Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: soldering a post and a fine chain together for a thread through earring

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Posts
    24

    Default soldering a post and a fine chain together for a thread through earring

    Dear Everyone
    I'm a newbie jeweller so please bear with me! I am trying to solder a post to a fine chain, actually two posts (one on each end) and a 'U' shaped piece of wire in the middle. I haven't been successful on flat surface (the chain keeps moving), well I haven't been successful at all. Does anyone has any tips on how to do this? it's funny - I can't seem to find any online tutorials even though these earrings are incredibly popular...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Posts
    1,086

    Default

    Sometimes you can make life easy and buy the findings!?
    Author: Pearls A Practical Guide
    www.pearlsapractical.guide
    www.Pearlescence.co.uk

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
    Posts
    8,845

    Default

    I take it you are talking about earring posts. With the U-shaped wire you might solder it while straight and bend the U when finished.

    So first of all flux and melt a little solder onto the ends of the wires to form blobs. I prefer a liquid solder such as Auroflux, which does not expand and bubble.

    Then, lay the wires flat on or very close to the fluxed end of the chain, preferably in a long shallow groove scratched into the block.

    This will keep them all aligned. Heat with a smallish bushy(not fierce) flame until the solder just flows, joint by joint. Don't be in a hurry. The long wire will need to be heated all over before concentrating on the ends, first one and then the other.

    Work in semi darkness so as to see you are not heating one part more than another.

    By holding some tweezers in your dominant hand and your torch in the other, you can also nudge a wire closer if you detect a separation. Dennis.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Posts
    24

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Dennis View Post
    I take it you are talking about earring posts. With the U-shaped wire you might solder it while straight and bend the U when finished.

    So first of all flux and melt a little solder onto the ends of the wires to form blobs. I prefer a liquid solder such as Auroflux, which does not expand and bubble.

    Then, lay the wires flat on or very close to the fluxed end of the chain, preferably in a long shallow groove scratched into the block.

    This will keep them all aligned. Heat with a smallish bushy(not fierce) flame until the solder just flows, joint by joint. Don't be in a hurry. The long wire will need to be heated all over before concentrating on the ends, first one and then the other.

    Work in semi darkness so as to see you are not heating one part more than another.

    By holding some tweezers in your dominant hand and your torch in the other, you can also nudge a wire closer if you detect a separation. Dennis.

    Hi Denis,
    Thank you for that, I have just tried this past weekend and it worked 3 out of 4 - so much greater success rate than previously. I will try and practice more until it is easier and they look perfect (at the moment they are slightly uneven) but big thank you for the tip!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
    Posts
    8,845

    Default

    Good, practice is everything, provided you don't do the same thing over and over when it's not working.

    For fine work it is often easier to use a softer flame, by reducing the air hole. This makes it cooler and slower, but the solder flows more evenly. Dennis.

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •