help with soldering

[Wendy Moriarty]

Thanks Dennis, I did remember to turn desk lamp off last time and that helped, I have the dremmel multi something torch from Cooksons and I was looking for headband magnifyers yesterday, the other problem was my solder was not clean (I had hammered it thinner on an old lump hammer and thought any impurities would burn away) I'm certainly learning from my mistakes, prob a lot more than if I hadn't done things wrong. Felt much better after watching Andrew Barry saying soldering is very complex. My third hand was not suitable as it does not have tweezers it's a craft one but the cooksons one is on offer and in my basket ready, just need to find some wire cutters, and cotton and wool polishing discs, my wire cutters and pliers were a free set from cooksons and gave me blisters cutting solder and jump rings. Thanks again for your helpful advice :-)

[Wendy Moriarty]

Hi Dennis, thanks, my torch is dremmel muti something from cooksons and i did remember to turn my desk light off last time which helped, didn't know about the air holes, they were not mentioned in the bit read, must read all the instructions properly, too eager. have just been looking at headband magnifyers thanks for the tip, Proops are much cheaper than cooksons.(have added them to my evergrowing shopping list) I felt much better after watching tutorial from Andrew Barry saying soldering is very complex, the other problem was my solder was a bit dirty I'd bashed it with a hammer to thin it and thought any bits would just burn away, I am learning a lot from my mistakes, prob more than if i'd got it right at first so there is always a positive. I also need some wire cutters and pliers not to expensive (but better than the free set I got from cooksons, they've given me blisters cutting solder and jump rings) as I have already spent a fortune on silver and tools etc..Thanks again for your advice

[Wendy Moriarty]

Thank yuo Dennis, I did reply earlier not sure where it's gone but when I retyped reply and posted it the first one appeared so I deleted second reply, but can't see my reply

[Lindyloo]

The following was from a post made last year.

A nifty little trick...
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!) :-)

[Dennis]

Dear Linda,
Thank you for drawing our attention to this real trick of the trade
I have seen it described using a pick of iron wire, cut from an old coat hanger, or a posh titanium one. You don’ usually get taught this at adult education classes because, unless your teacher learned it as an apprentice or worked at the bench as a jobbing jeweller, they are unlikely to have adopted it themselves.
It seems ideal for soldering small items where only one paillion of solder is needed and I shall have a go at it the next chance I get. One of my favourite books on technique is the retro ‘Practical Jewellery Repair’ by James Hickling, Dennis.

[Wendy Moriarty]

Thanks Linda
I will give it a try this way, it sounds easier, but I'm sure I'll still struggle initially. A friend of mine said she uses tweezers as that was the way she was tought, but I wasn't sure what she meant, thanks for stating it so clearly, ideal for beginers :-)