SOS - Gold solder!

[Nick martin]

Hi All,

Had a job to do - resize a gold ring. As it was only going up roughly one size, I chose to do it on a mandrel but I split the shank!

I now need to solder it, but don't want to pay £40+ for one panel of gold solder. And as I don't work in gold due to costs, then I have no use for any excess.

So I want to ask, with the greatest of respect, is there anyone on here who would kindly sell me one small pallion of gold solder? ( its hallmarked .375 so 9 ct )

I could kick myself for making such a stupid error, but there you have it! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Nick

[Nick martin]

Also when I'm soldering will the stone be ok if I smother it in Technoflux insulating paste? And then safe to drop into pickle afterwards do you think?

Nick

[Goldsmith]

Nick if you only need a small amount of 9ct solder, buy some wire strip solder, 4 inches of 9ct easy 0.5mm wire will only cost about £3.50.
See; http://www.cooksongold.com/Solders/9...prcode-HEB-050

James

[Nick martin]

Brilliant James, that'll do me nicely. What's your advice on the heat / stone / pickle query please?

Nick

[Goldsmith]

Brilliant James, that'll do me nicely. What's your advice on the heat / stone / pickle query please?

Nick

I used to use some stuff called "Coolheat" it looks like the same stuff as Technoflux. Luckily if I have a job like this my little torch flame can heat the back of a ring without too much heat at the front. I would suggest that you cut through the break with a saw blade, then flux inside the join and close it, then sit the ring stone downwards on a soldering block with the stone set area and back of the setting covered with a heat screen like technoflux. After soldering let it cool slowly as dropping it in pickle could shatter the stone, be patient, wash off the heat screen then put the cold ring in the pickle and wait for it to clean in it's own time.
Just out of interest, when I was an apprentice some 50 years ago, we didn't have the likes of Technoflux and we made our own heat screens by mixing Loam with water to make a thick paste, which set like clay when heated and kept the flames off any delicate areas. Wikipedia says Loam is a soil mixture of sand,silt and clay, we had a sack full of it near the forge. If you can find some it's worth a try.

James

[Dennis]

Hi Nick,

Trial and error is how we all learn, so stop kicking yourself. What you have shown is that to stretch a ring, you have to soften it first by annealing, or else deliberately cut it through and add a piece.

When you have straightened up the edges you will most likely find that the ring is still going to be too small, because a 1.0 mm gap is roughly equivalent to one English size.

If that is so, slide it along a ring stick until it is only slightly too small and buy a piece of matching gold that will wedge in place for soldering. To do a good job you will need to:

Tap the opened shank on a mandrel, because the remaining arcs will be just a bit too small now.

Wedge in a piece of strip that is flush inside, but a little too fat and a little too wide. After soldering you will be able to file the edges and the outer surface to blend well. regards, Dennis.

[Nick martin]

Thanks fellas... clear and expert advice as always, much appreciated.

Nick