Gold soldering - HEEEELP!!!!

[Pod]

Hi Everyone,

Just registered for the forum and will upload some pictures of my stuff soon just so you know how not to do it!

I wonder if anyone can help wth some hints and tips please? I've mainly been working in silver but thought I'd have a go at making a gold ring. I made one in 18ct gold - no probs - went like a dream. So I thought I'd make one in 9ct gold (much cheaper!) but for some reason I seem to have lost all my soldering skills. I have had this problem before, some time ago, having been soldering silver for ages with no problem, all of a sudden nothing ever seemed to go right. In the end I think I was backing off with the heat too soon and I seem to be ok with silver now. But for some reason I'm having problems with gold now and I'm not sure why.

I thought maybe the join was not close enough, but I have sawed through the damn thing so many times it's now a whole size smaller (any hints and tips on how to get a ring join really really tight would be appreciated!). I'm definitely heating it up enough 'cos it's started to buckle and was a split second away from melting. The solder seems to melt and it looks like it's joined up ok but once it comes out of the pickle, as soon as I try rounding it up the join blows apart. I clean the join with sandpaper before soldering so I don't think it's dirty.

Can anyone offer any advice - I'd really appreciate it as I'd like to make a wedding ring for my best friend soon as it's got to be good.

I know this is a bit "Billy Elliot" but I'm only happy when I'm doing this. I get totally absorbed and it's the first time I actually love what I'm doing. I had to give up my job a couple of years ago as I have MS and my job was too tiring so I decided to try my hand at silversmithing - something I'd wanted to do for years. I've sold quite a few pieces of work and am building a website and I sooo want to be good at this. When things are going well I'm on cloud nine, but when things like this gold soldering problem crop up my whole world falls in. It's a bit like an addiction isn't it?!!!

Well, since this is a jewellery making forum and not a counselling session I'll leave it there(!!!) but if anyone can help I'd really appreciate it. Thanks in advance, Pod.

[Gemma]

Can't help with your problem I'm afraid but I'm sure someone will be along to help you soon. to the forum though. Love to see some pics

[lorraineflee]

Likewise, can't help with the gold soldering - but welcome to the forum!
Lorraine

[Bigwol]

Can anyone offer any advice - I'd really appreciate it as I'd like to make a wedding ring for my best friend soon as it's got to be good.

Hi Pod

Gold does behave differently to silver, silver is a terrific conductor of heat - which means in practice that you can heat the ring pretty much anywhere and the whole ring comes up to temperature fairly uniformly - (though the solder will always flow towards the heat - which is how you can pull it through a joint).

With metals which do not conduct heat so readily (including gold) - you need to be more precise with the torch, as you can't rely so much on conduction to get the heat to where you want it. and maybe also use your soldering pick more actively, to move the solder towards the join.

Also don't just blast it from above and expect the solder to flow into the joint, -

Once the ring is up to temperature, move the flame to the back of the joint to pull the solder through using heat.

Finally - flux both the ring and solder first (auroflux or borax), and use the correct grade of solder (gold easy or extra easy), there's no point making life difficult by using hard solder on a ring when a lower temperature solder will work just as well.

Good luck - don't worry, you'll soon get the hang of it!

[Dennis]

I think this is an exemplary reply, and kind to a newcomer. Pieces like this should be archived separately for quick reference, possibly selected by by members votes. Dennis

[Polly]

Hi Pod

Gold does behave differently to silver, silver is a terrific conductor of heat - which means in practice that you can heat the ring pretty much anywhere and the whole ring comes up to temperature fairly uniformly - (though the solder will always flow towards the heat - which is how you can pull it through a joint).

With metals which do not conduct heat so readily (including gold) - you need to be more precise with the torch, as you can't rely so much on conduction to get the heat to where you want it. and maybe also use your soldering pick more actively, to move the solder towards the join.

Also don't just blast it from above and expect the solder to flow into the joint, -

Once the ring is up to temperature, move the flame to the back of the joint to pull the solder through using heat.

Finally - flux both the ring and solder first (auroflux or borax), and use the correct grade of solder (gold easy or extra easy), there's no point making life difficult by using hard solder on a ring when a lower temperature solder will work just as well.

Good luck - don't worry, you'll soon get the hang of it!

Pod, totally agree with Bigwol's suggestion, though I would be inclined to stick with hard solder especially if you are going to bash it up a size (technical term )

[Lucy]

And sorry to ask the obvious, but you are using 9ct solder aren't you? and not the 18kt.

[daisychain]

Fantastic detailed advice Bigwol!
I find that I always have to use plenty of flux, more than usual, when soldering gold, 9ct in particular.