Jewelry Soldering Basics: Using Solders, Flux, Tools & Creating a Safe Soldering Space
In our free eBook, Jewelry Soldering Basics, you’ll learn all about what solder is and how it works to adhere one piece of metal to another. You’ll learn the different kinds of solder used in soldering jewelry, such as hard, easy, and medium solder, etc., but you’ll also learn the forms that jewelry solder is available in, such as wire, sheet, and paste solder. More importantly, you’ll learn when to use which kind and which form of solder when you’re soldering jewelry for the best-looking and best-lasting results. Our free soldering jewelry eBook explains that solder is an inexpensive metal alloy (usually silver and zinc), and how the makeup of the alloy determines its melting point or when the solder will flow in joins that you’re soldering. We’ve outlined all that information for you in convenient soldering reference charts that you’ll turn to again and again as you solder metal jewelry. You’ll even learn what solder to use when soldering jewelry in copper, bronze, and brass as well as silvers.
If you’ve been a Jewelry Making Daily reader for awhile, you’ve undoubtedly seen me write about Lexi Erickson, my beloved friend and metalsmithing teacher. Lexi is so generous with JMD readers, sharing her knowledge about all things jewelry related, including metals, metalsmithing, and soldering. She’s the queen of soldering, having written a ten-part comprehensive series about soldering for Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, and she has taught soldering to students in metalsmithing classes for over twenty-five years. (She must have started teaching at age four, right?)
Jewelry Soldering Basics
Solder: What it is, how to use it
“Although learning how to solder jewelry is a big step, it’s one that can save you time and effort–even money,” says Merle White, editor in chief of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine. As Merle says in her introduction in the eBook, soldering lets you do the seemingly impossible: turn two pieces of metal into a single piece of metal. “Soldering is the ‘gateway’ jewelry-making technique that will let you take your jewelry designs to a whole new level.” You’ll learn to solder silver jewelry but also copper, which I know many jewelry makers are using these days.
Flux: Help when solder flows
In Jewelry Soldering Basics: How to Solder Jewelry: Solders, Flux, Tools & Setup, you’ll also learn all about flux–what it is, what it does (why you need it!), and the various types of flux used in soldering jewelry. Lexi explains why you use flux when soldering jewelry and how flux can help protect your metal from some of the unwanted side effects of the torch’s heat–such as pesky firescale. (Don’t know what firescale is? Then you need to download Jewelry Soldering Basics!)
Your soldering station
Lexi also explains how to set up a proper fireproof soldering station so that you work efficiently and safely. In addition to soldering safety tips, she shares all the of the supplies that you’ll need to solder jewelry, including soldering tweezers, torches, pickling supplies, soldering blocks (firebricks), and more, all in a handy soldering supply glossary.
Ring Soldering Project
For this easy jewelry project, you’ll use half round jewelry wire and solder wire to create simple silver rings. Follow the step by step soldering instructions and you’ll have wonderful gifts and a new skill. While it may take a bit more than an hour the first time you try this project, soon you’ll be able to make these rings, start to finish, in less than 30 minutes.
Obtaining this free eBook on how to solder jewelry is essential to any jewelry maker.You’ll learn what solder is and how it works. You’ll find out what types of jewelry solder are available, what forms they come in, and when to use each one, with convenient reference charts that will make it easy to figure out exactly what you need. Learn more about various jewelry soldering supplies including solderite, soldering tweezers, torches, and irons. You’ll also learn the importance of using flux for sweat soldering. Get all of that and more in our newest free eBook, Jewelry Soldering Basics: How to Solder Jewelry: Solders, Flux, Tools & Setup!
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