at a time using hard solder for the first, medium solder for the second, etc... Or is there a better way I'm missing?
Thank you so much :)
If it is curved as in rings, it will be best to solder one at a time, starting with the centre one and rotating to keep the base level as you go.
You can usually start with hard for the first one, and go to easy for at lest four more, as you get further and further from the centre.
Most of us skip medium solder, as it does not flow as well.
If you have a flat base, then solder all at one time, Dennis.
Thank you, that's exactly the kind of advice I was looking for. I've just about got to grips with hard solder (went through a real phase of it not flowing at all, just sitting there as a little lump!) but I haven't worked with medium or easy yet, so that's good to know.
I'll get some easy ordered and have a play!
Hi Helly77,
I'd love to see how you get on. I'm new too and have just started to try this out. When I see photos of pieces that have tens of tube settings all attached to each other I can't get my head around how that's done!
Good luck!
Emmy
Hello Embo! The tips worked well, I managed to create a ring with three stones.... they're a tiny bit wonky but not bad for a first attempt [emoji4][emoji184]Quote:
Originally Posted by Embo
It was tricky to set the stones though as I couldn't bend the metal over very easily with the stone pusher where the tubes met... but the stones stay in and I think it looks ok!
If anyone has any more tips, I'm going to try another one. Good luck Embo x
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Best advice I can give is to practice, and from the photos it looks as though you may want to spend more time on cleaning up the piece
Here is some advice, to get a cleaner effect Helly, but you have made a start and this is not meant to detract from your efforts:
The tubes are a fraction thick. You need 0.3 or 0.4mm of metal to push over, so I think you could use one size thinner tubing.
The stones are a little deep. The table of the stone should be level, but not below the rim of metal before setting.
You have used rather a lot of solder. It should not creep up between the tubes. If it does, cut through with a very thin saw blade.
The tubes are rather damaged by overheating. Use only a soft gentle flame, not a pointy fierce one.
I don't usually put tubes close together, but here is my Toy Brick ring, to show the effect of tube setting:
It’s useful when soldering to place your fluxed pallion of solder inside the fluxed tubing so that you don’t get an excess. I’ve found that flux , especially borax, will even hold the tubes in place and slight alterations can be made. I then place the solder once the bubbling has stopped.If using paste then on the few occasions I’ve used it, I use a cocktail stick to place as much as I think necessary. A pallion of strip solder per setting would be more than enough to do the job
Hello!
Thank you all for the advice. I have to be honest, I was a bit disheartened at first (I'm very new to this!) but I've regrouped, taken it on the chin and am determined to improve my techniques! This is how we learn, right......? [emoji28]
I've been working on a pendant with one tube setting and I took it apart last night and am starting again with the setting [emoji4]
Dennis, can I ask your advice on soldering? I am using a big pointy flame (busted, ha!) but I found that if I don't I can't get the pallion to melt. It just sits there and eventually turns into a little black blob [emoji2372] I'm using a Dremel torch. Any tips would be great, I'm finding soldering very hit and miss! Love the ring BTW... very cool [emoji41]
Thank you!!!
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Yes, what is going wrong, is that you are getting to the limit of how much heat your torch will put out, and by using a very fiecerce flame you are burning the collets.
What you would normally do, with a bigger torch (and there are hand held bigger torches) is to close the air hole a bit to get a softer flame. Then heat the whole ring shank, before homing in on the solder. With the shank hot, the solder will flow, and not ball up.
As Cookson are closed and these are strange times, you might have to get a second torch the same on line, and using them together, one in each hand. You will be like an old time cowboy.
In the absence of other sources, Tesco sell Swan butane gas. Dennis.
Hi Dennis,
That's great advice, thank you so much. I think I'll invest in a bigger torch once Cooksons are open again, any recommendations?
The piece I redid this afternoon is much cleaner... but soldering is still my nemesis! I think because at college we'd just 'turn it on and go', I'm lacking basic knowledge of how the process actually works, especially when trying to learn at home with more basic kit.
I was only a few sessions into my course when college closed.
Thank you [emoji4]
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Yes it is sad that your course was cut short, but it has at least started you off.
Depending on your home circumstances, you could go for an EZ Torch from Betts metals, which requires a gas cylinder: https://www.bettsmetalsales.com/ez-torch-kit.
The advantage is that it has an adjustable air hole, allowing for a bushy flame.
Otherwise you could consider a larger refillable torch, such as the Max Torch from Cookson and others on-line. Dennis.