Soldering Help For A Beginner

[craftyjen]

Hello,

I am new to this and have been trying my best to do some simple soldering jobs but each time the piece is left completely soft and annealed. I am using easy solder and I coat the area with borax first. I have read a little around the subject and so have tried watching the colour of the silver and getting the solder to flow as quickly as possible by heating the whole item but still no joy. How can I avoid this if the annealing temp of sterling is around 600 degrees but easy solder flows at 705 degrees? I'm confused.

Any help would be brilliant... Thanks.

[Goldsmith]

Hello Jen,
I am not sure what you are asking, if you are asking about annealing then you will always anneal silver when soldering it with a simple standard gas torch, the usual remedy is to harden it after all soldering is complete. Or are you saying that the solder is not flowing for you. The only way to solder without annealing is by other means rather than a gas torch, such as laser or welding guns. Some soldering jobs can be achieved with an oxy/gas gun without having to heat the whole piece, but as a beginner it is unlikely that you have one of these torches.
It might be useful if you could post photos when asking questions, so that we can see the job you are having problems with.

James

[mizgeorge]

I think you may be confusing annealing temperature with melting point! Sterling melts at just under 900 degrees, so you've got plenty of leeway there. It sounds very much like you're not getting the piece hot enough yet.

I always recommend practising by just taking a bit of scrap silver and deliberately melting it so you can see how it looks just before it melts (it will be very very bright orange by this time) to help get a feel for just how far you can push the heat.

[craftyjen]

Thank you both for your input. I didn't realise that I wasn't really doing anything wrong and that the piece would become annealed by my soldering it. I was simply trying to solder some earring posts onto cast pieces and after cleaning them up found that they were completely soft. How do I remedy this problem or do most use welding equipment as suggested in James' post?

[Wallace]

Hi Jen,
give the ear wires a little twist with some straight pliers, that will work harden them. Hold the piece and twist the wire whilst it is inside the pliers.

[Dennis]

Yes it not only hardens them, but tests your solder joint, so it won't let you down later.
Welcome to the forum, Dennis.

[craftyjen]

Thanks, I will definately be giving it a go and tell you how I get on. Also, does anybody use a tumbler to do this or will that not give the desired effect?

[Wallace]

it really doesn't take much to do. Tumbler will only really make it shiny.

[Dennis]

Thanks, I will definately be giving it a go and tell you how I get on. Also, does anybody use a tumbler to do this or will that not give the desired effect?

To harden metal you have to twist it bend it, or beat it hard to deform it. Its a myth that a tumbler will harden your work to any noticeable extent.
That said it is fondly held and difficult to refute, because who would want to bend their work afterwards for mere proof? Dennis.

[craftyjen]

Thank you all for your help and suggestions. I feel a little silly for not knowing the basics but hopefully with some practice I'll get there.