Frit-Happens !

Jewellery => Jewellery tips, techniques and information => Topic started by: Dee Dee on May 29, 2008, 02:50:14 AM

Title: Soldering a jump ring
Post by: Dee Dee on May 29, 2008, 02:50:14 AM
Hey everyone, hope you are having a good day.

I have a small problem, I have made a necklace with seed beads and a paua shell pendant, but the oval jump ring attaching the pendant came slightly apart allowing the pendant to drop off the necklace.  Annoyingly this happened 2 hours after my customer bought it!  See picture. 

Is there a way to join the jump ring, so that it doesn't happen.  I have tried to solder it (on a test piece), without the necklace attached, but the shell burns, no matter how careful I am.  Any thoughts, anyone???


(http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii32/finishingtouchjewellery/N08-01-LARGE.jpg),
Title: Re: Soldering a jump ring
Post by: turnedlight on May 29, 2008, 07:35:10 AM
Can you fit a heavier bit of wire through? If it's hard and heavier weight, (you can tap it with a mallet to harden, or even hammer the wire so it's slightly flatter and make it back into a jump ring) it shouldn't pull apart..
Title: Re: Soldering a jump ring
Post by: julieHB on May 29, 2008, 09:17:02 AM
Hi, have you considered using something else than a jump ring? 

Here I have used beading wire with seed beads, crimped twice at the back:
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh238/have-a-beer/DSC01914-2.jpg)

Good luck!
Title: Re: Soldering a jump ring
Post by: Kaz on May 29, 2008, 11:22:27 AM
Why not just use pre-soldered jump rings for the bit that connects to the necklace ends and then open jump rings to attach the clasp onto that?
Kaz
Title: Re: Soldering a jump ring
Post by: Pat from Canvey on May 29, 2008, 11:41:42 AM
It might be possible to shield the shell with fibre blanket whilst soldering the silver but I've not tried it. Are you using a small torch  with a pencil flame to solder. Just been away and tried a solder without any shielding. The picture is at
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1426/5604171/12685369/319218851.jpg
The soldered area is at about 10.00 in the picture. I already had some paua shell pre-drilled and some silver jump rings made. There isI think a small area of burn under the solder, but thats because of the shape of the shell and the circular jump ring being so close. If I was doing this for real, I'd use an oblong jump ring to get the site to be soldered as far away as possible from the shell. This would also help with a bit of shielding.
Alternatively you could use a wrapped loop construction that would not need to be soldered.
The torch I used was a Microflame Piezo Instant Ignition Pencil Flame Torch which runs on gas lighter refills.
Title: Re: Soldering a jump ring
Post by: DragonflyLynne on May 29, 2008, 12:04:32 PM
If you use as thick a jump ring as will fit, and close it so the 2 edges are pushing against each other with no visible gap it should be fine. I have a large piece of yellow turquoise, front drilled like your pendant, that is attached with one ring and it is absolutely fine. I wear it a lot. Let me know what size you would like and I'll send you one.  ;D
Title: Re: Soldering a jump ring
Post by: Dee Dee on May 30, 2008, 01:23:41 AM
Thanks guys, I think I have some very thick jump rings.......somewhere!
Thanks for trying Pat, it is a small torch I was using, but don't want to try it again as I only have one of these pendant's left!

I might try Julie's idea, is that one piece of jewellery wire wrapped round twice, or two separate loops?

Is there any reason why a soldering iron wouldn't work, rather than a torch?


Title: Re: Soldering a jump ring
Post by: julieHB on May 30, 2008, 01:47:21 AM
Quote from: Dee Dee on May 30, 2008, 01:23:41 AM
Thanks guys, I think I have some very thick jump rings.......somewhere!
Thanks for trying Pat, it is a small torch I was using, but don't want to try it again as I only have one of these pendant's left!

I might try Julie's idea, is that one piece of jewellery wire wrapped round twice, or two separate loops?

