Soldering hints & tips for a new jeweller

**Milomade** · 07-07-2009, 07:38 PM

Is it worth investing in H/M/E/XE solder paste then?

**agent_44** · 07-07-2009, 07:43 PM

I'd say so, I keep all grades of paste and of strip solder, which I use depends on what I am doing.

**Dano** · 07-07-2009, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by Milomade

Is it worth investing in H/M/E/XE solder paste then?

yeah eventually! if you're on a budget though i think you can get by with M and E to start with (student mindset here still)

also i think everyone should get au fait with pallion soldering before they move on to solder pastes but i've always been one for doing things the old fashioned way to begin with, it helps you get a better handle on the process and when you DO switch to pastes and stuff it makes everything seem so easy it's almost like cheating

**amazingbabe** · 15-08-2009, 07:01 PM

Hi i was wondering exactly how many pallions of solder would you use to solder a bezel to the base?? Would you use easy medium or hard?? xx

**mizgeorge** · 15-08-2009, 07:09 PM

I generally use four to six, depending on the size of the bezel. Though I often use paste instead, especially for smaller pieces.

I'd usually use medium, having used hard for the initial bezel join, and with a view to using easy for setting the finished cup onto whatever it's going to be used for (if it needs another soldered stage of course).

**ben b** · 15-08-2009, 07:56 PM

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**ps_bond** · 19-08-2009, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by ben b

a good flux, is a green liquid call auflux. It can be used for silver and gold. If anyone uses a borax cone on a dish of water, and a small paintbrush...dont. Your just being silly.

That's an interesting assertion Ben... Please could you elaborate? I can think of a couple of things against borax - the foaming up, the limited working time at temperature, the aggro of getting the stuff ground; but by and large, it does what I want.

I've recently started to use Auflux; I'm not convinced yet that I like it, but I'm persevering.

**Ominicci** · 19-08-2009, 06:04 PM

Yep, would be interested to know too. I have heard from an ex student of my tutor that borax is old hat and 'no-one should be teaching that these days', but that's how I was taught so I don't know any different

**Milomade** · 19-08-2009, 06:06 PM

I use auflux as that's what I've been taught to use, but so many of the books I'm learning from use borax.

**julie** · 19-08-2009, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by Ominicci

Yep, would be interested to know too. I have heard from an ex student of my tutor that borax is old hat and 'no-one should be teaching that these days', but that's how I was taught so I don't know any different

agree would be interesting to know i use borax it's what is used at college..