I have just starting practicing some jewellery making with silver. I use a hand torch with disposable gas cans. Everytime I try to solder a joint, the solder melts but doesnt flow. The silver wire melts to form a joint rather than the solder filling the gap. I've done everything that I was taught, making sure everything is clean, use flux on the joints, heat gradually.
Hi Hamzah. This is a constantly recurring problem on the forum. You don't say what you are making, but in general terms, the whole of the piece has to be brought to soldering temperature, before homing in on the joint.
If you work in subdued lighting, you will see better how you are getting on, but the joint should not be made to glow until the whole piece is just very dull red.
If your torch has a large fierce flame turn it down a bit and keep it moving, to avoid accidental hot spots.
Long wires tend to dissipate heat, so if you are soldering a long wire, as in a bangle, it helps to prevent the heat escaping by building a cave made out of bricks. Also solder will not jump gaps, so to keep the ends in contact, you might need binding wire across the circle. Dennis.
Thanks Dennis, for your reply. I wasnt making anything in particular, I was practising with 2 bits of silver wire. With help I figured out that it wasnt anything that I was doing wrong but rather the flux was funky. After trying a different flux, the solder flowed perfectly.
I will definitely be using your idea of making a cave though!
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Solder isnt Flowing...
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