Is there any reason why a soldering iron wouldn't work, rather than a torch?

Int the picture I showed it is bendalon wire wrapped around twice, with 2 crimps at the back.

You use a soldering iron with electric components and soldering tin....I think you need higher temperatures for sterling silver and silver solder, hence a torch (please correct me anyone if I am wrong).
Title: Re: Soldering a jump ring
Post by: Pat from Canvey on May 30, 2008, 08:44:13 AM
You also use a higher wattage (100-200 watts) solering iron to make copperfoil and stained glass lead panels, hence my avatar on the left. It's a lamp composed of hexagons and pentagons soldered together with a ceramic base I also made.
Title: Re: Soldering a jump ring
Post by: LittleHen on May 30, 2008, 03:21:31 PM
Quote from: Pat from Canvey on May 30, 2008, 08:44:13 AM
You also use a higher wattage (100-200 watts) solering iron to make copperfoil and stained glass lead panels, hence my avatar on the left. It's a lamp composed of hexagons and pentagons soldered together with a ceramic base I also made.
When I did stained glass I also used to make these shapes it's the same as a football and Carbon 60 - an interesting allotrope of carbon also called Buckminsterfullerene!! I'm a sad ex-chemist  :D ;D :D
I never made a lamp though, do you have a link to a bigger piccie?
Jessie  ;)
Title: Re: Soldering a jump ring
Post by: Pat from Canvey on May 30, 2008, 04:25:51 PM
Jessie
Have a look at http://www.uniqueglass.co.uk/lampshades.htm and scroll down to the bottom right of the page. Click on the thumbnail for a bigger picture. The website is my old one which still uploads despite me telling them I'd retired and wasn't paying anymore. I was keeping the web address though. I still have all my "stuff" and use some of my stained glass for beadmaking.
As for sad ex-chemist, one of my sons is an analytical chemist testing water quality for Southern Water.
Title: Re: Soldering a jump ring
Post by: Dee Dee on May 31, 2008, 12:17:32 AM
Thanks for your help guys, I went Julie's seed bead route, and it looks good.  Sometimes you just can't see the wood for the trees!!!

STEPH
Title: Re: Soldering a jump ring
Post by: Yellow friend on August 08, 2008, 04:42:40 PM
On another occasion you could try putting the pendant under cold water whilst soldering.  Make sure the joint is clean and a close fit,you can buy a flux & solder paste in a syringe (Cooksons) which I find invaluable for awkward jobs.  Heat with a cooks torch and remove the heat as soon as it starts to flow (takes a few seconds), that way you don't get too much black stuff to remove.  Use a silver cloth to polish.  You can also buy a heat resistant paste to smother the piece you don't want heating up but its not that easy to use.

Hope it helps.

Shelia
Title: Re: Soldering a jump ring
Post by: Dee Dee on September 01, 2008, 03:40:16 PM
Quote from: Yellow friend on August 08, 2008, 04:42:40 PM
On another occasion you could try putting the pendant under cold water whilst soldering.  Make sure the joint is clean and a close fit,you can buy a flux & solder paste in a syringe (Cooksons) which I find invaluable for awkward jobs.  Heat with a cooks torch and remove the heat as soon as it starts to flow (takes a few seconds), that way you don't get too much black stuff to remove.  Use a silver cloth to polish.  You can also buy a heat resistant paste to smother the piece you don't want heating up but its not that easy to use.

Hope it helps.

Shelia

Apologies Sheila, I've only just spotted your reply to my post.  I will look into that flux & solder paste in a syringe, sounds good.

Thanks for your advice.

Steph

Title: Re: Soldering a jump ring
Post by: Yellow friend on September 02, 2008, 09:26:14 AM
It is excellent stuff, bit expensive but it lasts for ages.  Smothering the bead in paste called Warmestop (German I think) helps prevent it cracking, bit messy but it does work.

Hope it helps

Shelia