Cufflinks

**medusa** · 14-01-2013, 06:57 PM

hmmm, well with my current workload I get out maybe one day a week at the moment unless I get an order in, so I'm using my borax far less than you but still cleaning it out every time I have a soldering job on (I rivet most of my orders and it's only since I've been developing some new ideas that I'm soldering more).

Hope you are feeling better soon, poor thing.

**Tabby66** · 14-01-2013, 09:33 PM

I think learning soldering was easier for me being shown in person rather than reading. This is due to the 'flash' of the solder running and how to encourage it to run around a join and the observation of how metals and solder(s) behave......that said I think the key point is 'the observation', therefore the internet must have a key role to play in 'real-time observation'........reading can lend lots of background info, but seeing it happen is key............

As with learning many practical techniques I do think the advantage of being taught in person is that you are also being observed in practise and corrected, if you can geographically and financially access this, from a good teacher, it is invaluable........

That said......nothing replaces practicing a technique again and again and learning from each time........

**Wallace** · 14-01-2013, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by Tabby66

I think learning soldering was easier for me being shown in person rather than reading. This is due to the 'flash' of the solder running and how to encourage it to run around a join and the observation of how metals and solder(s) behave......that said I think the key point is 'the observation', therefore the internet must have a key role to play in 'real-time observation'........reading can lend lots of background info, but seeing it happen is key............

As with learning many practical techniques I do think the advantage of being taught in person is that you are also being observed in practise and corrected, if you can geographically and financially access this, from a good teacher, it is invaluable........

That said......nothing replaces practicing a technique again and again and learning from each time........

absolutely agree

you mentioned before about some youtube videos. I wish they had been about when I started, but they are here now and seriously brilliant ones by Andrew. Not sure if he is still doing a cut price on enrolments.. but a trial to get the videos and you will be hooked. If you are near someone, I am sure they wouldn't mind showing you what they know... it is easy, but not until you have been doing it for a while.

**DaisyDaisy** · 17-01-2013, 04:02 PM

I had a wonderful "lightbulb" moment the other day and remembered about a man who runs some crafty workshops locally, one of the workshops being a silver clay one, so I thought I would contact him to see if he was able to give me some soldering tuition......and he is! I'm going to pop into his workshop for a chat about it next week.

Thank you to everyone who has given their advice in this thread....I'll hopefully be able to show you the results of my tuition very soon

**Dennis** · 17-01-2013, 06:26 PM

Well done Daisy. Ten minutes of tuition is worth weeks of reading. We all look forward to seeing your work. Dennis.

**DaisyDaisy** · 17-01-2013, 07:16 PM

I'll be able to come out of my crafters corner, Dennis

I'm very excited to be learning a new technique.

**DaisyDaisy** · 08-02-2013, 10:32 PM

Well, I'm very impatient and determined so I thought I'd have a go at teaching myself prior to going for a lesson on soldering next week and I'm pleased to say that after a burnt thumb, a burnt arm, a burnt finger, lots of wasted silver discs (they were scrap ones from my jewellery stamping), a severe loss of patience and a burnt table cloth (oops!) I've finally managed to solder a cufflink! It's very late and I'm drained from doing this for the last couple of hours but I hope it wasn't just a lucky fluke and I will be able to repeat my success in order to make a proper pair tomorrow

Thanks again, everyone, for your help and advice, much appreciated.

**silken** · 09-02-2013, 12:18 AM

Yay! Well done on your first attempt

It sounds a lot like my first (disastrous) efforts years ago. They were truly shameful but I just kept practicing and practicing until I started getting things right. I find soldering simple now but I have had my fair share of disasters but it's not a huge problem, just melt the thing down and start again. Good luck with the final cufflinks!

**Anna Wales** · 09-02-2013, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by DaisyDaisy

Well, I'm very impatient and determined so I thought I'd have a go at teaching myself prior to going for a lesson on soldering next week and I'm pleased to say that after a burnt thumb, a burnt arm, a burnt finger, lots of wasted silver discs (they were scrap ones from my jewellery stamping), a severe loss of patience and a burnt table cloth (oops!) I've finally managed to solder a cufflink! It's very late and I'm drained from doing this for the last couple of hours but I hope it wasn't just a lucky fluke and I will be able to repeat my success in order to make a proper pair tomorrow

Thanks again, everyone, for your help and advice, much appreciated.

Congratulations. You'll be hooked now!